IMDb > 8½ (1963)
8½
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips
Videos
8½ (1963) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 69% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Federico Fellini (story) &
Ennio Flaiano (story) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Federico Fellini's 8 1/2 on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
25 June 1963 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
A picture that goes beyond what men think about - because no man ever thought about it in quite this way!
Plot:
A harried movie director retreats into his memories and fantasies. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won 2 Oscars. Another 13 wins & 5 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(11 articles)
"Nine" Premieres in London
 (From The Auteurs. 5 December 2009, 6:53 AM, PST)

Rob Marshall's Musical Nine Gets One Final Theatrical Trailer
 (From FirstShowing.net. 30 November 2009, 7:21 PM, PST)

User Comments:
Perhaps, one of the greatest films ever made more (153 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Marcello Mastroianni ... Guido Anselmi

Claudia Cardinale ... Claudia

Anouk Aimée ... Luisa Anselmi (as Anouk Aimee)
Sandra Milo ... Carla
Rossella Falk ... Rossella
Barbara Steele ... Gloria Morin
Madeleine Lebeau ... Madeleine, l'attrice francese
Caterina Boratto ... La signora misteriosa
Eddra Gale ... La Saraghina (as Edra Gale)
Guido Alberti ... Pace, il produttore
Mario Conocchia ... Conocchia, il direttore di produzione
Bruno Agostini ... Bruno - il secundo segretario di produzione
Cesarino Miceli Picardi ... Cesarino, l'ispettore di produzione
Jean Rougeul ... Carini, il critico cinematografico
Mario Pisu ... Mario Mezzabotta
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Eight and a Half (UK) (alternative spelling) (USA) (alternative spelling)
8 1/2 (Italy) (alternative spelling)
8½ (Italy) (alternative spelling)
Federico Fellini's 8 1/2 (USA)
Federico Fellini's 8½ (USA) (complete title)
Huit et demi (France)
La bella confusione (Italy) (working title)
Otto e mezzo (Italy) (alternative spelling)
more
Runtime:
138 min
Country:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Singapore:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) (2003) | Italy:T | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Norway:16 | Peru:14 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (re-rating) (1989) | UK:A (original rating) | Norway:15 (2004)
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Italian censorship visa # 39461 delivered on 6-2-1963. more
Goofs:
Continuity: A man tells Guido that he has placed something in his right-hand pocket (a gun), when he goes to shoot himself under the table, he pulls it out of his left pocket. more
Quotes:
Guido: I thought my ideas were so clear. I wanted to make an honest film. No lies whatsoever. I thought I had something so simple to say. Something useful to everybody. A film that could help bury forever all those dead things we carry within ourselves. Instead, I'm the one without the courage to bury anything at all. When did I go wrong? I really have nothing to say, but I want to say it all the same. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Kino pro kino (2002) more
Soundtrack:
The Ride of the Valkyries more

FAQ

How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
What does the 8½ in the title stand for?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
more
64 out of 92 people found the following comment useful.
Perhaps, one of the greatest films ever made, 9 November 2005
10/10
Author: Galina from Virginia, USA

First time I saw 8 1/2 over twenty years ago; I did not like it then and I did not care much for a confused director who did not know how to make his next movie or how to deal with all women in his life. This time it was different. I knew it from the opening scene, from the first sounds of Nino Rota's music. I wanted to know how Guido would balance the demands of his producers and the insecurities of his love life. I sometimes barely could tell the difference between the reality and Guido's surfing the waves of his memory or building the Utopias in his mind where things were exactly the way he wanted them to be – and I really did not want to tell the difference. I just was there, following Guido on his journey where Fellini sent us. Then, that scene came, "La Saraghina's" lurid dance on the beach. There was something in that scene that made me return to it over and over again. What was it? The dancing woman was not young, pretty or graceful. On the contrary, she was fat and ugly but there was something about her – that smile, resilience, the promise of joy that attracted eager schoolboys. It was a last time the young Guido felt happy without guilt and shame that inevitably came after the encounter and stayed with him forever; he learned that joy and punishment are inseparable…

There have been fewer than a handful of films that affected me as profoundly as 8 ½ did:

Tarkovsky's "Zerkalo" – when the master holds the mirror in front of you that reflects his soul and mind, open you eyes and heart, don't say a word, just watch closely.

Tarkovsky's "Andrey Rublev" – What is talent? Is it a God's gift or Devil's curse? Is an Artist free in choosing what to do with that gift?

Bergman's "Persona" – How far can one individual go in opening his soul to the other without losing identity and sanity?

Fellini's –"Nights of Cabiria" – "Dum Spiro – Spero" - While there's life there's hope.

In 8 ½, Fellini explored all these subjects and in the final he took the idea of life and hope ever further: after all the characters in his film disappear from the screen, all what left behind is "a little orchestra of Hope with Love as its conductor". The last that we hear is the magic music of Rota, bringing affirmation, hope and love.

Simply wonderful. Perhaps, one of five greatest films ever made.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (153 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for 8½ (1963)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Ending similar to Scorsese's student film, 'It's Not Just You, Murray!'? acinemajunkie
What would you think about an 8½ remake? dvdinfoman
what are your top ten favourite films? gloriamorin21
That leg twist before elevator scene is hilarious fellini812
Luisa = real life Giuletta Masina? fellini812
Am I one of the only... jcgcsc
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Die Blechtrommel Edvard Munch Novecento Giant Valentino
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb top 250 movies IMDb Drama section
IMDb Italy section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.