I, Fellini [Hardcover]

Charlotte Chandler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 3, 1995

Told almost entirely in the first person, this is the final, high-spirited testament of the lusty man whose dreams, memories, and nightmares made La Dolce Vita and La Strada, and who towered above other great directors in the rich ferment of Italian post-World War II filmmakers. These are the oral memoirs of a genius. 32-page photo insert.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This lusty, high spirited book came out of conversations, conducted over the course of fourteen years, between Frederico Fellini, the reknowned director of of such landmark films as 8 1/2, and La Dolce Vita, and author Charlotte Chandler. The result is a work of astonishing candor, subtle wit, and brilliant insight into the mystery of motion pictures.

From Publishers Weekly

Chandler, who befriended and interviewed Italian film director Federico Fellini from 1980 until shortly before his death in 1993, has distilled their talks into a first-person narrative that reveals a touchy, egocentric, obsessive personality, a perfectionist who claimed never to have seen any of his films once he'd completed them. Fellini credits his wife, the late actress Giulietta Masina, with helping him discover the imaginative terrain he explored in his movies. He recalls his privileged yet emotionally deprived childhood?his father was a remote, philandering wine-and-cheese salesman with whom Federico's strict, religious mother was bitterly unhappy. Fellini also discusses the symbolism of his dreams, his single, unfruitful LSD trip and his study of Jungian psychology, which helped him unchain his subconscious and place fantasy over realism. Chandler wrote Hello, I Must Be Going with Groucho Marx. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 419 pages
• Publisher: Random House; First edition. edition (October 3, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679440321
• ISBN-13: 978-0679440321
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #639,343 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I'm sure there's better..., March 31, 2005

By 

Jerald T. Payonk (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I, Fellini (Hardcover)

There's a big difference between writing a biography and transcribing conversation by the subject into book form. This book is the latter. While it is certainly entertaining from an anecdotal standpoint, there simply isn't enough meat here to grab one who is wishing to dive into the creative process that made Fellini's films what they are. This book is by no means scholarly or academic. If you seek deep insight into his films, look elsewhere. If you're entertained by casual chat, this is your book.

8 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable insight to the #1 genius of film in the century, August 13, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: I, Fellini (Hardcover)

This book was written with love over 14 years of friendship. Fellini speaks all, and I mean everything about his life in the movies. Charlotte Chandler records and organizes interviews with the director so that the entire piece (except one little chapter at the end) is Fellini talking to a friend, and the reader becoming that friend. I believe this to be the most beautiful biography ever written about Fellini. A touching and profound book that any film lover, and for that matter, any artist wouldn't want to miss