MovieChat Forums > La dolce vita (1961) Discussion > A film about nothing?

A film about nothing?

posted 9 years ago by cooler56
3 replies | jump to latest

Could this film be considered to be about "nothing?" The title even alludes to this- "La dolce vita" - the good life. Yes, something happens in this film, and yes, there are some themes going on, but the overall message I get from this film is that sometimes, life is just meaningless and full of fluff, there is no sense or reasoning in what goes on. Things are just naturally chaotic, unpredictable, and inexplicable. That's it. You watch the film to the very end, and don't feel emotional about it at all. Just like, "oh, that's all? oh well." There are no questions. There is no confusion. The film just is.

[–] framptonhollis 9 years ago

There isn't much of a plot, but I would never in a million years say it's about "nothing" under any circumstances. It's more about a lot of things like religion (symbolically), and both the dark and light sides so called "good life", it also serves as a satire of celebrity culture and the obsessed paparazzi.
However, you did bring up some good points in your post, since I agree with you on how the film just simply is. As I said, there isn't much to the film's plot, but what truly does make up the actual film is beyond plot and beyond story.

[–] Zamolxe 9 years ago

It's a film about modernity and the bourgeois, consumerist post-War Italy/Europe/Western World, trying to find some meaning in it and failing. 8 1/2 is similar to this (and better) and Antonioni's films in the 60s are as well, though they are quite different in tone from Fellini's.

[–] Owlwise 8 years ago

Not so much about "nothing" as it is about "nothingness" if you will. Our protagonist is desperately searching for some deeper meaning to life than the easy & lovely pleasures it offers so plentifully ... and yet nothing satisfies, nothing provides answers that he can live with for the rest of his life. Is that the fault of existence or his own soul? Both? Neither? Every potential answer or redemption proves empty & mocking in the end. Yet he still believes, in some fading part of himself, that genuine innocence & meaning truly exist ... but no longer for him. He's given up.