MovieChat Forums > Giulietta degli spiriti (1965) Discussion > Magical Realism is alive and well in thi...

Magical Realism is alive and well in this film...

posted 18 years ago by JimLoneWolf
5 replies | jump to latest

...I was left with mouth agape for the entire final hour of this stunning masterpiece. Now I'm going to attempt to decode the many strange figures and apparitions throughout the film (like the man in red emerging from the water with the rope).

I think in many ways this is a film about self-punishment and voluntary martyrdom in the face of temptation (among many other things). Does anyone else see this?

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[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Kinematico 16 years ago

There, there, don't try to decode everything unless u have the right weapons (You know what I mean).

Part of the magic of this film relies on its absurdity that IMO shouldn't be rationalized but accepted for what it is and enjoyed it.

You know is like trying to found deep reasons on why people can't leave the room when nothing avoids them to do it in Buñuel's film "El ángel exterminador" (The Exterminating Angel). Or what is the rational meaning of many of the "psychedelic" sequences in Jodorowsky's films.

Some things are not meant to have a rational answer just like dreams and hallucinations, that aren't rational but surrealistic or/and absurd.

Anyway that's only my opinion.

Cheerios!

[–] moiestatz 14 years ago

Oh my gosh! Martyrdom! Totally! Laura was extreme Catholic martyrdom and represents Giulietta's Catholic thou-shalt-not-commit-adultery-conscience (and I can somewhat relate because I was a Catholic schoolboy). Laura kills herself because she wants to know if God reciprocates her love. I'm still unresolved if she should be seen as crazy or a saint. Maybe both. Translate this Catholic martyrdom into the martyrdom of a loving, caring, attentive wife with a womanizing husband. In my country (Philippines), those women are certainly labelled as "martyrs."

[–] Tchoutoye 14 years ago

Not so much Magic Realism, as outright Surrealism.

@Kinematico
Actually there is deep meaning behind why people can't leave the room in The Exterminating Angel. Even though Bunuel always denied his films having symbolic meaning, we should trust the tale and not the teller. Sometimes a phallic symbol is just a phallic symbol.

[–] TheAnimalMother 14 years ago

Sure it is. I see this film as basically the entire struggle of the human soul, seeking the liberation of the self. We do only punish ourselves essentially, so yes, I definitely see that aspect you mention. This film to me can basically be summed up as Fellini meets Jung, meets Buddha, in my view. The film is definitely about liberating the self, no doubt about that.

My body's a cage, it's been used and abused...and I...LIKE IT!!