Barbarella played by Jane Fonda.

Noteworthy Movies – Barbarella or when WTF becomes a historical norm.

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 Great Tyrant: "You're very pretty pretty pretty." 
 Barbarella: "My name isn't Pretty Pretty. It's Barbarella."

I first watched this movie as a young boy in the local movie theater. I was a fan of science fiction, but this movie confounded the daylights out of me. I did appreciate all the nudity. That was cool. But I just could not follow the plot. The spaceships did not look like what I expected, nor did the roles that the characters played. I watched the movie and then went home and forgot about it.

Time moved on.

I refused to have any association with Jane Fonda. She turned me off with her “radical” anti-American stances, and her adoption of progressive Marxism. I did not agree with her. I did not appreciate her. I did not like her, and I wanted nothing to do with her.

Time passed.

Barbarella in the orgasimatron.
Barbarella in the orgasimatron.

I got older. I started to travel the world. I started to see how different the United States was, and how out of step it was with the rest of the world, it seemed to me that the United States was in a very small bubble and that everyone inside was convinced that the lands outside that bubble were horrible, terrible places. And those people had no idea just how manipulated and fooled they were. Or, how dangerously manipulated they had become.

So I accepted this reality.

Not my problem. Nothing that goes on in the USA is my problem. I just wanted to chill out. Drink my wine. Eat delicious food and play with pretty girls.

Then… the Coronavirus hit.

China treated it as a biological weapons attack and went into complete national lock-down. And I, I was stuck inside my house with nothing better to do than to watch movies and drink beer. (I had a stack of beer that I was meaning to get around to anyways…)

And as such, I started to watch old movies from the 1960’s. For often these movies are not behind a paywall. (Most aren’t. The James Bond 007 movies, for some strange reason, were.) Anyways, the movies from the 1960’s and the 1970’s were awesome to watch. They are cheap entertainment and great escapist enjoyment.

And so I rediscovered Barbarella.

I chose movies instead of televisions shows because I don’t know if I could handle a few seasons of Flipper, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Hazel, My Favorite Martian or Mr. Ed.

LOL.

Anyways, Barbarella was awesome…

Barbarella is a movie that is as campy as camp can be and in spite of the low budget sets, crude execution of plot and overtly sexual dialogue, it holds your attention. This film is based on a French comic book character and it exposes you to the wonderful world of the bizarre, 1960s era, fantasy film culture... and that's why I love it. 

-Amazon

And what a glorious escape to the 1960’s it is!

Barbarella has no trigger discipline.
Barbarella has no trigger discipline. Barbarella (1968) – Jane Fonda

The Characters:

  • Barbarella – Jane Fonda! Ted Turner’s little communist is sort of an intergalactic special agent.
  • Duran Duran – HEHEHE! (Sorry, his name gives me the giggles, and according to Leonard Maltin that is where the band got it from.) Mad scientist intent on conquering the universe, generally out to cause hate and discontent. Eaten by the Magmous.
  • Pygar – Last of the ornithothropes, he’s an Angel, literally.
  • The Great Tyrant – Attractive and evil ruler of Lythion, she likes the word “pretty.”
  • Dildano – Inept revolutionary who wishes to overthrow the evil empire, zapped into the fourth dimension.
  • Professor Ping – Kind scientist who assists the unfortunates banished into the labyrinth, also zapped.
  • Marcan – Barbarian guy in charge of herding wild children (Now that’s daycare.), he saves Barbarella from the evil kiddies and introduces her to some old fashioned loving…
  • Alfie – The ship’s computer.
  • The Magmous – A presence which surrounds the city and feeds off evil, it appears to be a huge lava lamp. 
Barbarella  is a movie that is as campy as camp can be and in spite of the low  budget sets, crude execution of plot and overtly sexual dialogue, it  holds your attention. This film is based on a French comic book  character and it exposes you to the wonderful world of the bizarre,  1960s era, fantasy film culture... and that's why I love it. It's a  "gem-in-the-rough" waiting to be discovered by a new generation of  fantasy film lovers. Enjoy ! 

-Mark
Barbarella exploring her new world.
Barbarella exploring her new world.

The Plot:

Ho Chi Minh’s favorite exercise queen stars in this amazing piece of science fiction, oh yes, Jane Fonda.

What really amazes me is the movie’s PG rating, considering the fact that Barbarella’s antigravity breasts go bouncing through more than a few scenes sans clothing. (Plus there’s another woman hanging from leather straps later on.)

Don’t try and give me all that, “It was the 60’s.” crap either.

Our heroine is dispatched to prevent a new weapon from destroying the harmony of the known universe. 

This  is a teenage Jane Fonda with very little (often no) clothing on. The  plot is silly as are some of the scenes but I was a teen when I first  saw this movie and a film featuring an often naked Jane Fonda in many  very explicit sexual encounters still arouses my now 67 year old senses.  A a serious Sci-Fi flic it is not, but it is a snapshot of 1960's  culture presented in an often hilarious manner. 

-Old Wet Cat

If one thing was threatening harmony it is this movie’s groovy soundtrack, I was torturing the cat by humming snippets to it. (Kitty actually fled the room.)

After her spaceship crashes things really get weird, she encounters wild children, leather robots, Pygar, the Great Tyrant, and carnivorous parakeets.

When Barbarella finally locates Duran Duran (Hehe! Sorry…) the scientist is a madman, seeking to conquer the universe and give her a fatal orgasm.

Yes, that’s right… death by organism.

I didn’t stutter my friends, he straps the woman into a strange “pleasure organ/piano” thing and plays a tune which should kill her with ecstasy.

It doesn’t work, though.

This  is a really amazingly funny movie, at once a good sci fi, sex  goddess-creating classic, it is also deliciously quirky.  I mean, can  you picture a spacecraft whose interior is fur-lined?

Fonda is  Barbarella, a kind of futuristic bimbo - in part the product of a highly  developed permissive society - who is on a mission to, well, you have  to see it to believe it.  Somehow, Vadim really pulls it all off, though  I suppose it is best to see this in an altered state of consciousness,  60s-style.  Really, tho, it is hard to stop laughing at this, while  taking in an engaging story and unforgettable imagery.  Really, this is a  classic.

Interestingly, while living in France, I bought a bunch  of Barbarella paperbacks out of curiosity and discovered to my delight  that the movie is actually very faithful to the original comic - even  the dialogue follows the crytptic utterances of the characters closely.

Fonda  is perfectly cast.  She is stunningly beautiful in youth, at the apex  of her stardom in many ways, and you can tell she is having fun with  this role.  But the acting of the others is also very good and fun, from  DuranDuran to the sexualised angel in his nest.

Recommended warmly.  This is weirdness that works extremely well. 

-Robert J Crawford

Barbarella shorts out the machine and it bursts into flames.

Soon after this the Great Tyrant sets free the Magmous and all heck breaks loose.

The end.

If that wasn’t warning enough I’m telling you now: This movie is all over the place and insanely groovy. 

It  is somewhat difficult to describe Barbarella. It is bizarre, sexy,  funny, and a definite 1960s sci-fi classic. 

It is not a movie for  children (no way is this a PG- it was originally rated M for mature  audiences). 

There is nudity and sexuality interlaced throughout the  movie, and I must say that Jane Fonda was definitely in her prime when  she starred in this (eye candy supreme). 

The bizarre scenes (including  the metal-toothed biting dolls) could give kids (and adults) nightmares.  

There are some cute little blue bunnies hopping around though. The  special effects are extremely funny, but that adds to the total feeling  of the movie. In other words, do not view this film with a serious mind.  

The cast includes some very good actors (including Ugo Tognazzi, John  Phillip Law, Marcel Marceau, David Hemmings, and Milo O'Shea) who must  have had some fun making this movie. And, without a doubt, Jane Fonda  was the perfect choice to play the lead role. 

-D.Dalton

After the shock of watching Barbarella strip out of her spacesuit in zero gravity (She’s obviously laying on plate glass with the camera above her.), I noticed the red shag carpet covering the spaceship’s interior top to bottom.

For a state of the art spacecraft her ship had some issues, like the acid trip view screen and a disturbing habit of colliding with solid objects, like a planet.

Let’s not forget this is the future and all the messy pleasure associated with that disgusting habit of sexual intercourse has been overcome…

… now you just take a pill and hold hands…

…until Barbarella gets her pipes cleaned by Marcan, then she does agree “Wider is…” I mean, “The old ways are better.”

Barbarella strapped to the orgasimistron.
Barbarella strapped to the orgasimistron. 
I find "Barbarella: Queen of the Galaxy" to be a psychedelic, costume,  music, metal teeth doll, Jane Fonda and shag fun fest.  

This 1968 film  was made after the French comic books Barbarella by Jean Claude Forest  which the movie in my opinion does a good job of giving you an almost  comic book feel.  

Most will likely find the special effects to be of low  quality, especially if you prefer the special effects of today.  I  however, find them to give all the more comic book feel of the time and  enjoy the psychedelic appearance of many of them.  

The film was directed  by Roger Vadim who was also married to Jane Fonda at the time.  In  short if you like 60's "B" movies with the features I describe in the  first sentence this film might be for you.  If however, you don't like  60,s "B" movies and the items I mention in the first sentence you will  likely disagree with my five star rating, so be warned. 

-The Tally Ho

Things I Learned From This Movie: 

  • Orange shag carpet is the ultimate in spaceship decor.
  • Stingrays are used as draft horses on other worlds.
  • Sadistic children scream like a flock of seagulls.
  • In the future sexual gratification is achieved by taking a pill and holding hands. (My thoughts exactly…)
  • Orchids are not very filling.
  • Angels make nests.
  • Public suicide chambers need to be clearly marked.
  • Parakeets are carnivorous.
  • Having some woman smoke me in a bong is the stuff nightmares are made of.
  • The world will be swallowed by an evil lava lamp monster.
The movie is very 1960's and includes all those psychedelic elements.
The movie is very 1960’s and includes all those psychedelic elements.

Stuff To Watch For: 

  • 5 mins – RANDOM GRATUITOUS BREAST SHOT! (Wait, this is PG?)
  • 17 mins – Earth’s number one agent was just captured by two eight year old girls.
  • 19 mins – These weird kids are feeding her to mechanical dolls.
  • 43 mins – It’s a flying sundae of death!
  • 47 mins – Lady, how exactly do you plan on hiding his wings?
  • 64 mins – Should have paid the electric bill Dil-dan-o…
  • 72 mins – Now that’s a password.
  • 76 mins – RANDOM GRATUITOUS BREAST SHOT!
  • 77 mins – Is there a guy in that bong?
  • 79 mins – Duran Duran (Hehe!) has her in this weird piano/organ thing, it’s sucking her clothes off… …and, um, doing other things.
Barbarella with the other chick that undresses for the movie. I forget what her role was, but I did admire her knockers.
Barbarella with the other chick that undresses for the movie. I forget what her role was, but I did admire her knockers.

Conclusion

I refused to watch this movie for years.

It’s an emotional thing that I had retained since Jane Fonda bad-mouthed the USA back during the Vietnam war. While I do not like what she did, I can now see that the USA somehow got way, way off course and became a war-mongering empire that uses people like myself as “cannon fodder”.

Anyways, I by chance, watched this movie and was astounded by the immersion in 1960’s culture and absolute weirdness. I am frankly astounded by it. It’s pure, and it’s sublime.

It’s a great movie to watch. Especially while drinking beer and eating a delicious sandwich. Don’t you know. Have your wife make a Jack-Reuben up for you, you will not regret it.

A fine home-made Jack-Reuben sandwich. Goes great with chips (especially Wise potato chips - perfectly salted) and a nice (must be icy cold) beer.
A fine home-made Jack-Reuben sandwich. Goes great with chips (especially Wise potato chips – perfectly salted) and a nice (must be icy cold) beer.

All glory to the Great Tyrant!

Barbarella with the flying man...oh, what's his name.
Barbarella with the flying man…oh, what’s his name.

I do hope that you enjoyed this post. I have others in my movie index. You can reach it here…

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