I honestly do not know what to make of Barbarella. 

I only have vague memories of having seen it once on TV and I recall it was very campy, silly and not particularly funny. Yet it has a status now as something of an influential cult classic, so maybe I was just too young to appreciate it.

French director Roger Vadim’s cast his then-wife Jane Fonda in the title role of his 1968 sci-fi romp (based on a comic strip). Fonda was not his first choice, but both Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren turned him down. She later disowned the movie for its political incorrectness, and for the fact that she allowed Vadim to reinvent and exploit her as a sex siren. 

Barbarella does not have much of a plot that makes any sense, but what is does have is some hugely influential fashion and stylistic set-pieces. The movie’s legacy includes numerous references in pop videos (notably Kylie’s recreation of the opening striptease sequence).  In fashion, Jean-Paul Gaultier freely noted that his designs for The Fifth Element were directly inspired by Barbarella. Plus, of course, the band Duran Duran took their name from the movie’s villain! 

The movie was re-released in 1977 to try cash in on the success of Star Wars. This US one-sheet poster dates from that release, for which the title was changed to Barbarella: Queen Of The Galaxy. This poster is generally thought to be better than the more pop-art style poster for the original release. The promotional photo above of Jane in sexy/exploitative (take your pick) costume and pose is one I sold recently.

I also have recently picked up the above very rare fold-out French press kit. This would be from the original 1968 release for “le premier film d’eros-fiction.” This is for sale here.