Juliet of the Spirits (B- or 2.5/4 stars)
'Juliet of the Spirits' (helmed by Federico Fellini) stars the director's real-life wife, Giulietta Masina, as the titular character. Juliet, a wealthy, but bored housewife in her mid-late 30s, constantly fears that her handsome, but ignorant husband, Giorgio Boldrini (Mario Pisu), is cheating on her. The fact that she is not the most attractive woman around could have something to do with her fears (about Giorgio). While she yearns for an intimate evening at home on their 15th anniversary, the arrogant, egotistical Giorgio has completely forgotten about it and, instead, comes home late with his gaggle of eccentric friends.
After a trip to a seance, Juliet is then haunted by vibrant, bizarre images from the 'spirit' world; including previously-buried obsessions from her past involving both religion & her departed family members. With her prettier sisters & statuesque mother (a stunning Caterina Boratto) prying into her life, Juliet seems to be looking for an inner peace amid all the florid, sexual temptations surrounding her. Wanting to explore her subconscious & an odd lifestyle (for change) ... she turns to her sexy next-door neighbor, Suzy (Sandra Milo), a vibrant pleasure-seeker who lives in a - shall we say - sensual playhouse.
Juliet's family, friends, & fantasies {and boy, are there many} demand that she loosen up, be adventurous, & embrace some sexual freedom ... yet she remains mousy, dowdy, & chaste; lamenting more than ever over her adulterous husband. Forced to endure the constant attack of sexually-charged imaginings, anxieties, desires, demons, & fantasies ... the naturally quiet/demure Juliet retreats on the world in an attempt to gain a greater sense of self-awareness. This could or could not lead to a sense of independence from her mundane life & oppressive husband.
'Juliet of the Spirits' is one of the most visually dazzling - if nearly gaudy motion pictures - that I've seen in a while. This film is Fellini's 1st color feature. And boyyyyy, does he run with the color. The cinematography is crisp, clear, & uses every hue of the rainbow. The production design is entirely unique; with wondrous sets. The costumes are out-of-this-world over-the-top; which may be the point {in Juliet's mind). And even the make-up designs are impressively creepy. The whole look/feel of the film is meant to throw us off, a bit. I believe that this was the intent - to take us inside Juliet's weird imaginings.
Now, the plot/narrative lacks coherence; mostly because it comprises the bursts of colorful visuals, sounds, & warped musings of a woman's repressed inner-mind. For me, the movie is a tad 'too' strange. It's hard to wrap your mind around it or feel locked-into its absurdities with an emotional connection. But the movie is also a fairly absorbing psychological/social case study of human nature {and in this case, the human is a bit messed-up in the head}. The fact that it's a foreign film, & the fact that it is incoherent makes it hard to get what the film is about: that Juliet's visions/memories/mysticism helps her find the strength to contemplate divorce.
After a trip to a seance, Juliet is then haunted by vibrant, bizarre images from the 'spirit' world; including previously-buried obsessions from her past involving both religion & her departed family members. With her prettier sisters & statuesque mother (a stunning Caterina Boratto) prying into her life, Juliet seems to be looking for an inner peace amid all the florid, sexual temptations surrounding her. Wanting to explore her subconscious & an odd lifestyle (for change) ... she turns to her sexy next-door neighbor, Suzy (Sandra Milo), a vibrant pleasure-seeker who lives in a - shall we say - sensual playhouse.
Juliet's family, friends, & fantasies {and boy, are there many} demand that she loosen up, be adventurous, & embrace some sexual freedom ... yet she remains mousy, dowdy, & chaste; lamenting more than ever over her adulterous husband. Forced to endure the constant attack of sexually-charged imaginings, anxieties, desires, demons, & fantasies ... the naturally quiet/demure Juliet retreats on the world in an attempt to gain a greater sense of self-awareness. This could or could not lead to a sense of independence from her mundane life & oppressive husband.
'Juliet of the Spirits' is one of the most visually dazzling - if nearly gaudy motion pictures - that I've seen in a while. This film is Fellini's 1st color feature. And boyyyyy, does he run with the color. The cinematography is crisp, clear, & uses every hue of the rainbow. The production design is entirely unique; with wondrous sets. The costumes are out-of-this-world over-the-top; which may be the point {in Juliet's mind). And even the make-up designs are impressively creepy. The whole look/feel of the film is meant to throw us off, a bit. I believe that this was the intent - to take us inside Juliet's weird imaginings.
Now, the plot/narrative lacks coherence; mostly because it comprises the bursts of colorful visuals, sounds, & warped musings of a woman's repressed inner-mind. For me, the movie is a tad 'too' strange. It's hard to wrap your mind around it or feel locked-into its absurdities with an emotional connection. But the movie is also a fairly absorbing psychological/social case study of human nature {and in this case, the human is a bit messed-up in the head}. The fact that it's a foreign film, & the fact that it is incoherent makes it hard to get what the film is about: that Juliet's visions/memories/mysticism helps her find the strength to contemplate divorce.