Amarcord (1973)

This is the summer of filling in my cinematic gaps. That necessarily requires frequent trips to European cinema.

Today I travel to Italy, to visit the work of Federico Fellini. I opted to watch Amarcord (1973), as it was billed as a comedy, and I needed something to lighten the philosophical burden of Tarkovsky and Bergman.

I. What Is It?

This is the story of the village of Borgo San Giuliano, and all of its colorful denizens. It is a coming of age tale, a tale of politics, a tale of small-town life, and a tale of teenagers masturbating in an old car.

II. Charming Slice of Life

There is a central story, here, but the film makes its bread and butter exploring the lives of everyone in the village. From the buxom tobbaconist, to the local fascist party, to who I have dubbed Motorcycle Guy, who rides his motorcycle everywhere, at speed. Life in this little Italian village is funny and spirited and heartbreaking.

We see a boy come to terms with his own sexuality, with his family, and with loss.

We see how fascist politics can, sometimes absurdly, affect a small village.

We see local legends and small-town tall-tales play out with dream-like quality in the Grand Hotel and the Italian countryside.

You will fall in love with these people. Titta and his horny friends; Gradisca, perpetually on the prowl for her Gary Copper; the town whore/crazy person, Volpina; the aforementioned Motorcycle Guy, who zips around at the least opportune moment.

I love movies that feel like novels, and Fellini has delivered a fine tragi-comic novel suffused with interesting people, and fascinating stories.

III. Dreamy

There are scenes in this movie that play out like dream sequences. The Grand Hotel, and the story of Gradisca, where the actors flit about in ballet-like movements; the fascist rally where a giant floral arrangement in the guise of Il Duce speaks to a horny young teenager; the scene where the villagers row their boats out to see the passing of a grand ocean liner. This film has some gorgeous surreal imagery. Like memory itself, Fellini allows his film to veer wildly into the realm of legend and dreams, and it makes the viewing experience more entertaining and emotional.

IV. Silly but Heartfelt

I aways love a good fart joke. And this movie has a lot of fart jokes. And boob jokes. And ass jokes. And sex jokes.

But it also touches on small-town gossip, love, class struggle, local politics, and madness. The movie weaves in and out of silly comedy and tragic family drama with ease. The heartbreaking moments tend to sneak up on you, and contrast the silly comedy. Titta's father, Aurelio, is captured and tortured by local fascists for not being committed enough to the cause; Aurelio's brother, Teo, is given a brief reprieve from his stay in the local sanitarium, and we see how the family, especially Teo's father, has to face his madness and love him anyway. In most dramas, there are scenes of humor that pop up to ease the tension, but Fellini opts to let his dramatic scenes pop in to temper the comedy. It is a nice touch, and it affords the film an interesting and unique feel.

V. Nino Rota's Score

Legendary film composer Nino Rota had a long career of collaboration with Fellini. His score for Amarcord (1973) is playful, fun, haunting and engaging. It captures and enhances the stories that Fellini is telling, and becomes the perfect compliment.

VI. Gorgeous Period Piece

The sets and costumes are wonderful. You feel transported to this place and time, and there were times where I forgot that I was watching a movie. The film is in technicolor, and the vivid hues of the Italian village live and breathe on screen, as do the vivid red dresses of Gradisca and her friends, Volpina's ragged green dress pops, the tobaccanist's curvaceous figure shines in baby-blue wool, the fascists' neat black shirts are crisp and sharp.

This movie is a work of art.

Why You Should See It

- This is a cinematic novel: it lives and breathes on the screen.
- It is both hilarious and heartfelt.
- There are some gorgeous visuals and imagery.

Why You Shouldn't See It

- It is a long movie. It may have been more potent if it had been cut to under two hours.
- There's that scene where the tobacconist takes her massive boobs out and shoves them into the face of our teenage protagonist, and forces him to suck on her nipples. It's weird.

Miscellany

- The title is a phonetic read of the words, a 'marcord, which means "I remember."
- The movie won Best Foreign Language Film at the 1975 Academy Awards.
- Fellini denied that the film was autobiographical, but did admit that a lot of the film drew inspiration from his youth growing up in a small village.