I bought the Criterion Collection version of La Dolce Vita for Andrew in February. We finally watched it last week.  I can't wait to watch all the extras.

I strongly urge you to watch this movie.  Generally, I don't like movies from long ago.  This Italian movie from 1960 would usually be on my no-fly list.  But it could have been made yesterday.  Federico Fellini saw into the heart of society ... into our darkest, most  base, most troubled present and future.  He deftly outlines, without preaching, what is wrong with people, and why we are doomed.  Touching and disgusting, this movie will completely amaze you at it relevancy.

Trivia:

· The character of Paparazzo, the news photographer (played by Walter Santesso) who works with Marcello, is the origin of the word used in many languages (normally in the plural, paparazzi) to describe intrusive photographers.

· Nico (the lovely German from the Velvet Underground and Warhol's Factory) plays herself in the movie.  I don't know if it's her real laugh, but the laugh she does in the movie was so ridiculous and funny that Andrew and I were imitating it all night.

[photo taken 7/15/2007 in Philadelphia - It has nothing to do with the movie ... I just like it.]