Amarcord (1974)

So, Amarcord. I remember Amarcord being one of Bergman's favorite Fellini films, and though it's hard to explain why, it's easy to see. Both Amarcord and Bergman's best works share a very personal feel, both full of recollections and memories. I really liked Amarcord, but it's lack of cohesion holds it back from being as good as the rest of Fellini's work. It's really just a loose collection of childhood memories. Although it's really fun and not boring in the least, it lacks a sense of fullness that you get in, say, 8 1/2 or La Strada.

It's strange, all of the characters are easy to identify with. They all have a lot of basic traits, and are going through things that are universal and very relatable. Yet, they're often hard to tell apart, simply because Fellini throws a lot at you early on, and your brain isn't sure who and what to disregard as immaterial in terms of plot. There's also a big political message here that's mostly lost on me, simply because I'm not a political person, nor am I an historical person, so I'm certainly not one for politics from 30 years ago, despite how relevant they may be today. Amarcord's political message isn't so obvious that a layman like me understands it, but there's no denying it's there, so it's probably a good trait to have in the film.

The sense of wonder and recollection are extremely vivid in Amarcord, and it does a great job of transporting you into the time and place. In fact, at certain points, I could practically smell the soft breeze as a family travelled through the country. If the film even slightly resembles what actually was Fellini's youth, then it's not hard to imagine why his films are the way they are.