8 1/2 was probably my favorite films that we have watched in this class. At first I was not sure how I felt about it and was leaning toward not really liking it. It was very dense and difficult to follow. The characters were difficult to identify with and it was pretty, just, weird. But after further reflection and discussion of the film I began to really appreciate it. Particularly Guido’s character.

I love the use of light and shadows to create beautiful scenes and shots. And the dream sequences, no matter how weird, are creative and extraordinary. I also really enjoyed that two people could have completely different interpretations of the film. But I think what I most enjoyed after thinking about 8 1/2 further was the main character Guido. Guido is a director that is trying to create a film that is truthful and that means something. He is having problems with its completion though and can not seem to figure out exactly what he wants. The pressure is mounting for Guido on all sides and he is cracking beneath it.

I think I really began to appreciate Guido because of his psychological breakdown. It made him relatable and interesting. It made him more than an entitled, cheating, big shot director. Guidos breakdown made him a human going through real turmoil and feeling real stress from which he could not escape no matter how hard he tried. I really connected to this since it is somewhat how I have been feeling this term, my last term before graduating. I sympathize with Guido and understand how difficult making final decisions can be under immense pressure.

It seemed that the class consensus was that Guido was whiny, that he had all of the resources he could ever need and still was doing nothing and complaining about it. This is true, Guido was very privileged and could have done just about anything he wanted with his film. But that is just the problem, he didn’t know what he wanted. A person can have all the resources in the world but if they don’t know what they want and are falling apart internally there is very little chance to make any sort of progress.

8 1/2 gave us the story of a man trying to keep it together in a time when he was obviously crumbling and took us on the journey with him. And I really enjoyed going through Guido’s journey. I was able to feel what he was feeling and in the end, the relief of it all being over. This film restored my faith that no matter how stressful life can get, it will all be ok, everything must come to an end, and it is very possible to come out on top no matter how bleak the situation may seem. For this, I love Guido’s character. In my own time of internal stress and turmoil he delivered the message that I needed to hear. Guido is not a whiny dramatic character, he is a man working through his own problems with self-doubt, confusion, and stress and I think that is a beautiful thing to watch.