The Clowns (1970)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The clowns |
| Original title | I clowns |
| Country of production |
Italy France Germany |
| original language | Italian |
| Publishing year | 1970 |
| length | 84 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Federico Fellini |
| script |
Bernardino Zapponi Federico Fellini |
| production |
Elio Scardamaglia Ugo Guerra |
| music |
Nino Rota Carlo Savina |
| camera | Dario Di Palma |
| cut | Ruggero Mastroianni |
| occupation | |
|
with Federico Fellini: narrator and himself
and as yourself: | |
Die Clowns is a semi-documentary, Italian-French-German film by Federico Fellini produced for television in 1970 .
Conception
The film is a combination of documentary and fictional scenes. At its core, Fellini, who ostensibly intends to shoot a report about the dying profession of the circus clown , tries to get to the bottom of the nature of the clown who has always accompanied him since childhood. In the course of numerous performances Fellini observed various representatives of this professional entertainer group, who in this film mainly come from Italy and France, at work. However, Fellini staged the documentary clown appearances and only apparently filmed live appearances.
Statements and encounters with well-known actors and actresses are cut into the film, which is considered an early example of a mockumentary . For example, old star Anita Ekberg (Fellini's star in Das süße Leben ) stands, tells and acts in a scene “quite by chance” in front of a tiger cage and is asked by the filmmaker Fellini what she is doing here, to which Ekberg replies that she agrees consider buying a panther. Immediately afterwards you will find the diva in the middle of a colorful showman having dinner in the caravan. In other scenes, on the other hand, the bizarre Fellini types known from earlier Fellini feature film scenes appear as antipodes and give the film the panoptic touch that is very unique to this director. One of the highlights in this sense is a particularly clownish depiction of a funeral.
Production notes
The clowns were first presented to the public on August 30, 1970 as part of the Biennale . The television premiere in Italy took place on December 25th of the same year. In Germany, Die Clowns was shown for the first time on April 26, 1972 on ZDF . Ten years later the film was also shown in German cinemas.
Awards
The film received a number of awards and nominations:
- David di Donatello Prize
- Nastro d'Argento for Danilo Donati (best costume designs)
- Pasinetti Prize (Biennale 1970)
- NBR Award (best foreign language film)
Reviews
"In his best moments, which make up about a third of the season, Federico Fellini's ' The Clowns ' is a delightful footnote - almost a final sentence, really - for a career that, like some of his films, resembles circus extravagances."
“Using the pretext of a report about the doomed circus clowns inside and outside the ring, Fellini conjures up a panopticon of grotesque, unusual and terrifying figures. Impressive, very personal examination of the artist's situation by the author; at the same time a declaration of love to the world of the circus. "
"Fellini's homage to the circus clowns is itself a clown-like parody of documentaries, a completely entertaining Punch play from this great director who picks up on himself."
Web links
- The clowns in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- extensive film review in the New York Times