Juliet of the Spirits (1965)

 Federico Fellini's "Juliet of the Spirits"


It is not completely shocking that Federico Fellini couldn't follow up the masterpieces of "La Dolce Vita" and "8 1/2" with another masterpiece. His 1965 film "Juliet of the Spirits" is no masterpiece, but I should posit that it is no spring chicken either. I merely say this because it is incomparable to its predecessors. However, what "Juliet of the Spirits" does offer to its viewer is an engaging experience nonetheless. 

The film stars Fellini's wife and muse Giulietta, as Giulietta (Juliet in the English translation), an upper-class housewife who begins to suspect that her emotionally distant husband is having an affair. During these spits of anxious wondering, she begins to have dreams and fantasies that blur the line between reality and her subconscious. She starts tapping into these fantasies, ultimately leading her to a greater self-awareness, and eventually, independence.

The mixing of reality with dreams and fantasies is very much in line with Fellini's style. However, with "Juliet of the Spirits," he takes it to another level that would often remind me of a Bunuel film. It ventures into the realms of surrealism and its imitations of Juliet's discomforted mind beckon intrigue. These infatuations with expressionism to demonstrate Juliet's psyche are very encouraged and I hope Fellini continues to experiment with reality in future films.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

La Dolce Vita (1960)

Image
  Federico Fellini's "La Dolce Vita" The famed Italian poet and director Pier Paolo Pasolini once said that Federico Fellini's 1960 masterpiece " La Dolce Vita " was too important to be discussed in the usual way one discusses a film. I absolutely agree. " La Dolce Vita " is not only a monolith in cinematic history - it set a new precedent for how films could be constructed. Its DNA lies in the very components of modern cinematic convention. The themes and narrative beats remain as relevant today as they were in 1960, lending the film a remarkable sense of timelessness. To call " La Dolce Vita " a masterpiece almost feels like an understatement.  The film departs from traditional narrative structure, unfolding instead through a series of interconnected episodes. Marcello Mastroianni stars as Marcello Rubini, a tabloid journalist who aspires to write literature. Navigating the glamorous yet hollow world of Rome's café society, he spend...
Read more

Oliver Twist (1948)

Image
  David Lean's "Oliver Twist" After the success of David Lean's 1946 adaption of Charles Dickens classic 1861 novel " Great Expectations ," Lean decided once again to adapt a classic work by Dickens. This time, his focus was on the 1837 novel, " Oliver Twist ." His 1948 adaptation once again proved that Lean was able to take Dicken's classic work and visualize it for the big screen.  Centering on a young orphan boy in 19th century England, " Oliver Twist " details the boy's plight as he is hired out as an apprentice after asking a cruel taskmaster for a second serving of gruel. Falling in with a street urchin and a criminal, the boy's fate between wealth and poverty hangs in the balance when his kindly benefactor decides to take him in. From all of the Charles Dickens adaptations I have seen, I have come to the conclusion that I am not a fan of Dicken's work. I know, blasphemous. From " Great Expectations " to ...
Read more

The Browning Version (1951)

Image
  Anthony Asquith's "The Browning Version" I was very caught off guard by Anthony Asquith's 1951 British film " The Browning Version ." Going into it, I wasn't sure what to expect. Regardless, what I received was something far more emotionally complex than anticipated.  The film centers on Andrew Crocker-Harris, an embittered, middle-aged schoolmaster. He is resigning from his post due to his poor health, his wife is cheating on him, and the person she's cheating on him with is the one replacing him at his post. This sets off a series of emotional and existential reflections on whether his hardnose and authoritarian teaching methods made any difference with the students throughout his teaching career. However, one grateful student forces Crocker-Harris into an emotional reckoning. The film forces reflection on one's life and the difference we make in the lives of those around us. Perhaps you hold too tightly to your ideals and perhaps you've ...
Read more