There are movies, and then there are movies...

As a supposedly serious student of cinema, I came quite late to Fellini, being superficially familiar with films like 8 1/2 and the circus-like atmosphere surrounding this director. When I heard of his movie La Strada (The Road) I was not in the least interested, as it sounded like a filmed opera to me. How very, very wrong I was.

This film- very simple on its surface- is deeply moving. Very poignant, sad, even. I can't think of another film that so easily brings me to tears. For anyone who has ever wronged another and realized their mistake only too late, this film will pierce your heart.

Truly a moving musical score by Nino Rota, whose music most of you will know from The Godfather.

There are two groups of people who should view this film, truly one of the finest ever made:

Serious students of film

All other human beings currently drawing breath

2:00 PM tomorrow on TCM

Thanks

I’m set to record it.

I hope I can follow it and understand.

Well, it's a film from the late Italian Neo-Realism period but all you have to do is watch. Like Gelsomina in the film, just take in what is before you. That's all you have to do, and I'll leave the pretentious film snob stuff for some other thread. Quite simply, it's a beautiful film. If you're moved at the end, you've understood this film as well as anyone can, because that was what Fellini was shooting for.

Maybe the most accessible Fellini film, it's very easy to get drawn into the characters and the world created. I saw it years ago in school, rewatched it about a year ago on TCM and it was every bit as good as I remembered. I jumped on "8 1/2" at the next opportunity and, like years before, I didn't care to stick it out. "8 1/2" demands a big commitment in many ways, "La Strada" takes you along for a ride.

La Strada and Two Women are both must see Italian films.

One of my favorites.

Giulietta Masina- that face!

If I may be so bold as to add to para’s La Strata thread...

Later tonight, 9:45 pm MDT, The Last Picture Show is also on TCM. I think it’s a great movie. Some may want to record that as well.

I saw La Strada the year it was released, '56 I believe. It has stayed in my memory all these years ... indelibly so. The Italians know so well how to portray human emotions, from Michelangelo to Verdi and forward.

Richard Basehart (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea) had a good antagonist role.

La Strada is also available for streaming in HBOMax's TCM Collection.

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
La Strada is also available for streaming in HBOMax's TCM Collection.

Thanks for that alert. We cut the cord a while ago and the only thing we miss now that we don't have cable is TCM. We subscribe to HBOMax and get the TCM Collection, but there's no way to subscribe to the TCM live stream -- you must have a cable provider.

There's one aspect of La Strada that really intrigues me: what kind of relationship did Anthony Quinn have with Giulietta Masina's sister? He seems to develop a fondness for Masina's character over the course of the film, but he was with the more "together" sister a whole year, and she even died in his company, but he appears pretty nonchalant about the previous events. I wonder what took place between those characters on the road before the movie started.

quote:

Originally posted by M'headSig:

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
La Strada is also available for streaming in HBOMax's TCM Collection.

Thanks for that alert. We cut the cord a while ago and the only thing we miss now that we don't have cable is TCM. We subscribe to HBOMax and get the TCM Collection, but there's no way to subscribe to the TCM live stream -- you must have a cable provider.

YoutubeTV carries TCM: No extra charge, record every movie.