Juliet of the Spirits (Italian: Giulietta degli spiriti) is a 1965 surrealist drama film about an Italian housewife, directed by Federico Fellini. Although he first used color in the "Temptation of Doctor Antonio" episode of Boccaccio 70 (1962), this is Fellini's first feature-length color film.

Giulietta (played by Fellini's wife, Giulietta Masina) explores both her subconscious and the odd lifestyle of her sexy neighbor, Suzy (Sandra Milo), as she attempts to deal with the mundane life and philandering husband (Mario Pisu) that oppress her. As she increasingly taps into her desires, as well as her demons, she slowly gains more self-awareness and, ultimately, independence.

Juliet of The Spirits (1965) again shows Fellini's mastery of the moving camera, as previously demonstrated in both La dolce vita (1960) and 8˝ (1963). In Juliet, this camera movement combines with Fellini's advanced use of both color and art direction to create a cinematic world unlike any other before or since. Fellini's wife, Giulietta Masina, commands the title role, and shows a depth and maturity beyond even the masterful performances she gave in her husband's La strada (1954) and Nights of Cabiria (1957).

Cultural references

In Annie Hall, Alvy and Annie stand on line at the cinema and Alvy grows annoyed with the pretension of the intellectual jerk in front of him who, among other sins, engages in the then public-intellectual trope of dismissing Fellini's "later" work as "indulgent," citing Juliet of the Spirits as his smoking gun.

In 2008 The B-52's album 'Funplex' contained a track entitled "Juliet of the Spirits", based around the movie's themes of independence and self sufficiency.

The comededy duo French and Saunders parodied Juliet of the Spirits and La Dolce Vita on their eponymous show.

Singer Miho Hatori references the movie in "The Spirit of Juliet", a song about a cyborg who starts to attain memory.

External links

• Roger Ebert's Essay on the movie
• Criterion Collection essay by John Baxter
• DVD review of the film

de:Julia und die Geister fr:Juliette des esprits it:Giulietta degli spiriti hu:Júlia és a szellemek pt:Giulietta degli spiriti ru:????????? ? ???? (?????) tr:Ruhlar?n Giulietta's? (film)