MovieChat Forums > Radio Days (1987) Discussion > Allen's homage to Fellini?

Allen's homage to Fellini?

posted 17 years ago by r_d_finch
7 replies | jump to latest

Having just seen "Radio Days" on TCM for the first time the other night, my immediate reaction was that in the same way "Interiors" is an homage to Bergman, this movie is in many ways an homage to Fellini. Allen shows the same nostalgic fascination with radio of the 30's-40's that Fellini does with the circus and its performers. And like "Amarcord," it is a nostalgic memory piece that consists not so much of a plot as of a series of episodic vignettes or anecdotes. Joe's adventures with his friends reminded me of Titta's adventures with his pals. Both movies also included the large extended families of the boys as well as the boys' imaginings and fantasies about larger-than-life characters that they either heard about or came into contact with. And when Joe saw the German U-boat, I couldn't help thinking of the ocean liner sequence in "Amarcord." Did anyone else see these resemblances or any others that I overlooked (I haven't seen the Fellini film since it came out)?

[–] heavymole 17 years ago

His most obvious homage (and he has admitted as much) to Fellini is "Stardust Memories," which is clearly indebted to "8 1/2."

[–] timmy_501 17 years ago

The beach scene reminded me of Fellini-I'm pretty sure I've seen a scene in a Fellini film that's very similar to the one with the boys walking on the beach.

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[–] VonCouch 14 years ago

I think the film you're thinking of is I Vitelloni. That's what popped into my head when I saw that.

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[–] timmy_501 14 years ago

That's probably it.

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[–] the_ultimate_badasss 14 years ago

The beach scene reminded me a lot of the end of La Dolce Vita.

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[–] jonalex90 14 years ago

The look and feel of this film reminded me more of Fellini's Roma, but I can also see the Amarcord connection.

[–] film_ophile 9 years ago

i'm responding to you in 2015 but yes, I totally agree w/ you citing Amarcord. The specific referencve scene, for me, was almost at the very end, when the Mia Farrow group is leaving the roof of the club, with the celebration for NYr's eve. As they exit the scene, the camera lingers on the roof, and it begins to snow. Transported me immediately to the 'peacock in the snow' scene in Amarcord. Woody would ikely say it was unconscious/unintended, but his memory is also probably photographic, intentional or not!

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