Fellini News Update #19
Researching and documenting the influence of Federico Fellini on popular culture.
1) Opening Credits: Roma Cinema Fest
The second annual Roma Cinema Fest will take place, October 18 - 26, with a special tribute to Fellini. More on this exciting event later.
Read more about her controversial life, here.
December 19, 2006 marked the 10th anniversary of the death of Marcello Mastroianni, prolific actor and beloved star of six Fellini films. Celebrations honoring old Snaporaz were held in Rome and elsewhere.
If anyone personified the term, auteur, it was Robert Altman. Like Fellini, his movies have the undeniable stamp of a particular kind on them. His recent death brought up a few comparisons with Fellini, like their shared problems with producers and criticism for excessiveness.
Read more, here.
There is no doubt that Dustin Hoffman is one of the most capable actors of his generation - that the films he stars in are consistently good. But, mention the roles he turned down and you’ll bring him to tears. Among those was the lead in Fellini’s City of Women, that Marcello Mastroianni ended up with. Read an interview with Hoffman in the London Times, here.
Film director, Neil Burger, cites Fellini as his favorite filmmaker. A favorite topic of both men is the blurred distinction of truth and illusion. Read an interview with him as he discusses his latest film, The Illusionist:
Read a review of Burger’s, The Illusionist, here:
Pan’s Labyrinth, Guillermo del Toro’s latest film is being called a masterpiece, an adult fairy tale. He is being compared to Fellini for his use of fantasy and magic realism.
Read a mini review, here.
Speaking of magic realism, I’ve heard that Tom Tykwer’s new film, Perfume, has echoes of Fellini, in a weird sort of way. His film, Run Lola Run, remains one of my all time favorites. Perfume is getting mixed reviews from critics, but any film referred to as, “straight out of a Fellini wet dream”, can’t be missed.
Read a review, here.
M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film, Lady in the Water failed at the box office, but at least it earned a comparison with Fellini’s 8 1/2. Read more, here.
4) Reviews
I recently discovered YouTube.com and I’m still spinning from the shock. It’s almost too much to describe. Basically, YouTube is a video sharing web site which allows viewers to upload, view and share video clips. Both amateur and professional film makers are represented. Time Magazine named it, Invention of the Year, for 2006. You have to see it to fully get it. It is definitely addicting.
I was astounded to discover over 300 Fellini-related videos at YouTube. Some are trifling, but many are essential. For example, you can view the Fellini TV commercials and deleted scenes from Fellini’s Casanova which are not easily available elsewhere. There are also rare clips of Fellini directing Amarcord, Roma, Voice of the Moon and others. You can see dozens of cleverly made Fellini tributes and homage's, musical performances of Fellini film music, trailers, interviews, etc. etc.
Check out this cute little 3.5 minute comedy by Fellini’s lesser known brother, Melvin.
The most original and compelling Fellini video I watched at the aforementioned YouTube.com is, 8 1/2 Mile. The film makers at AV Club combine edited clips and haunting music from Fellini’s 8 1/2 with the hard driving Eminem song, Lose Yourself, featured in the film 8 Mile.
The new David Lynch film, Inland Empire, is a 3 hour epic that is being compared with late period Fellini.
Read a mini review, here.
Ginger and Fred, Fellini’s 1985 nostalgia fueled, sarcastic look at television finally gets a Region 1 (USA) DVD release on Warner Home Video. Release date is, February 13.
Read more, here.
A new documentary film on Marcello Mastroianni is out. Read a review, here.
The AMARCORD journal published by the Fondazione Federico Fellini in Rimini, Italia has two new issue out. Lots of good reading for the Fellini-o-phile. This attractive publication is printed in English and Italian. Check out the web site, here.
5) Odds ‘n Ends ‘n Trifles
GQ Men’s Magazine recently published their list of the 25 Most Stylish Movies of All Time. Fellini’s 8 1/2 made the list at #5. (La Dolce Vita would have been the obvious choice.) Marcello Mastroianni’s “black suit, white shirt and black tie screamed classic confidence - even though his character was falling apart,” says GQ.
Check out the other 24 films and cast your vote, here and here.
I’m always taken aback when I read a reference to Fellini in anything to do with sports, especially American sports. In a review of the new Madden ‘07 video game in Sports Illustrated, the name of the great Italian film auteur is invoked. Jocks everywhere are now wondering who the heck Fellini is. Read it, here.
Fellini was fond of saying that “the truth is never clear, but lies are easily understood by everyone.” I recently ran across this poem by Emily Dickinson that, in more ways than one, reminds me a lot of Fellini and his idea and expression of truth.
Recently discovered on Google.com: Religions of the 25 Most Influential Film Directors. A fascinating subject, for sure. Fellini is represented with references from several of his biographers. One naturally thinks of Fellini as Catholic, but he was greatly influenced bu astrology and Jungian thought. Read more, here.
6) Festival News
The Galway Ireland Film Festival will feature several Fellini films when it convenes in July. Read more, here.
The 10th Shanghai International Film Festival will feature an Italian Film Panorama from January 19 - 28, 2007. Organized by the Italian Ministry of Culture and others, the event will include the screening of 30 classic Italian films, including, La Dolce Vita. Should be an interesting translation. Read more, here and here.
The poster for the 44th New York Film Festival (2006) held last fall featured an iconic photo of Fellini directing Satyricon. This may have something to do with the festival sidebar, “50 years of Janus Films.” Janus was the company that first brought Fellini and other films to the USA, and is directly responsible for the creation of “art house cinema.” Check out the striking poster, here.
7) Felliniana Archive News
Big news!
Fellini’s Nights of Cabiria 50th Anniversary Calendar for 2007 are now available. Each month of the year features an 8 1/2" x 11" color image from the worlds largest private collection of vintage Fellini memorabilia.
Posters from several countries, still photos, pressbooks and other rarely seen material is pictured. The spiral bound calendar has a total of 20 carefully scanned images and a brief essay, printed on heavy paper. It opens up to a full size of 11" x 17".
Cost: $20. each. Domestic Priority shipping is $5. Global Priority International shipping is $10.
Order through Paypal donyoungglass@earthlink.net or send check to address below.
Recent acquisitions to the archive include:
Casanova - Japanese poster
La Dolce Vita - Japanese poster
Variety Lights - Danish programme
Il Bidone - Danish programme
Variety Lights (Luci del Varieta) - Rare set of Italian fotobusta posters
