Fellini

I agree with you in part because some of his movies I just don't "get". I blame myself for that and figure I am just not smart enough or I haven't devoted myself to them fully.

I truly love this movie. But it took some time for the beauty to sink in. Each time I see it I like it more. You can't expect to swallow it whole. It is better if you savor the bits.

I also love Amarcord.

No, i would never say that Fellini is overrated. One thing is that I dislike most of his movies, but that's my problem. I've seen all his films (about 20, a question of snobbery i suppose) and i really enjoyed about 5: I Vitelloni, Amarcord, Il Bidone, Satyricon, and "The voice of the Moon". Some of them I found excruciating to watch, like Casanova and 8 1/2, but I know he's one of the most influential directors ever, so I can't really say (from the point of view of a movie fan) that FF is overrated.

He's been enormously influential to some of the best directors today, like Scorsese. Just watch "I Vitelloni", and you'll see lots of similarities between this film and "Mean Streets", "Goodfellas", etc. Not to mention his influence on Lynch, Terry Gilliam, Ken Russell, Tim Burton, etc.

Hype? What "hype"? "Hype" is a meaningless word. Fellini is a master, this a fact, not an opinion. He doesn't have "hype", he's not "hip" and he's definitely not "overrated". Perhaps you haven't reached the maturity to be able to get interested, comprehend and enjoy his work and themes and there's nothing wrong with that, but eventually you'll get to the revelation and believe me, when it comes, that time will change your life forever.

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-You won't forget me now?

-No. I've got nobody else to remember.