Fellini News Update #17
1) In Memoriam
February 22, is Giulietta Masina’s birth date. The longer she is gone, the more she grows on me. Her work in, La Strada and Nights of Cabiria become more cherished and timeless. Here’s to the memory of, La Masina!
2) Olympiad: Fellini style
Most of the world knows by now about the Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy. The opening ceremonies had Fellini written all over them, especially the flame spurting speed skaters who reminded me of the motorcyclists in Fellini’s Roma. The closing ceremony will be even more Felliniesque, with clowns, acrobats and a high wire act. The clowns will be wearing the actual costumes worn in the 1971 film, The Clowns. Read more here.
See pics of the flame spurting robots here.
3) People
Fellini’s 1980 film, City of Women, is referenced in this review of Wong Kar Lee’s exquisite film, 2046.
4) Reviews
Fellini’s Casanova finally gets a U.K. release on DVD by the relative newcomer, inD DVD. It’s still missing a few minutes, but is the best yet. The two disc set features some enticing extras. (Attn. US readers: I recently discovered a DVD player at Target Stores for $60. that will play multi region discs, including this one. Phillips model, DVP 642/37) Read a DVD Times review here.
Visit the website of, inD DVD, here.
Koch Lorber Films, who released a beautifully restored two disc model of, La Dolce Vita, just last year, has pulled out all the stops with a, three disc, Deluxe Collectors Edition. The oversized leatherette box comes with a set of postcards, a reproduction of the original Italian poster and a 40 page booklet featuring a new essay by Peter Bondanella. This makes a nice companion to the Dolce Vita Style book (see above). Among the many extra’s, is a rare bio of Nino Rota, directed by Mario Monicelli. Read a review, here.
A new book by titled, Dolce Vita Style, is the jumping off point for ‘60’s Rome and the people who inspired the movie. Loaded with great photos and excellent commentary. Read more, here.
Trends, fads and formulas, the sad stuff of most modern cinema, were not always so. Columnist, Simon Wood, remembers a time when intelligent films by the likes of Fellini, Bergman, Kurosawa and others drew large mainstream crowds to movie theaters. Read his intriguing essay, here.
Film scholar, John C. Stubbs, has found a new angle of Fellini criticism. His new book, Federico Fellini As Auteur: Seven Aspects of His Films, is due for release, March 15. Stubbs previously authored a Fellini bibliography. Read reviews by Peter Bondanella and others at Amazon, here.
Tullio Kezich met Fellini in 1951, and they remained friends throughout Fellini’s life. He has revised and updated his 1988 Fellini biography, Federico Fellini: His Life and Work, which will be published in English on March 7. I believe this the first English translation. Read reviews at Amazon, here.
5) Six Degrees of Separation
Cameron Crowe, director of Elizabethtown, discovered a Fellini quote that he could relate to. Read about it, here.
6) Student Essay of the Month
Life imitates La Dolce Vita for Northwestern U. student, Lindsay Sakraida. Read her essay, here.
7) Odds ‘n Ends ‘n Trifles
What makes an Icon? Variety Magazine, the entertainment trade journal, celebrated it’s 100th anniversary by taking a stab at that question and announcing their, 100 Entertainment Icons of the 20th Century. Natch, Signor Fellini made the cut. See them all here.
Dont you just love it when a dead Italian film directors name gets dropped by sportswriter, Bruce Hooley, in his report on American college basketball. Makes me think there’s hope for this old world.
In a bizarre clash of cultures, a pair of Russian figure skaters won a competition in China skating to the music of the Italian films of Fellini. Very fitting, ‘eh Maestro? Read more, here.
It had to happen: The Federico Fellini action figure! These limited edition works by, Leo Kiri, can be seen and purchased on Ebay. Here’s a link.
8) Felliniana Archive News
The 2006 Fellini International Art Posters Calendar is still available. It’s the coolest. Please contact me if you want one.
Recent acquisitions to the archive include, an original, signed photograph of Fellini and his pal Ray Bradbury taken in Rome in 1991. His written comments on the back, refer to Fellini as his Martin friend.
Other new additions include a very rare, original, 4 sheet Italian poster of, Tre Passi nel Delirio, aka: Spirits of the Dead, three original, Italian fotobusta posters from I Vitelloni and a rare Japanese 2 sheet poster from Fellini Roma.
