la dolce vita

Nino Rota and Federico Fellini provided a decadent depiction of the 'sweet life' in the excess and ennui of a celebrity obsessed culture.    In 'La Dolce Vita' Marcello Mastroianni plays a tabloid journalist who wanders Rome in search of the next sensationalist story.   While he feels repulsed by some of what he sees, he also feels complicit in it.   The film used an expressionistic style that abandons traditional narrative in a series of loosely connected episodes.  

Composer Rota would describe the way that he worked with the director Fellini:  "We’ll sit down at the piano, like always, and make music. I’ll play some themes, if I have an idea ready I’ll play it for him. Sometimes we actually compose together. Fellini gives me an outline, not as a musician, but with a clear rhythmic foundation, maybe with a melodic entry. In short, he suggests an initial form of musical expression…[Fellini] gives more weight to the music than I myself would. In scenes with a musical comment, he often irritates the sound technicians by eliminating all natural sounds, all realism."

Fellino would consider:   “Even the most miserable life is better than a sheltered existence in an organized society where everything is calculated and perfected ... We must get beyond passions, like a great work of art. In such miraculous harmony. We should learn to love each other so much to live outside of time... detached.” 

Ironically, the caricature established Fellini as a major international star.  'La Dolce Vita' won the Palme d'Or  at the Cannes Film Festival and the Oscar for Best Costumes (it was also nominated for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Art Direction).  Fellini also won Best Director from the David di Donatello Awards and the Golden Goblets.  Marcello Mastroianni  was awarded the silver ribbon for Best Actor from the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists, who awarded the film Best Original Story.  Nino Rota was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack Album or Recording or Score from Motion Picture or Television.  



theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kda_OwFqiDw


fountain scene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWQUSZezhbg





La Dolce Vita, 
film score
Composed By – Nino Rota
Conductor – Franco Ferrara
full album:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL92FD8C988EF63304



1   
Titoli di Testa: Canzonetta / Notturno II / Cadillac
A. Amurri / Harold Arlen / Cagis / Walter Donaldson / Julius Fucik / Garinei / Giovannini / Hoehler / James Pierpont / Pérez Prado / Nino Rota / Dino Verde
5:10

2
La Dolce Vita: Arrivederci Roma / Caracalla's / La Bersagliera
A. Amurri / Harold Arlen / Cagis / Walter Donaldson / Julius Fucik / Garinei / Pietro Garinei / Giovannini / Hoehler / James Pierpont / Pérez Prado / Renato Rascel / Nino Rota / Dino Verde
5:43

3
La Dolce Vita: In Via Veneto
A. Amurri / Harold Arlen / Cagis / Walter Donaldson / Julius Fucik / Garinei / Giovannini / Hoehler / James Pierpont / Pérez Prado / Nino Rota / Dino Verde
1:37

4
Patricia: Canzonetta / Entrata dei gladiatori / Parlami di me (Valzer)
A. Amurri / Harold Arlen / Cagis / Walter Donaldson / Julius Fucik / Garinei / Giovannini / Hoehler / James Pierpont / Pérez Prado / Nino Rota / Dino Verde
3:48

5
Lola (Yes Sir, That's My Baby): Parlami di me (Valzer) / Stormy weather
A. Amurri / Harold Arlen / Cagis / Walter Donaldson / Julius Fucik / Garinei / Giovannini / Hoehler / James Pierpont / Pérez Prado / Nino Rota / Dino Verde
4:26

6
Via Veneto E I Nobili
A. Amurri / Harold Arlen / Cagis / Walter Donaldson / Julius Fucik / Garinei / Giovannini / Hoehler / James Pierpont / Pérez Prado / Nino Rota / Dino Verde
1:25

7
Blues: La dolce vita dei nobili
A. Amurri / Harold Arlen / Cagis / Walter Donaldson / Julius Fucik / Garinei / Giovannini / Hoehler / James Pierpont / Pérez Prado / Nino Rota / Dino Verde
5:45

8
Notturno o Mattutino
A. Amurri / Harold Arlen / Cagis / Walter Donaldson / Julius Fucik / Garinei / Giovannini / Hoehler / James Pierpont / Pérez Prado / Nino Rota / Dino Verde
1:33

9
La Dolce Vita: La bella malinconica
A. Amurri / Harold Arlen / Cagis / Walter Donaldson / Julius Fucik / Garinei / Giovannini / Hoehler / James Pierpont / Pérez Prado / Nino Rota / Dino Verde
3:05

10
La Dolce Vita Nella Villa di Fregene: Can Can / Jingle Bells / Blues - La dolce vita / Why Wait
A. Amurri / Harold Arlen / Cagis / Walter Donaldson / Julius Fucik / Garinei / Giovannini / Hoehler / James Pierpont / Pérez Prado / Nino Rota / Dino Verde
6:11

11
La Dolce Vita (Finale)
A. Amurri / Harold Arlen / Cagis / Walter Donaldson / Julius Fucik / Garinei / Giovannini / Hoehler / James Pierpont / Pérez Prado / Nino Rota / Dino Verde
3:02



'La Dolce Vita'
full film:
A film by Federico Fellini. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz9uafuXqrs