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Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9780780023338
Format: Black & White, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC
ISBN: 0780023331
Label: Criterion
Manufacturer: Criterion
Number Of Items: 1
Picture Format: Pan & Scan
Publisher: Criterion
Region Code: 1
Release Date: August 22, 2000
Running Time: 97 minutes
Sales Rank: 64348
Studio: Criterion
Theatrical Release Date: 1951
Editorial Review:
Description:
A beautiful ingenue joins a tawdry music hall troupe and quickly becomes its feature attraction in Fellini's stunning debut film (directed in collaboration with neorealist filmmaker Alberto Lattuada). Featuring Giulietta Masina, Fellini's wife and frequent leading lady, Variety Lights introduces the director's affection for the carnivalesque characters that frequent the cinematic landscape of such classics as Nights of Cabiria, La Strada, and La Dolce Vita. Criterion is proud to present Variety Lights in a beautiful digital transfer.
Amazon.com:
Federico Fellini codirected this film from his own story about a romance between an ambitious young dancer and the aging manager of a variety theater in Rome. It's a sharply realized first effort, showing that Fellini could work his magic even in 1950. The dancer--played with luscious, complicated innocence by Carla del Poggio--talks her way into Signor Checco's troupe by showing him her legs. The others, including his girlfriend (Giulietta Masina), protest, but Checco takes her into the poverty-stricken group anyway. Soon enough, he is justified: Their sparsely attended shows are suddenly packed with men stomping their feet and whistling for 'the Redhead.' Checco not-so-secretly wants her himself, and she lets him think he might get her (even while looking for someone else with money.) The film's many lively performances include Giulietta Masina, whose eyes register pluck, resignation, and weariness in a moment as she watches her guy fall in love. Poggio is good, too: When she gets what she wants, her face slides into a quiver of doubt about its value. Self-delusion, arguably the main arrow in Fellini's quiver of themes, gets a subtly layered treatment here, and Fellini, so extravagant later in his career, shows an early talent for, of all things, restraint. --Lyall Bush
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Good start
If you have ever wondered why Federico Fellini's film 8½ was called 8½, the reason is simple. It was the eighth full film he had directed, till that point, along with a ½ film credit, which was his debut effort, 1950's co-direction in the 97 minute long black and white film Variety Lights (Luci Del Varietà), along with Neo-Realist film directing veteran Alberto Lattuada. The film's story and screenplay, however, were both penned by Fellini, and the most manifest thing about the film is its ... Read More
Rating:  - One of His Best
Not entirely Fellini's, but containing much of his essence. I think it's a great, wonderous film and one of his most enjoyable. There's real magic in here. The film contains his quality of gigantic surrealism that wasn't really in evidence again until "Nights of Cabiria" or so. It looks beautiful and I really think it's quite tremendous, "La Strada" meets "La Dolce Vita" meets "The Clowns".
Rating: - My favorite neo-realist Fellini film
First thing first, the DVD cover is misleading. Guillietta Masina does not star in Variety Lights. She is a co-star with a fair amount of screen time. It's worth picking up simply for her performance because when she is on screen she shines. Masina plays Melina a woman who is wronged by her man (a reoccurring theme she will revisit in La Strada, Nights of Cabiria and Juliet of the Spirits). Checco, Melina's man, is a delusional womanizing manager of a vaudeville troupe who takes under his wing Liliana, ... Read More
Rating: - Fellini's directorial debut
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.
This movie, co-directed by Fellini, is his first film. The story follows a young woman who joins a vaudeville act and brings great popularity to it.
The film has good acting and the English title is a very close translation of the original title, "Luci del varietà" or "Lights of Variety"
The DVD has no special features which is a disappointment since this is a Criterion release.
Rating: - Green Fellini-- but still worth a look
Variety Lights is Fellini's debut film. The film consists of ideas and motifs that would succeedingly appear in movies like 8 1/2 and The Clowns. However, these traits are still undeveloped but we can see how they would be used as personal metaphors for the director. Running under an hour, the film is shown in black and white with legible subtitles and moving at a smooth pace. The story follows a variety show troupe and an female audience member who is so inspired by one of their performances that she asks ... Read More
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