Customer Reviews

Juliet of the Spirits [VHS]

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Giulietta is a wealthy, mousy Roman housewife who lives on the margins of her own supposed milieu. Dominated by her beautiful, haughty mother (who can barely tolerate her) and her tall and glamorous sisters, patronized by her rich ding-a-ling friends mostly because of her sympathetic nature (but secretly held in contempt by them for her lack of beauty), Giulietta hides instead in her perfect house with her servants--the only people she can really call her friends--and in her fantasies of her marriage to her jetsetting husband, who seems never to be around. As Giulietta comes to suspect what everyone else has known for years--that he is cheating in her--she simultaneously begins to be visited by spirits who seem to have something to tell her. But as she learns more of her husband's infidelities, and comes to examine the emptiness of her own life, Giulietta's spirits seem less like actual supernatural presences and more like manifestations of a descent into madness.

This is by no means Fellini's "best" film, but it is the one most people think of when they use the adjective "Felliniesque." The fantasy sequences, the striking use of color (particularly orange--this was his first color film, and he really went to town), the decadent Sixties fashions, and the gorgeous stauesque women who seem to have invaded from outer space: they're all here, and many of the sequences in this film have been parodied again and again. Its imitations come for a good reason: the film is utterly absolutely unforgettable. There are sequences in it that are as fine or as memorable as anything Fellini has ever done--particularly the great lawn party sequence, where Giulietta finally breaks down.

There are many things wrong with the film: the script doesn't make a whole lot of sense at times, and the fantasy sequences seem less like something Giulietta would imagine and more like Fellini's usual obsessions (statuesque women, the circus, etc.). And as superbly icy as Caterina Boratto is as Giulietta's mother ("Nice kimono," she sneers at her daughter at the lawn party), did he really have to cast actresses twice as tall as his Giulietta to be her mother and sisters? (Even if we are to accept that most of the movie is from her point of view, it still stretches belief.) What makes it all work so brilliantly in the end, though, is the director's sense of filmic narrative drive (beautifully orchestrated to Nino Rota's famous score) and the performance of the lead actress, Giulietta Masina, who makes it all really matter. Although Masina has not been as praised for this role as much as for her work in CABIRIA and LA STRADA, her work here is every bit as fine, and perhaps better for its greater subtlety. Watch her expression the first time she sees one of her visions after she closes her eyes on the beach--or her astounding range in the lawn party sequence as she segues from forced cheerfulness to utter helplessness to rage, and then finally to despair. (When she finally loses it at her guests and screams at them, it's hard to say what is more memorable: her moment of fury or her terrifyingly lost expression when she realizes they haven't even noticed). Although you really should see this on the big screen (and on as clear a print as possible), this is a film every student of film should see.

First let me say that I'm grateful to have a fairly decent rendition of one of my favorite films. This film epitomizes what came to be known as Felliniesque - a lavish subconscious "theme and varriations" on the subject of marriage, sensuality and guilt. It's also the film that makes the best use of color than any other I've seen. Because I've seen "Juliet" many times in theaters I can say with some authority that the DVD transfer lacks the sharpness and vivid color of the original. In general it's too dark and focus is soft. The biggest problem is the sound which is constantly out of sync by a quarter second (at least on my player). I know Fellini always post dubbed his voices but effects and music were always in sync. There is also a harshness to the sound and at times some distortion. On the plus side, the print had no scratches and with the exception of a few strange clipped transitions (noticible by the soundtrack) seems to be the complete film. I'd have to disagree with another reviewer here who says that much is missing. It's basically the same version remember seeing over the years. I live in the US though and perhaps there was a longer Europeon version. This is one of Fellini's most hallucinatory pictures. The combination of hyper-rich color and costume combined with Nino Rota's curious score make for a completely unique viewing experience.

Juliet of the Spirits, Fellini's first film in color, is one of his most surreal. Giulietta Masina plays Juliet, a meek bourgeois housewife haunted by various "spirits," each with its own psychological agenda. Ultimately the film is life affirming, presenting a longing but repressed sexuality and its crises with childhood memories and psychic yearnings.

This film is very special to me because it was my first encounter with Fellini's cinema. When I found out Criterion has released it, I had to buy it. The transfer is simply unbelievable! The film's restoration makes it look completely new. This is not the Juliet of the Spirits I watched on VHS.

There is only one extra feature accompanying this DVD--"Familiar Spirits," a 20-minute talk between Fellini and Ian Dallas, the Brit who played the magician/psychic in 8 1/2.

A great film in a great Criterion presentation.

DO NOT BUY THIS MOVIE. It is cut by over 10 minuts. Do not support this kind of bad realeses. It is a pity for the film is really very god and is worth a better destiny than this. To Image Entertainment: DO NOT CUT MOVIES.

Fellini's "Juliet of the Spirits" is perhaps his most beguiling. This, his first color film, garnered mixed reviews when it was first released, mainly because it was truly ahead of its time. Today, it is universally considered an outright classic. The film is a tribute to the magnificent Giulietta Masina and her haunting ability to blend pathos and near-pantomime. This film is about war--war against the forces of inner turmoil, despair, sexuality, and dependency. Juliet is the inviolate, loyal, desperate victim amid an absolutely crushing kaleidoscope of physical/spiritual entities. To watch this film with the eye of one who suffers and struggles to be free from interior demons is to feel the poetic mystery of Fellini's great lesson about life: need only yourself, don't fear happiness.

The film was generally panned when it was first released, and you can still see why. It doesn't live up to the standards Fellini set earlier with his early masterpieces "La Strada" and "Nights of Cabiria" or his later international hits "8 1/2" and "La Dolce Vita." The visuals are almost hallucinatory, but the story of a repressed middle-aged woman (played by the wonderful Mrs. Fellini, Giulietta Masina)coming to grips with her husband's infidelity and her own childhood demons is woefully underdeveloped and gives Masina very little to do--other than rely on trademark twitches and outlandish costumes. Still, some of the fantasies are mindboggling and incredibly creative. (Ever since I first saw this film, I've wanted to visit a treehouse like the one Juliet's neighbor takes her to.) And I'm particularly fond of the hoards of faceless nuns forcing school-girl Juliet to act out the martyrdom of some saint on a grill--from which her eccentric grandfather rescues his "little Bifsteak." Sandra Milo is a vision and fantasy come-true as Suzi, one of the spirits who leads Juliet to eventually free herself. Some of the sixties touches make for fun nostalgia now--like the twisting twins on the beach and Juliet's family's psychodelic couture. Regretfully the film never quite achieves its potential, but it's still well worth a watch. Any Fellini movie scored by the fabulous Nino Rota is worth watching for the music alone. (A previous post claims this to be Giulietta Masina's "swan song." Nope...she later co-starred in Fellini's disappointing "Ginger & Fred.") Regarding the pre-"Criterion Collection" DVD release; it would have been nice to have a fuller restoration, and this film especially seems ripe for including lots of additional extras that aren't there. I look forward to the new Criterion Collection release!

Federico Fellini's films often reflected an enticing and disturbing dreamworld. "JULIET OF THE SPIRITS" is his first color film and it is a delight to see the bright, vivid colors again. All previous existing prints on tape were deplorable transfers.

Simply put, the story focuses on a wealthy Italian housewife in her 30s and the interior metamorphosis she undergoes as she experiences the passages, events and changes in her life, most notably her husband's unfaithfulness. A husband she loves. No words can do justice to the stunning visuals -- cinematography, costumes and production design.

Many film buffs consider this Fellini's best film -- even better than his autobiographical "81/2" -- a film that is in many ways the psychological flip side of "Juliet."

Fellini was one of only a handful of world class filmmakers that was fully actualized as an artist. He could not only break the rules, but make new ones. And no one excelled better than he in visualizing an elliptical, ephemeral dreamstate that still speaks to our deepest feelings in a unique and fresh style.

Nina Rota's fantastical score raises the intensity of the images and nuances the fleeting emotions. See this great movie for the first time and discover a genius and humanist who painted with light.

Thanks to Criterion for continuing the tradition of gathering the greatest films from the finest filmmakers around the world and publishing them in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements.

One of the most colorful and imaginative film worlds to visit are the ones created by Federico Fellini. Fellini was dazzling audiences and bringing enjoyment to them through such films as "Amarcord", "Nights of Cabiria" (My favorite of his films), and "8 1\2". And speaking of "8 1\2" here's a film most people see as the companion piece to. Which is something I can understand.

"Juliet of the Spirits" tells the story of Juliet (Giulietta Masina). A woman in her 30's or 40's, who is beginning to see the world differently, with a little help from her friends, those that are real and those that are not. You see Juliet fears that her husband, Giorgio (Mario Pisu) is cheating on her. And that would crumble Juliet's world, or would it?

"Juliet of the Spirits" is a film that to me is quintessential Fellini. All of the filmmaker's famous traits are here. The beauitful women, caricaturish view of society, and shifting back and forth between fantasy and reality. Plus, Nino Rota's fabulous score put a smile on my face. Then again, I can't think of a time when he didn't do a good job. I feel the score is on par with "Amarcord". And what about the cinematography and the art direction! Fellini seems to be spinning his movie magic here. But sadly this was a time in Fellini's career when the critics and the public were starting to divide. "Juliet of the Spirits" was not, and still believe is not considered one of his best films. For example his next film after this would be "Satyricon". Another movie that had people split. What about "Roma", "Fellini's Casanova", and "City of Women"? These are all movies that to some people are proof Fellini lost his touch. But, I don't think that's the case with this movie. It's just too enjoyable. It's too lighthearted. We're put in such a good mood after this, that I just can't understand why someone wouldn't like this movie. And even if we were to cross out the cinematography, the art direction, the music, and Fellini's directing, surely no one can deny that Giulietta Masina's performance carries the film. Even when the film may seem to be getting a bit odd. She holds the film together. And if for no other reason, see the movie for her performance. So, while the lines may be drawn on this one, I think of it as one of Fellini's best film. A real dazzling experience showing us that Fellini was an original.

This film was nominated for two Oscars; "Best Costume Design" and "Best Art Direction". And, it won the "Golden Globe" for best foreign film.

Bottom-line: Clearly one of the better films Fellini made late in his career. And for me, one of his all-time best. Great music, wonderful cinematography and a performance by Masina that almost steals the show!

Juliet of the Spirits is perhaps one of the most visually stunning DVD releases I have ever seen. I can only give the highest praise to those at Criterion for this digital transfer. The images are so clear, and the cinematography was so masterfully done that the picture color is what one artist might describe as "crushed jewels".

Kaleidoscopic visuals, lovely Italian women, and stereotyped 1960's pop culture hedonism are prevalent throughout. Considering that this movie was released in 1965, one might argue that this movie inspired the formation of certain facets of free love, flower power American society that would come a few years later, including San Francisco's hippie Haight-Ashbury district. Quite interesting is the living establishment of idealistic youths who dwell together, party, drink, and be merry in a house that is essentially owned and run by a middle-aged dominatrix. A viewer, such as myself, now wonders if this movie, in conjunction with the widespread distrust of U.S. political leaders who were perceived by then-teenagers and twenty-somethings to represent an elderly status quo, somehow fostered the creation of communes that would later be developed all over America in remote areas as portrayed in the 1969 classic Easy Rider.

Throughout the movie, the main character, Juliet, who is an Italian housewife well into her thirties, becomes disillusioned with life when she is strongly suspicious that her husband is carrying on an extramarital affair. In trying to confront her ever-surmounting distrust, Juliet leaves her home to find out if her spouse is cheating on her. Simultaneously, Juliet is also going on a journey of self-discovery through astrology, an androgynous fortune-teller, dabblings with the occult, and acquaintances with multinational, sun-worshipping ladies and gents of the world. The avenues that Juliet enters as the story proceeds from one scene to the next all serve as a conglomerated mix that will help her determine how important her marriage is and whether it is an asset or hindrance to fulfilling her ultimate needs in life.

Juliet of the Spirits, as I have read, was largely panned by critics who were accustomed to Fellini's masterpiece forerunners, including La Dolce Vita and 8 ½. Almost forty years after the fact, a reviewer nowadays may likely have a much deeper appreciation for Fellini's brilliance in this movie. If nothing else, one who has seen this film will have many a strong case to suggest that 1960's Italy was, in a large way, the pop culture engine of the world.

Not as well known as some of Fellini's other films, but certainly one of his most interesting creations.

As this was his first colour film, he must have decided to make that landmark memorable, and so it is - one of the most striking colour schemes you will ever see.

High praise to Criterion for this fantastic transfer to DVD - it is a triumph (unlike their Amarcord which left much to be desired...).

The film itself is a tapestry of themes and images that flow in and out of each other seamlessly. That is one of the distinguishing features of Fellini's best films - they are so complete. There is a whole world to enjoy here. The surreal quality that infuses every aspect of the film is a joy - it is so refreshing to see a film where you can detect some true creativity at work!