Fellini News Update #8

I can't seem to escape Fellini. He's everywhere! Just two nights after the TCM broadcast of La Dolce Vita (and others) on, "A Night with Fellini", there's Uncle Junior on The Soprano's complaining that, "This movie makes no sense, even with sub-titles!". There in the background on Junior's TV set is Mastroianni, anguishing away in black and white. (For those interested, the show is in repeats all this week.)

Fellini made another appearance recently in Sofia Coppola's lovely film, Lost In Translation. In case you missed it, there is a scene with Bill Murray and Scarlett Johanssen  watching TV in a Japanese motel room. The camera cuts to the TV screen and a long, lingering shot of Marcello and Anita Ekberg in the Trevi Fountain. An obvious tribute to Fellini from Coppola, whose family had ties with Fellini. Sofia's brother, Roman Coppola, made his own memorial to Fellini in 2001 with his postcard-to-the 60's film, CQ. The quirky film is loaded with not so subtle references to Fellini's 8 1/2.

The list goes on and on. It is a testament to Fellini's greatness that he continues to influence film makers and popular culture ten years after his death.