Variety Lights

If Variety Lights weren't Fellini's first film I doubt it would ever have made its way onto DVD. This unremarkable tale about a young woman (the very fetching Carla Del Poggio), who, with the aid of a ragtag, hand-to-mouth theatrical troupe, reaches for the stars to become one, makes for a pretty inauspicious film debut for the undisputed Italian master. Even Criterion seems to have somewhat dismissed this one, giving it an uncharacteristically weak mastering rife with aliasing problems. For Fellini completists only. (S. C. Sickles)