Erin Stapletona blind, winged man-whore and the little one-eyed wench: they don't make sci-fi like they used to
September 5th 2008 10:55
"Barbarella: Queen of the Galaxy" (1968) Roger Vadim
Robert Rodriguez is now officially on my shit list. I have recently discovered that he's planning to remake Barbarella. Just say no. And all the little two-bit starlet/prostitutes are squabbling over Jane Fonda's role. So by way of reasons why this shouldn't happen, let's talk about "Barbarella: Queen of the Galaxy".
I have an embarrassing penchant for 60s sci-fi. Most people are all about the 50s cold war, nuclear paranoia era. No. The 60s were way better, because the drugs were better. If we had acid as strong now as it was in the 60s, people wouldn't have to keep announcing lame remakes. And I must say, for those of us born in the 80s, this film explains a lot. It actually feels like you're watching the missing link.
Barbarella opens with a lengthy space suit strip tease (awesome) and continues straight to Barbarella speaking to the president of earth via videolink while naked. The president of earth predictably stares at her tits the whole time. The political incorrectness, and the soft porn aspects of the film will actually make you say "holy shit" aloud several times while watching it.
It's a really strange film for many reasons, it sort of dances along this line of irony, self-consciousness, political allegory, innuendo and awkwardness in a particularly unique, b-film manner. It entwines ambiguous gestures toward the 60s climate like the introduction of the pill and ideas about free love, with a bizarre and underdeveloped plot. There are so many great lines, like when Barbarella explains that physical sex was abolished on earth because "equal supports for self esteem were made available" but then it also seems that when they couldn't think of anything for her to say she says "oh, well that's nice", regardless of the situation.
Overall, it does seem like a flimsy excuse to have Jane Fonda in and strategically out of as many diminutive outfits as possible, with Paco Rabanne responsible for the costuming in the final scene. But then, it also has Marcel Marceau playing a bit part, as well as my boyfriend from "Blow Up" (David Hemmings) playing the bumbling revolutionary Dildano. Yes, Dildano.
So Barbarella is a paradox. A big, messy, weird paradox that should be left out of the clutches of Rodrigeuz, who until now i sort of liked but is really just a pathetic little Tarantino lackie. (And I mostly only liked him because he used to be hot.)
Robert Rodriguez is now officially on my shit list. I have recently discovered that he's planning to remake Barbarella. Just say no. And all the little two-bit starlet/prostitutes are squabbling over Jane Fonda's role. So by way of reasons why this shouldn't happen, let's talk about "Barbarella: Queen of the Galaxy".
(Barbarella cover art)
I have an embarrassing penchant for 60s sci-fi. Most people are all about the 50s cold war, nuclear paranoia era. No. The 60s were way better, because the drugs were better. If we had acid as strong now as it was in the 60s, people wouldn't have to keep announcing lame remakes. And I must say, for those of us born in the 80s, this film explains a lot. It actually feels like you're watching the missing link.
Barbarella opens with a lengthy space suit strip tease (awesome) and continues straight to Barbarella speaking to the president of earth via videolink while naked. The president of earth predictably stares at her tits the whole time. The political incorrectness, and the soft porn aspects of the film will actually make you say "holy shit" aloud several times while watching it.
It's a really strange film for many reasons, it sort of dances along this line of irony, self-consciousness, political allegory, innuendo and awkwardness in a particularly unique, b-film manner. It entwines ambiguous gestures toward the 60s climate like the introduction of the pill and ideas about free love, with a bizarre and underdeveloped plot. There are so many great lines, like when Barbarella explains that physical sex was abolished on earth because "equal supports for self esteem were made available" but then it also seems that when they couldn't think of anything for her to say she says "oh, well that's nice", regardless of the situation.
Overall, it does seem like a flimsy excuse to have Jane Fonda in and strategically out of as many diminutive outfits as possible, with Paco Rabanne responsible for the costuming in the final scene. But then, it also has Marcel Marceau playing a bit part, as well as my boyfriend from "Blow Up" (David Hemmings) playing the bumbling revolutionary Dildano. Yes, Dildano.
So Barbarella is a paradox. A big, messy, weird paradox that should be left out of the clutches of Rodrigeuz, who until now i sort of liked but is really just a pathetic little Tarantino lackie. (And I mostly only liked him because he used to be hot.)
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