Juliet of the Spirits [Special Edition] [Criterion Collection]

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Juliet of the Spirits is a fantastical showcase for Federico Fellini's vibrant imagery, starring his wife, Giulietta Masina, as the titular leading character. Juliet is a wealthy housewife who constantly fears her husband, Giorgio (Mario Pisu), is cheating on her. While she yearns for a peaceful intimate evening on the night of their 15th anniversary, the egotistical Giorgio has forgotten about it and instead arrives home with his eccentric friends. After a trip to a seance, Juliet is haunted by images from the spirit world, including obsessions from her past involving religion and her late relatives. With her sisters and mother prying into her life, Juliet seems to be seeking an inner peace amidst all the sexual temptations surrounding her. She meets her neighbor, Suzy (Sandra Milo), a showy pleasure-seeker who lives in a sensual playhouse. It appears that all of Juliet's family, friends, and fantasies demand that she loosen up and embrace sexual freedom, yet she remains chaste and dowdy, lamenting over her unfaithful husband. The reasons for Juliet's repression are not clearly defined by the narrative, despite glimpses into her supposed imagination. Forced to endure the constant bombardment of sexually charged imaginings, the demure Juliet retreats on her own. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Number of Discs: 1
• Subtitle: Eng
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Audio: PCM Mono
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Theatre Wide Screen)
• Features:
  • New digital transfer, enhanced for 16x9 televisions
  • "Familiar Spirits," a 19-minute interview with Fellini by Ian Dallas
  • Theatrical trailer
  • New and improved English subtitle translation
  • Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition

AWARDS

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

•     Nominated Best Color Costume Design - 1966 (Piero Gherardi)

• Hollywood Foreign Press Association

•     Won Best Foreign Film - Foreign Language - 1965

• National Board of Review

•     Won Best Foreign Film - 1965

• New York Film Critics Circle

•     Won Best Foreign Film - 1965

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Giulietta Masina - Juliet
       Mario Pisu - Giorgio
       Sandra Milo - Susy
       Valentina Cortese - Valentina
       Sylva Koscina - Sylva
       Alba Cancellieri - Juliet as a Child
       Luisa della Noce - Adele
       Sabrina Gigli - Granddaughter
       Rosella di Sepio - Granddaughter
       Lou Gilbert - Grandfather
       Silvana Jachino - Dolores
       Elena Fondra - Elena
       Jose - Luis de Villalonga - Friends of Giorgio
       Cesarino Miceli Picardi - Friend of Giorgio
       Elisabetta Gray - Juliet's Maid
       Seyna Seyn - Masseuse
       Dina de Santis - Susy's Maid
       Dany Paris - Desperate Friend
       Fred Williams - Arabian Prince
       Alberto Plebani - Lynx-Eyes
       Anne Francine - Psychoanalyst
       Mario Conocchia - Family Lawyer
       Friedrich Ledebur - Headmaster
       Massimo Sarchielli - Valentina's Lover
       Giorgio Ardisson - Dolores' models
       Bob Edwards - Dolores's models
       Milena Vukotic - Juliet's Maid

• Director:

  Federico Fellini

• Producer:

  Angelo Rizzoli

• Screenwriter:

  Federico Fellini, Ennio Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli, Brunello Rondi

• Cinematographer:

  Gianni Di Venanzo

• Composer (Music Score):

  Nino Rota

• Editor:

  Ruggero Mastroianni

• Art Director:

  Piero Gherardi

• Set Designer:

  Giantito Burchiellaro, Luciano Ricceri, E. Benazzi Taglietti

• Costume Designer:

  Piero Gherardi

• Makeup:

  Otello Fava, Emilo Trani

REVIEW:

• The first Fellini film in color, Juliet of the Spirits is one of the director's lesser-known works and one with enigmatic meanings. Intending to reveal the fantasies and inner world of Juliet (played by Fellini's wife, Giulietta Masina), the fantastic events still seem to be streaming from Fellini himself. Memorable moments -- like the seaside parade and a bed with a slide into a pool -- show the director indulging in his gift for painting bizarre images. However, the story suffers compared to the vivid appeal of the visual spectacle. Masina's talents are almost mocked as she seems uncomfortably placed in the realm of her husband's fantasies while playing a wronged wife. The parallel relationship of the fictional Juliet and Giorgio with Masina and Fellini is further complicated by the presence of the flamboyant Suzy (Sandra Milo), who appeared in 8 1/2 as the mistress. Apparently, the husband and wife fought on the set, and it is debatable as to what the ending scene means, where Juliet walks off into the distance. For Fellini, she is embracing her freedom; for Masina, she was descending into loneliness. Not the best picture from either, Fellini's La Strada and Nights of Cabiria make far better use of Masina's sweet and charming comic talents. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi