References?

Watching this film, I noticed two things that may be taken as references to two Italian classics.

One is the fact that visually, old Toto looks conspicuously similar to Guido Anselmi, the protagonist of Fellini's "8 1/2" (who is also a director like the adult Toto).

The second is a recurring character in the audience of Cinema Paradiso, sitting in the balcony with the aristocrats, spitting on the peasants and additionally getting hit with feces? I think it may be a refference to the character of Alfredo Berlinghieri, from Bertolucci's "Novacento"? To me, he looks exactly like De Niro in "Novacento", including the mole. Also, the fact that he is in conflict with the lower classes, and event the feces throwing (which happened in "Novacento", only not to the De Niro's character).

Has anyone noticed this, or disagrees with me? Are there more references I haven't noticed?