Scholars like William Van Watson use Lacanian psychoanalysis to explore the "hollow phallus" and the retying of the umbilical in Fellini's characters.
is a seminal collection of eleven essays edited by Frank Burke and Marguerite R. Waller , published by the University of Toronto Press in 2002.
The book was designed to revitalize scholarly discussion on Fellini, which the editors felt had significantly declined in the English-speaking world since the 1970s. It moves away from purely biographical or "commercial" critiques, instead applying modern theoretical "filters" to his filmography. Key Themes & Theoretical Frameworks Federico Fellini: Contemporary Perspectives
The book places Fellini's later films, such as Ginger and Fred and The Voice of the Moon , in the context of globalized mass media, television, and postmodern simulation.
Several essays, including those by Marguerite Waller and Áine O'Healy , deconstruct Fellini's representation of femininity and the "male womb," often subverting traditional feminist critiques of his "stereotypical" depictions of women. Scholars like William Van Watson use Lacanian psychoanalysis
Essays like those by Cosetta Gaudenzi analyze the use of memory and Italian dialects (particularly in Amarcord ) as a political and cultural strategy. Notable Chapters Topic/Film Focus Frank Burke Postmodernism and Fellini's later career Millicent Marcus
The collection examines Fellini’s work through several contemporary academic lenses: The book was designed to revitalize scholarly discussion
Deconstructing femininity in Intervista and La voce della luna