So last night I decided to sit down and watch Amarcord.
I watched just a bit over an hour of it and...decided to turn it off and do some reading to see what all the fuss is about.
Then I learned that Fellini's later films lacked a strong narrative and that turned off some critics.
At the moment, I have a limited knowledge of Fellini as I have only watched Nights of Carbiria, which I enjoyed quite a bit. I do, however, have the Criterion editions of Variety Lights, The White Sheik, and 8 1/2 as well.
I have decided that part of the enjoyment that comes from watching Amarcord, probably comes from being familiar with him as a director. I sort of relate it to watching Jay and Silent Bob Strike back, without having first watched Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma.
While some parts might seem entertaining, you really need to have seen a wider body of the directors work in order to "get it" and have an appreciation for all of antics the film contains.
Perhaps this is a bit of a wacky comparison...but that's the best conclusion I can draw.
I will give props to Criterion for the PQ on this bd.
I would consider this a disc to show off to friends while showcasing how great a catalog title can look. Simply gorgeous!
Anyway, I have decided to watch Variety Lights, The White Sheik, and 8 1/2 (in that order) to gain a better insight to Fellini and his work. Then I am going to revisit Amarcord with a "fresh" perspective and see what I think.
