Barbarella is not much more then an excuse for Jane Fonda to prance about in very shiny outfits, that the writers still manage to incorporate her losing in some strange plot turn (torture by sexual pleasure? 'Making love' to an unbelievably hairy furrier? ) And then include yet another fantastically skimpy costume change. The sets are an acid trip, and the music is what no-one wants to remember about the 60's, but really that is what is so fabulous about it. Her pink spaceship's walls are gloriously covered in orange-brown shag pile carpet and a mural of 'A sunday afternoon on the island of La Grande Jette'. And the erotica! The opening scene of Barbarella teasingly stripping her astronaut costume is still just as sexy now.
The dialogue and witty one-liners are a riot. While standing naked talking to the President of Earth on videophone, she casually asks for a minute to slip something on. To which the reply is "Don't trouble yourself. This is an affair of state!" Barbarella also has one of the best death by freaky zombie nutcracker doll scenes ever. Well possibly the only one, ever.
The story line is simple, with the help of the blind angel Pygar (and many other ahem, characters she meets on the way) Barbarella has to defeat the evil Durand-Durand and save the galaxy. While exploring her sexual awakening as much as possible. And don't forget the obligatory lying down shot of Barbarella writhing her legs and batting her lashes in almost every scene.
The entire film is total candy and Fonda is a stone fox.
It's the ultimate camp classic. And very pretty pretty.
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