8 1/2... but why?

The first thing i questioned about this film was 'why title it 8 1/2'. throughout the film, i tried to piece things together and see if they fit the construct of 8 1/2, but i failed to find a relation. So i proceed by telling myself that the movie is titled '8 1/2 minutes' as it seemed to me that most of the 'flashback/imagination' sequences were almost of that duration... moving on

The first thing i noticed about the film was the bad dubbing. there are many parts in the film where you can tell the dialogue has been dubbed because the lip movement betrays the dialogue bing delivered. but then again, maybe Fellini was more concerned with the depth of the movie rather than technical perfection. i dont see him and me being the best of friends. the second 'glitch' that caught my eye was at point [49:37], where Guido is sitting in the hallway of the hotel and you can clearly see a mirror at the end of the hallway, in which his reflection is apparent. what is also apparent is a man sitting at the other end of the hallway (possibly the camera man) with most of his shadowy figure being covered up by a metal abomination. even though his presence is VERY sketchy, he is there.

frankly, this movie was an ABSOLUTE BORE while i watched it. however, as the movie neared its end, i found myself crawling to the edge of my seat, unable to switch to other windows (like facebook and skype). the movie seems to be VERY slow to begin with, maintaining that pace for the most part, but suddenly it develops into a frenzy that can only be rivalled by the energy of a mosh-pit at a metallica concert. Initially, i could not tell what the dude's (Guido's) problem was, but as the story un-sheathed itself, i found my jaw opening further and further, till i had to put my hands over it to muffle the words 'HOLY F**K!'. This dude was absolute un-inspired and un-interested in making a movie. he is even un-interested in his mistress! he craves for his wife to join him at the production house, not becasue he loves her, but because he hopes that her persence will bring with it a hammer to break the stale-mate he found himself in. Sure she brougt a hammer, but not the kind that would inspire him, but the kind that would break his spirit even further.

An apparent Genius, bound and tied by others. A brilliant mind forced to adhere, forced to trod on a beaten path. that was Guido's story. throughout the film, there is a constant chatter amongst people, people constantly DEMANDING things of Guido, constantly telling him what needs to be done, what he should be doing and how he should be doing what he is to be doing! through-out his inspiration is shown to be subdued, getting burried further and further into the ground but the end of the movie reveals that his insipiration was actually being born afresh, out of muck and grime, out of disgust and loathing, out of hatred, out of sadness and sorrow.

Fellini's technique of switching between 'reality shots' and shots which were based on Guido's amalgamation of imagination and his childhood are BRILLIANT. it is hard to tell where the switch happens, but the it is CRYSTAL CLEAR that a switch happens. i found myself rolling all over when he goes 'Indiana Jones' on the women in his courtyard (I thought the Hawaiian girl as a Christmas present was a ridiculously hilarious idea!).

the closing sequence of the movie was again a mind trip. the 'cocktail' party to me seemed to be a real event even to the point that i believed that Guido had actually cowered under the table and shot himself. but then we switch to a shot of him getting his 'launchpad' demolished. Fellini's technique of creating a surreal environment totally spooked me out.