As varias mulheres presentes na vida de um diretor de cinema, como ele as ve , como elas o afetam, e caos que é o homem.

Accept me as I am. Only then can we discover each other.

I will take KGB and put him through Clockwork Orange style Ludovico brainwashing programs until he loves this film. I think he'd appreciate the irony, too.

85 for 8 1/2, fair enough, a rare glimpse into fellini's dark side, though not my favorite fellini movie

I feel very split about this film, mostly because I love Marcello Mastroianni and Claudia Cardinale in a manner that is undoubtedly unhealthy. They are even better the older they get. The scenery here is charming, full of wits and debth, but I simply find it hard to understand ENOUGH for me to fully enjoy the dream-sequences. I have to little to hold onto for this movie to get me out of the chair. And then I start getting bored at times. Such a shame.

There is a very good chance that I am giving this a lower score than it deserves because I am somewhat dull. The cinematography is as great as everyone says and Marcello Mastroianni is pretty amazing as Guido, but I really just had a hard time following the plot fully. There is such a large amount going on and it's very nearly impossible to know what's going on completely the first time you watch it. It's a movie that you appreciate more after you read a bunch of critiques and then re-watch.

Completely mesmerizing. Fellini has provided magical film making with the transitions between reality and fantasy happen without even a hiccup between scenes. '8½' is something special.

The purpose of cinema is to both entertain and provoke. The only emotional or any response Fellini's "8 1/2" can cause to a casual audience is frustration. Flashbacks, dreams and reality blend incoherently into a chaotic, abysmal whole that is neither comprehensible nor interesting. Instead of making love to the audience, Fellini compels it to watch him masturbate. His film is arrogant and pretentious. Some good camerawork and cinematography are outweighed by mostly terrible editing and sound.

Fellini's hall of mirrors, the inner reflection of the artistic soul looking for direction in his own lost world. This beautiful collage of memories, fantasies, dreams and fleeting reality is at times full of despair, others joy but its always full of colour. An ode to man's neverending search for meaning and purpose in an irrational universe.

Very inspired, I'm sure, but also extremely difficult to get into. And when I finally did, it was over. I guess I'm not the right guy for this kind of movie. Still, as I said I found it to be very inspired. And inspiring. I understood the intention but not the meaning. Some day I will definitely return to this movie in hopes of getting the satisfaction I deserve and 8½ discharges. Au revoir!

I didn't think it was complicated or surreal. The dreams all made sense. It's about a guy haunted by his past and uncomfortable in the present. The dreams reinforce that. Nonetheless, I still could not connect with it at all. Interesting to look at, but I think maybe the ideas were too expansive. Lots of (often troubling) stuff is superficially touched on, but never delved into.

Maybe the greatest film ever about the difficulties

I've nothing but wonderful things to say about the monster experience that is 8 1/2! Fellini's ambitions tackle a film within a film, explores memories-within-dreams which intercept reality, and masterfully exposes the strong communication of images. As Guido desperately seeks his escapism it's easy to lose grasp of his reality, but consider welcoming it. Also - the opening and final scenes could stand alone as exceptional masterpieces. Just, all around freakin' awesome.

It's the only Fellini film I've watched in entirety, and I'm hard pressed to think another could top it. Self-indulgence has never been so fascinating. Through scenes from dreams, memories, and imagination, Fellini relentlessly explores his own character. Although I didn't understand it all, I found the movie to be too fun and inviting to be turned off. The difficulty occurs not because Fellini is trying to alienate us, but because he has so much to say in his way.

I saw this film in a film class. It has stuck with me forever, but I haven't been able to find it at any video stores or online. :(

I feel it fitting to give 8 1/2 a score of 8 1/2. I love it, but it just overstayed its welcome.

Magnificent cinematography and complete mess of a story. It might be a treasure trove from academic point of view, but for a simple guy like myself it's not much more than a treat for the eyes.

A film that will definitely unfold it's brilliance on the second watch.

There isn't a single boring or uninteresting shot. Occasionally confusing or disorientating - as a movie delving into the mind of a man frequently confused or disorientated should be, really - but an absolute masterwork of cinematography and sound design. Props go to Fellini for making it clear what the dream sequences represent without being too obvious, as well as for the amazing ending, which probably bumped my score up 3-4 points by itself.

Well, that was interesting. Guess I have to watch it a second time soon.

I wanted badly to like this and actually did 'til about half way through. Whatever else I'm going to say about it, I won't deny its' visual beauty. Problem is the film changes gears from a lived-in tale of disillusionment and the shallowness of fame to becoming all... hopeful and high-spirited (just threw up in my mouth a little bit, just typing that). You know- "the show must go on", "all the world's a stage", "c'est la vie" *BLARGH!!!* (excuse me) etc. etc. I... I just don't care.