Rating: 
Summary: Underrated in its own day...Classic in Ours
Review: Perhaps no other Fellini film has benefitted more from the sweet, sound passage of time than 'Juliet of the Spirits.' Regarded as an ambitious but indulgent fantasy at the time of its release, critics and audiences were also unprepared for its strikingly spiritual feminist undertones. The concept was ahead of its time, and further aggravating its reception was Fellini's immense budget...which was seen as an extravagance, particularly regarding the subject matter. The fact that this extravagance was communicated in blazing color (a Fellini first) only highlighted doubts about certain allegedly excessive aspects of the film. In any event, the tone has changed radically over the years. Critics and audiences found themselves faced with the severe and genuine indulgences of later Fellini misfires like 'Satyricon,' and came to realize that 'Juliet'was tame in comparison, and held more sublime treasures than had previously been believed. A greater understanding of women's issues also facilitated a huge turnabout in critical perception of this remarkable film over the years. Now, it seems not indulgent, but rather like the vision of a masterful, shrewdly-written poem experienced through a carefully-crafted kaleidoscope of the senses. In many areas, this may one day be considerd to be Fellini's greatest film...particularly for its visual juxtapositions to the themes he is continually seeking to elaborate: mysticism, false-spirituality, female spiritual independence, sexual independence, female fashion excesses, female-to-female abuse, mother-to-child abuse, the pitfalls of psychology, the keys of psychology, and...yes...ghosts of all kinds. The underlying denominator of all these themes is 'spirit,' and Fellini's way of communicating the many issues so diversely and yet so simply is nothing short of amazing. Giulietta Masina is sublime...THIS is her finest hour, for her performance is subtle and elegantly removed from her usual physical(and just as valid) schtick.In this film, the viewer must look into the window of Giulietta's soul to perceive her struggle, whereas she made her struggles quite obvious to us in previous classic performances. Yes, the sets and costumes are lavish and often racy, but what more than a few critics are now noting is that all of this lavishness is POWERFULLY countered by a stark,pervasive desolation, a constant child-like presence that is not only emanating from Giulietta, but from the very scenery surrounding her throughout the film. When watched with a careful eye and heard with a perceptive ear, the effect is nothing short of guttural, devastating. This DVD version captures all of the magic of a film that will, perhaps one hundred years from now, be regarded as Fellini's magnnum opus.(yes, Rota's score is particularly haunting here).
Rating: 
Summary: Well worth seeing; wish it were even better
Review: The film was generally panned when it was first released, and you can still see why. It doesn't live up to the standards Fellini set earlier with his early masterpieces "La Strada" and "Nights of Cabiria" or his later international hits "8 1/2" and "La Dolce Vita." The visuals are almost hallucinatory, but the story of a repressed middle-aged woman (played by the wonderful Mrs. Fellini, Giulietta Masina)coming to grips with her husband's infidelity and her own childhood demons is woefully underdeveloped and gives Masina very little to do--other than rely on trademark twitches and outlandish costumes. Still, some of the fantasies are mindboggling and incredibly creative. (Ever since I first saw this film, I've wanted to visit a treehouse like the one Juliet's neighbor takes her to.) And I'm particularly fond of the hoards of faceless nuns forcing school-girl Juliet to act out the martyrdom of some saint on a grill--from which her eccentric grandfather rescues his "little Bifsteak." Sandra Milo is a vision and fantasy come-true as Suzi, one of the spirits who leads Juliet to eventually free herself. Some of the sixties touches make for fun nostalgia now--like the twisting twins on the beach and Juliet's family's psychodelic couture. Regretfully the film never quite achieves its potential, but it's still well worth a watch. Any Fellini movie scored by the fabulous Nino Rota is worth watching for the music alone. (A previous post claims this to be Giulietta Masina's "swan song." Nope...she later co-starred in Fellini's disappointing "Ginger & Fred.") Regarding the pre-"Criterion Collection" DVD release; it would have been nice to have a fuller restoration, and this film especially seems ripe for including lots of additional extras that aren't there. I look forward to the new Criterion Collection release!
Rating:
Summary: Watch out for subtitles
Review: The Juliet copy (with the picture of Juliet wearing an oriental-style hat)and which has only one tape (not the two tape set) has yellow subtitles which are very helpful to see the text. The two tape set (with architecture and grey and orange colors on the box) has subtitlres which do not stand out. Very bad.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Pleasure
Review: This film is a must see...And hopefully, it will be available on DVD as soon as someone realizes how wonderful it is!
Rating:
Summary: "C'mon Guilietta! We're all waiting!" (for you to come out)
Review: This is a film about a woman in her 30s--a well-to-do Italian housewife--and the inner changes she experiences through several events in her life including, most prominently, the infidelity of the husband she loves. But it's much more too. Fellini's stunning visuals--the colors and settings, the outrageous dress, and the fantastic score of Nino Rota, makes it seem as if Italy is the most exotic place on earth. The first time I watched this film I was a bit put off by some of the events that didn't always make sense, as well as the annoying white subtitles that are difficult to read. But there was something about it that compelled me to watch again. I'm still not sure I understand the ending, or the role of the tall Spaniard, but there are many subtle and wonderful things happening. The music of Rota is simply captivating. Most of it is carried by a lilting, swinging clarinet and a quirky organ in an unlikely but very rich marriage. I'm disappointed to find there is apparently no film score available on CD. The viewer is treated to the whole litany and range of emotions of a woman suspecting her husband of cheating--and Guilietta Masina, in a great performance, tells it all in her face. Guilietta also has visions. Her penchant for the spirts, along with the urging of her kooky friends, ("S/he only comes every seven years!") leads her to visit a spiritual charlatan, a phony guru, in a memorable and hilarious scene. "
"Isn't it an apple?"
"No dear, you must see beyond material form." Guilietta's friends also try to persuade her to experience love beyond her marriage. I shan't tell the result but, again, Fellini treats the viewer to many, many exotic and unexpected scenes. Finally, this film also explores the relationships of Guilietta to her husband, her mother and sisters, her friends, her husband's friends and her maids. In a sense, this is very much a woman's film. But it's more; it's surreal; it's certainly one for those tired of boring, contemporary films.
Rating:
Summary: "...All I had to do was close my eyes..."
Review: This is one of my favorite films. I have seen four Fellini films so I cannot say at this point whether or not this is Fellini's best, in my opinion. You have to view this movie a few times before you can begin to understand/like it. This isn't the kind of movie you can sit down with a bucket of popcorn and a soda with and watch it and be entertained for a couple of hours and go back to your life. This movie demands thought. "Juliet of the Spirits" is an interactive movie. It sticks around afterward. You never quite forget it. It makes you think. What a concept! On the other hand it is very inventive and does entertain but you have to be patient at times. Its not a fast paced movie but it is an experience. It has bright colors, wild characters, esoteric meaning. But, its one of those movies where you enjoy it more after you have seen it as opposed to being constantly entertained by it AS YOU WATCH IT. I'm not gonna give a synopsis since this isn't your standard movie fare but..if you like introspective, original films, see this. Its very unique and imaginative and you won't forget it once you see it.
Rating: 
Summary: very unusual especially for Fellini
Review: This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.
Fellini's first color film, released in Italy with the official title of "Giulietta degli spiriti" is also the most unusual I've seen yet. The plot is about a woman with a husband who is cheating on her. She then descends into a hallucinatory world of her mind.
Some of the dream sequences are what I would expect from a Rene Magritte painting while others are more 'normal.' They are well photographed and have many good scenes. Giulietta Masina, who played the lead role was also Federico Fellini's wife.
There are two specail features which are a theatrical trailer and an interview with Fellini by Ian Dallas.
This film while having high acclaim, could have been better in my opinion.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully Filmed Nonsense
Review: While I admire the cinematic beauty of "Nights of Cabiria" and even its plot (as threadbare as it is, it's still good fun), by the time Fellini got to Juliet of the Spirits, he had really run out of things to say. Early on in the movie, there are harbingers of a plot, some suspense and even something verging on high drama, but none of these pan out, and instead we are left with.......a mess. Giulietta Masina is a very great actress, it is just that there wasn't much material for her to work with. It is too bad she hitched her wagon to husband Fellini's star her entire career, because if she were just in a few movies with plots, character development and finely crafted dialogue, we could have discovered the full range of her talent. In 1965, when this movie came out, there weren't so many movies about a woman's "midlife crisis" and her quest for "fulfillment"; By now this plot has become a cliche. As far as the story line goes, "Juliet of the Spirits" has got to rank among the worst, even losing out to the B-movies and straight-to-video films that are grist for the mill on Lifetime and The Oprah Channel. And that is really a shame, because this is one of the most gorgeously filmed movies I've ever seen. Director of Photography Gianni di Venanzo's use of Technicolor is breathtakingly fascinating for its sumptuous use of warmth and its balance of colors and use of shocking hues. It rivals movies such as "Fantasia" and "Vertigo" for its artistic *visual* excellence. Yet, this movie taken as a whole is rambling, unfocused and pretentious in a genre that is not too difficult to master. Some call Fellini's movies "surrealistic," and I have no argument with that. Perhaps my bourgeoise temperament lacks the patience to put up with it in two-hour-long doses. I prefer my surrealism in visual stills from Dali, Man Ray, Magritte. The irony of it is that the best movie of the "woman finding herself" genre -- "Shirley Valentine", directed by Lewis Gilbert -- is filmed so dryly that it borders on incompetence. Imagine what a movie that would have made were the script put into the hands of di Venanzo and Fellini with a soundtrack by the great Nino Rota. Altogether, viewing "Juliet of the Spirits" can be a pleasant experience, so long as one is concerned with camera work, editing, color timing and music.
Rating:
Summary: Finally!!! Juliet as Fellini Made It!
Review: With this new DVD from Criterion, Fellini film lovers can finally see his first color film as the Italian Master of the Skewed Point of View filmed it. The colors are no longer dark and cloudy--instead brightness explodes the colors. Gone is the fuzzy image we have seen for years. In fact, I don't remember any of the prints I saw in the theatres were this sharp. The fuzzy yellow subtitles are gone--crisp, clear ones you can even read against white scenes! Fellini suddenly appears as a Master of Color as well as psychological depth.
See it again--for the first time.
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