While lacking inspiration for his latest sci-fi picture an agitated movie director delves deep into memory and fantasy while fielding complaints from his wife, mistress, stars, and producer. "8 1/2" is legendary director Federico Fellini's autobiographical (the title refers to the number of films he made to that point) and incredibly influential masterpiece. Told in free flow form, the movie blends fantasy, memory, and reality until the line is blurred between all three, resulting in a carnival like atmosphere, directed to the highest sensibilities of an art house picture and abetted by a delightful score from Nino Rota. Fresh off their success in "La Dolce Vita", Marcello Mastroianni reteamed with Fellini and delivers another sly, perfectly realized performance as the frustrated Fellini proxy. "8 1/2" is an almost indescribable picture that, although its reconstruction has been attempted by numerous others, would seem impossible to have been made by anyone else.
