admin On ottobre - 30 - 2010

ROMA FILM FESTIVAL 2010 / day3: interview with MARTIN SCORSESE – “La Dolce Vita” & Fellini

La Dolce Vita” was shot in Rome over five unforgettable months in 1959, and soon became a media event long before the film was completed. The set was visited by virtually all of Rome and consequently Italian cinemas were flooded upon the film’s release the following year.
This statements might be sufficient to understand the importance of the restoration of Federico Fellini‘s masterpiece, supported by Gucci according to Martin Scorsese‘s Film Foundation.
So the movie, ri-digitalised and filled with unpublished and cut scenes, gives the possibility to be seen, especially by the younger public, in cinemas, instead on dvd & more. 
The contemporary genious of Scorsese knows that, and from a little stage in Roma Film Festival 2010, he has given a lesson about cinema and, first of all, about how, even a cinema-hero like him, could be possessed and influenced by other artists’ production from the past.

– Mr. Scorsese, what is Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” for you, as a director and producer, and as a man in love with cinema?
MARTIN SCORSESE:
Well, I have to say that it had been, when it came out, a movie that radically changed the rules of narrative in cinema, especially in association with the american (and I suppose italian too) society and culture in that period, from 1959 to the early years of ’60s.
In that years there were lots of american movies, considered “epic” ones, that were amazing and colossal (I think, for example to “Ben Hur”), but Federico Fellini was able to create a movie full of art, more than every other one, because it gave to the world of cinema the keys to tell stories with and from another eye, positioning itself to the top of the entire prodution of the past movies, for its moral, social, cultural, technical and artistic meanings.
Fellini has been the most important cinema genius in Italy, like Michelangelo in art, I think.
His gift to cinema addicted and workers has to be preserved and shown to people, like every other kind of art.
About me, I have always been impressed by “La Dolce Vita” intention in being, by the new technics used in filming, for the ability to draw such an amazing painting about italian society, irony, locations, dialogs between people, new models and heroes, and so stars, so that I think it is one of my favourite movies. I swear!

– What about the restoration work?
MARTIN SCORSESE
: It has been a very difficult work, hold by some of the most important experts from the italian Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia-Cineteca Nazionale. It has been a required work, by our intention to spread up culture.
People must see it, must enjoy of it. Over the 80% of mute movies, and the 40% of sound-movies, in Italy, have been lost. We needed to preserve some scenes, for the future!

– At the last Venice Film Festival 2010 you’ve presented your “A Letter To Elia”, dedicated and about Elia Kazan. Now here’s your tribute to Fellini’s work…
MARTIN SCORSESE
: I’ve always thought that the importance of art, with the pleasure and the beauty connected with it, has to be the testimony of its contribution to the world. Year by year, generation by generation.
Cinema is like sculpture or music: it has every other art in it, and, in my opinion, the old stars and masterpieces have to be told to the new generation, because it’s from them where everyone of us has to learn something important for living and working.
It’s my personal moral aim, and, of course, I’m starting with my favourite stars, masteripeces, directors 6 more. The ones that influenced me more, in different moments and things of my life.
Like Elia Kazan and Federico Fellini.
– Is there something you prefer more in “La Dolce Vita“, for exaplme a character or someting in the script…
MARTIN SCORSESE: Marcello Mastroinanni’s role. I remember that when the movie came out in cinemas, in ’60s, every young man wanted and loved the look that he had staring at women, his charming movements, and listening to the original version, also his enveloping voice. He influenced me, in my own life, and I noticed that he influenced also the look, in some cases, I want my actors do in some scenes of my movies.
So incredible!

– And so, have you ever had the impression that you were being influenced by Fellini’s hand, in filming, maybe?
MARTIN SCORSESE
: Yes! Not programming it, of course. But in some of my movies Fellini’s inspiration has hold my hand, and given me more and more inspiration in working.
My plots and protagonists are free, and sometimes have an evolution day-by-day during the filming, like in Fellini’s art.
I’m in love with his art, I must confess!

by Ilaria Rebecchi

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