Writer Photos Darrell J Banks

I wrote this from some blog in between working for suite 101. com and Halogen TV

Enjoy. I’m working on the second edition nonfiction release. I will discuss that process very soon.

La Dolce Vita

A movie review by Darrell J Banks
CR 2011 All Rights reserved Worldwide

Back in time (1961), when I didn’t know about television, let alone movies Fellini created what many consider his masterpiece. He opened with a helicopter being chased by children. Today, that copter would be ignored by those wrapped up in texting, video games or alternative venues. But then it was the rage of controversy banned in Italy. The film finds the rich riding with strangers: the camera video and photogenic workers desperate trying to capture the night life of Rome. Fellini entices us with a Jesus statue trying to convert those who lead a disillusioned life of the rich, street walkers, flooded apartments. The women more desperate, clawing across the bed at the loss of love and family. Suicidal.
173 minutes of this film and you will understand character and the cinema unlike anything made since.
In today’s world Emma would just leave but in1960 she wants her man. La Dolce and won the 1961 Academy award. This year we have “The Help”, maybe, just maybe Meryl Streep will save us from that acceptance speech. Back in 1961 IL (la dolce) had its moments. Like the cover of Scorsese’s “My Voyage to Italy.” Sylvia gives the photographers what they want. She goes back into the plane and makes a grand exit. The photographers take their picture. Men swear, lights on and off Marcello watches as the stars eat, camera men continue to fall down on the ground to get the shot. Fellini describes the life of the idle movie star. What will you learn from this film. Great characters make great structure. This in turn leads to plot and a great ending. At the end of Act one we find Anita Lekberg, dressed like a nun in a church, the light of God on her face. Fellini knew all the tricks and THE CHURCH, hated the film. With a black band, Chinese dancers the film was cutting edge. Act2, Ekberg’s boy friend (Tarzan ) is drunk and tells Marcello and Sylvia to go out back and have at it. But the ending of Act 2 takes us into divine interventions and the mystery of words, to burn but not to freeze. Back with his girlfriend Emma, Marcello seems trapped lost in the land of here and there, not sure of anything but that he hates his job. It’s hard to follow this fallow character Marcello, but that is the greatness of the film. That and its dialog make this film compelling more then fifty years later. “Do you work with my son? Unfortunately, yes, I got gypped. That’s a good one.” Fellini spins us up to the final of Act 3, telling the audience no matter what it’s a sweet and great life. That even through fratricide, the show goes on a, the cameras’ tell our stories and life begins and ends with mistaken identities. After all we are all actors, surviving day by day. Ciao Bella.