La Strada was the high point of Fellini's career and that, after this film, "his work ran wild through the jungles of Freudian, Christian, sexual and autobiographical excess". (Ebert, himself, disagrees, seeing "La Strada" as "part of a process of discovery that led to the masterpieces "La Dolce Vita" (1960), "8 1/2" (1963) and "Amarcord" (1974)".) The years since its initial release have solidified the high estimation of "La Strada". It holds a 97% rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes from 31 reviewers who, on average, scored it 8.7 on a scale of 10. Its numerous appearances on lists of
La Dolce Vita Church as a parody of the second coming of Jesus, the opening scene and the film were condemned by the Vatican newspaper "L'Osservatore Romano" in 1960. Subject to widespread censorship, the film was banned in Spain, until the death of Franco in 1975. Umberto Tupini, the Minister of Culture of the Tambroni government censored it and other "shameful films". "The New York Times" described "La Dolce Vita" as "one of the most widely seen and acclaimed European movies of the 1960s". It was nominated for four Academy Awards, and won one for Best Costume Design: Black-and-White. "La Dolce Vita" also