Pink Asparagus

7/10

I am the Goddess of Vice!

Fellini’s Juliet of the Spirits is a delightful, stimulating and ghoulish woman-led psychological fantasy-drama. The plot is simple enough that you can get distracted and continue to watch with ease. Of course, the simple plot is offset by frequent fantastical dream sequences that show how trauma can create little inescapable psychological prisons. Juliet is a loyal housewife whose identity and life purpose are challenged when she finds out her weird little husband is cheating on her. Traumatized, by this and other things from her past, she embarks a thrilling psychological journey to better understand herself. Juliet and the Spirits has titillating outfits, invasive yet magnetic dream sequences, Giulietta Masina BEAMING in every frame and ONLY perfectly decorated interiors. Fellini’s first coloured film is so wonderful; the REDS, pinks, purples… blues! What pleasantly surprised me was how easy it was to watch and follow despite it being one of those movies that I characterize in my head as “too mentally engaging for an evening of RELAXATION”. It was very stimulating without being overly stimulating. A hot pick if you want a haunting film about a woman’s experience of reality, love, life and self discovery. You can watch it on the Criterion Channel or in other ways I’m sure… 

Here’s a brief reel of some of my favourite little moments:

Oh and the soundtrack is… perfect.