Review of Barbarella (1968) by Doctorburglary ( — 12 Jul 2009

From the first time I saw it in a small theatre this became one of my all time favourites, its all about sci-fi b-style camp glam, doesnt have much of a "plot"- based on jean-claude forests "adult comic book" it leads us trough barbarellas adventures to save the earth from ex-earth scientist durand-durands evil scheme, it includes tons of over the top costumes and trashy surroundings and many softcore erotic scenes (especially the "torture" ones like when barbarella is being attacked by thousand little birds ripping her clothes while shes in a modeling pose with a martyr face commenting " oh my , what a terribly poetical way to die"), its not sure how "serious" vadim was with this flick, but it plays as very entertaining, light-hearted camp irony pop art.

. this joyride that includes a fur-decorated spaceship (with a part of seurats painting decorating its interior!) , sex-pill enthusiastic underground resistance people (with technical problems but revolutionary will), pleasure torture musical device (with great quasi-futuristic note design booklet for it), making out with a blind angel, women smoking "the essence of man", great lines like "ill do things to you that are beyond all known philosophies! wait until I get my DEVICES!" and "pygar, why did you save her after everything she did to you? -an angel has no memory.

." all spiced up with delicious space-age pop music .. "cheap" but fabulous special effects, impressively blasphemic weapon and spaceship/devices design.. what more can I say.. for me the film worked great in what it sets its mission to (probably) be, its very entertaining and jane fonda is very delicious in it.

. oh, and at least two bands (duran duran and matmos) took their names from this flick.. oh and if youre still not convinced, here are the taglines- "Who seduces an angel? Who strips in space? Who conveys love by hand? Who gives up the pill? Who takes sex to outer space? Who's the girl of the 21st century? Who nearly dies of pleasure?".

. prepare to insert nourishment!