Rating: 
Summary: Enjoy the title sequence and then get ready for high camp
Review: "Barbarella" is the infamous 1968 camp classic from Roger Vadim that made Jane Fonda the most fantasized-about woman in the world for a while (I think she was replaced by Raquel Welch, but do not quote me on that one). Of course a decade later Fonda would be attacking her ex-husband for his sexual exploitation of women, but it was certainly pretty much impossible to ever take "Barbarella" seriously. Based on the European comic strip which emphasized the sex at least as much as the science fiction, this film was originally rated X and then censored to get a more commercially viable rating. I think the main problem with this film is that the title sequence, with Fonda doing a weightless strip tease while floating in some sort of giant test tube (?) promises so much more than the film actually delivers. Ultimately, what we have here is pretentious soft porn, and, even with Fonda in her "queen of the galaxy" outfit or cuddling with the blind angel in the loincloth (John Philip Law), it is unrelentingly, um, uninspiring soft porn. Fonda plays it straight, which is why "Barbarella" is much more enjoyable as a camp classic. Otherwise the visually stylish but emotionally devoid sequences are just going to depress you big time. Too bad that flock of killer hummingbirds could not inspire the eight screenwriters to come up with half that many good ideas for this film.
Rating: 
Summary: "I have regained the will to fly!!!"
Review: "Why would anyone want to invent a weapon?"
I guess that happens when you have your way with Jane Fonda!!!! Barbarella takes place in the far future; a highly sexual woman is tasked with finding and stopping the evil Durand-Durand. Along the way she encounters various unusual people, and almost sleeps with them all. It reminded me of soft porn, without showing the sex.
"This must be the invisible wall."
Barbarella is your classic example of an old school, Star Trek esk, low budget film. It was like a bad version of Flash Gordon. The special effects looked like a lava lamp (no really, think about it when/if you watch it again). I also loved their pistols. It must be a powerful gun if when it shoots someone they pop like a balloon.
"Not with my mini missile projector we won't."
Also, tell me why the first guy Fonda sleeps with happens to be an "Outdoors Man," and his clothes are made of animal fur. When he takes off his shirt to sleep with Fonda, he has so much chest hair it looks like he never took off his animal skin shirt. Austin Powers look out!!!!
"Interesting Therapy."
Roger Vadim (1928-2000) directs Barbarella. His other work that may be recognized by newer television viewers is the old show "The Hitchhiker" that used to be on USA. I had a hard time recognizing exactly what the point of his story was, sex, or a James Bond esk story? As I stated above, it was like a combination of Flash Gordon and soft porn. Barbarella's story was very back and forth and weird, much like the Hitchhiker episodes.
"Love"
There are some positive aspects to the movie; it does have a young Jane Fonda in it. However, the best part of the movie is the crazy soundtrack. Barbarella has a wonderful soundtrack, and I would have bought it in the 70's, 80's, 90's, or currently. The music has a very universal feel to it. As a whole, I would recommend a viewing only if there is nothing else to watch...I mean nothing (the weather channel is out, CNN broadcasts are down, and ESPN is unavailable).
"Something needs to be done."
Grade: D +
Rating: 
Summary: Barbarella's psychedela...
Review: ...midnight movie fun. I am surprised this camp space oddity has stood up as well as it has. Get the popcorn out for this one and keep your eyes on the dollies...
Rating:
Summary: a once in a lifetime experience
Review: Ah! To see the extravagence of Barbarella for the first time.I remember my first time. I could not have imagined Jane Fonda as a wonton sex kitten. This is a lush treasure from a simpler time , when costumes didn't have to cover you to be good.Like, can you dig it?
Rating:
Summary: de laurentiis strikes again!
Review: Another camp Dino De Laurentiis comic re-make of the famous french comic - a forerunner to his re-make of 'Flash Gordon'. "Brian Blessed as an angel - I don't think so". Maestro Brell (NZPS) END
Rating: 
Summary: Redefining camp for the 41st century
Review: Barbarella is a bad film on so many levels that I cannot even begin to pick it apart. But in an age when the recent Charlie's Angels movies are considered "empowering" for women and video game heroines offer more than any human vixen can, Barbarella looks almost classy. It is a movie that makes no apologies; everything is gratuitious and no one tries to justify its atrocities of political incorrectness. To those who were not around when it was originally released (myself being 16 years too late), picture an Austin Powers movie but replace Mike Myers with--all right, Jane Fonda has no modern equivalent--but it's the same kind of camp without the irony. I wish movies like this could be made today without the pretense of insisting that scantily clad heroines are "positive female role models." It's so sleazy and witty at the same time. It's truly awful and yet that's what makes it endearing.
Rating:
Summary: The True Meaning of Barbarella, or The End of Women's Lib
Review: Barbarella is an elegant Soft-Porn Sci-Fi Flick which consists of 4 sex scenes (dependant upon your definition of sex) interspersed with dressing, undressing, and tearing off clothes. The alleged plot has only one True Hero, Angel Pygar, who is otherwise a non-participant. For plot, there are so-called heroes, apparently named after sex toys, revolting against against a Lesbian Tyrant Queen. They mercifully perish. Pompous Vilain Duran-Duran is so stuffy & pompous as to make him harmless, even if he were to suceed, and despite his worst intententions. Director Vadim, then Fonda's Husband is flagrantly showing her so as to say "This is What I keep in MY BED!.However, despite being a mindles Sexploitive T&A flick, This movie has REDEEMING QUALITIES if viewed on a deeper level, that is, what Fonda & Vadim say through Barbarella about the Women's Liberation Movement throught the four episodes of sex: Sex Scene #1 - Barbarella hitches a ride to town with the local Male Baby Sitter at the cost of a Hot Sweaty Afternoon of Passion. The Iceboat goes Round & Round to the tune of "What's New Pussycat". No vows of Celebacy are being kept here! Loverboy is unsophisticated (doesn't know what the Sex Pill is for), crude, but charming. Mutual Sexploitation nets Barbarella new clothes and a ride to town. Barbarella lustfully rises/sinks to the task at hand. Some would use the nasty word "Prostitution" to describe what happened. Of course, these Ladies of the night are always criticized for betraying the NOW cause. Worse/Better is to come! Sex Scene #2 - Barbarella cheers Pygar the Angel so he can fly again. In addition to the issues of Sex Scene #1, we find that Pygar is of a different SPECIES, the last of his kind. Some would use the ugly word "Beastiality" to describe this. I am going to be generous and treat Barbarella as Female Sexual Predator who uses Sexploitation to take advantage of a man of different RACE in a Moment of Weakness. Isn't the Women's Movement against Sexploitation of anybody? Sex Scene #3 - The Sex Pill. An attempt to be kinky that mercifully fails. Instead, it is silly. It would be more palatable, however, to the Women's Movement to use the Great Lesbian Tyrant instead of that Stooge of a "Good Guy" Revolutionary. Sex Scene #4 - Death by Orgasm. Duran-Duran puts Barbarella into the Orgasmatron, the Ultimate Sex Toy, to drive her beyond her tolerance level of Pleasure & Shame, and to remove her clothes. Barbarella's Pleasure Tolerance is off-scale, and her sense of shame is non-existant. When the "Killer Orgasm" occurs, the machie overheats & shorts. Allegorically, does this mean that Fonda & Vadim enjoys betraying the Women's Movement so much and with so little Shame that they WANT Women's Lib to Short-Out? What was Vadim thinking here? Any SELF-RESPECTING LIBERATED WIFE would have BOBBITIZED him for that! The Finale, Angel Pygar rescuing TWO LOVELY LUMPS of Femininity, flying off into the Sunset with his GIRLS (Two Girls!) is better than what any Male Chauvinist Pig Dare Dream! OINK! OINK! In view of the Fonda track record, and after this intensive reproductive activity of Barbarella, a Pregnancy is practically eminent. The movie ends before this is known; however , it brings up the issue of how Barbarella would deal with it. In light of Fonda's exercise Video, I expect a betrayal of the Pro-Choice Movement by opting for LaMaze over Abortion. Viewed on a deeper level of the Fonda-Vadim view of Women's Lib, this Shameless T & A Flick gains stature as the Ultimate Betrayal of Women's Liberation, raising it to the level of One of the Greatest Films of All Time!
Rating:
Summary: sexy cult gem
Review: BARBARELLA is one of a few cult films that can be called a "Holy Grail" of cultdom. Jane Fonda's titillating sci-fi adventure is an endless, trippy delight. Barbarella is a futuristic girl from Earth who is called on to retrieve Duran-Duran, a noted scientist, from the evil planet of SoGo. On her perilous (and quite sexy) journey she teams with blind angel Pygar (John Phillip Law), and battles the Black Queen (Anita Pallenberg) along with various sexual torture devices. The film is hilarious, from the Black Queen's catch-cry of "pretty pretty pretty" to the hoard of evil children with what look like rabid Cabbage Patch dolls. Barbarella's anti-gravity striptease during the opening credits is a hoot, too. BARBARELLA was directed by Roger Vadim (then the husband of Jane Fonda), and is full of vintage 60's retro influence. The DVD also includes the trailer.
Rating:
Summary: sexy cult gem
Review: BARBARELLA is one of a few cult films that can be called a "Holy Grail" of cultdom. Jane Fonda's titillating sci-fi adventure is an endless, trippy delight. Barbarella is a futuristic girl from Earth who is called on to retrieve Duran-Duran, a noted scientist, from the evil planet of SoGo. On her perilous (and quite sexy) journey she teams with blind angel Pygar (John Phillip Law), and battles the Black Queen (Anita Pallenberg) along with various sexual torture devices. The film is hilarious, from the Black Queen's catch-cry of "pretty pretty pretty" to the hoard of evil children with what look like rabid Cabbage Patch dolls. Barbarella's anti-gravity striptease during the opening credits is a hoot, too. BARBARELLA was directed by Roger Vadim (then the husband of Jane Fonda), and is full of vintage 60's retro influence. The DVD also includes the trailer.
Rating:
Summary: A classic romp through space.
Review: Barbarella, the beautiful space faring adventurous has been asked to venture to a distant planet in the backwoods of the universe to find, Duran-Duran, a scientist who is threatening the ancient peace.
In this spoofy superhero classic part of the appeal are the special effects and the way Barbarella seems to loose her clothing at the drop of the hat. From the free fall strip tease to the birds and dolls eating away her clothing, and her penchant for giving sex as payment for help... It truly is a product of the 70's. From the very beginning where we learn that the only weapons in existence are in a museum, to the little pill they use for sexual encounters, and the excessive machine... it really is an interesting ride.
I do think the PG rating is low. It should be at least PG-13 because there are a lot of sexual situations, and Barbarella does loose her clothing a fair number of times (though she does manage to keep her nipples concealed, even when stark naked). I did let my children watch it and the only part they wondered about was the excessive machine... A hard one to explain.
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