pride and ego

His films obsessively dissect human vanity, self-deception, and the ego's role in moral and spiritual crises, particularly in works like 'The Seventh Seal' and 'Persona'.

He explores pride and ego through ambitious, flawed protagonists whose hubris leads to downfall, as seen in 'Dr. Strangelove', '2001: A Space Odyssey', and 'Barry Lyndon'.

His surreal, autobiographical cinema critiques artistic ego, vanity, and the human need for admiration, especially in 'La Dolce Vita' and '8½'.