Roma (1972 film)
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 Original film poster |
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| Directed by | Federico Fellini |
| Produced by | Turi Vasile |
| Written by | Story and Screenplay: Federico Fellini Bernardino Zapponi |
| Starring | Peter Gonzales |
| Music by | Nino Rota Carlo Savina |
| Editing by | Ruggero Mastroianni |
| Release date(s) | March 16, 1972 |
| Running time | 128 minutes |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian |
Roma, also known as Fellini's Roma, is a 1972 semi-autobiographical, poetic film depicting director Federico Fellini's move from his native Rimini to Rome as a youth. It is formed by a series of loosely connected episodes. The plot is minimal, and the only character to develop significantly is Rome herself. Peter Gonzales plays the young Fellini, and the film features mainly unknowns in the cast, but includes uncredited guest appearances by Anna Magnani, Marcello Mastroianni, Feodor Chaliapin, Jr., Alberto Sordi, Gore Vidal, John Francis Lane, Elliott Murphy and Fellini himself. The appearances by Marcello Mastroianni and Alberto Sordi were deleted in the later copies of the film and in VHS and DVD editions.
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[edit] Historical contrasts and modern alienation
Fellini repeatedly contrasts Roman life in wartime Fascist Italy with its counterpart in the early 1970s. The wartime scenes emphasize the congregation of neighbors in Rome's public places such as street restaurants, a variety show, and a bomb shelter. With the exception of hippies and a conversational scene with Fellini bemoaning the loss of Roman life with radical students, the analogous congregations of the 1970s are between automobiles and motorcycles. Fellini makes a comparison between the parade of prostitutes at wartime brothels and a fantasy runway fashion show featuring clerical garb and a papal audience.
[edit] Narrative devices
The plot (such as it is) centers on two journeys to Rome by the director. The first is as a young man in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The second is as the director of a film crew creating a movie about Rome. The film alternates these two narratives.
[edit] Release
The film was screened at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival, but wasn't entered into the main competition.[1] The film was also selected as the Italian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 45th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.[2]
[edit] Notes
- This is Anna Magnani's last film appearance, playing herself.
[edit] See also
- List of submissions to the 45th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
- List of Italian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
[edit] References
- ^ "Festival de Cannes: Roma". festival-cannes.com. http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/2357/year/1972.html. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
- ^ Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
[edit] External links
- Roma at the Internet Movie Database
