decadence and excess

His films like 'The Leopard' and 'Death in Venice' meticulously chronicle the moral and aesthetic decline of aristocratic societies consumed by sensuality and artistic obsession.

'La Dolce Vita' and '8½' are surreal explorations of hedonism, indulgence, and the emptiness beneath Rome's glamorous excess and cultural decadence.

His thrillers obsessively visualize the seductive allure and corrupting influence of wealth, beauty, and excess in contemporary American culture.