In the distant future, space adventurer Barbarella receives an assignment from Earth's president to track down the scientist Durand Durand, whose invention could destroy humanity. Her journey takes her to strange worlds and peculiar encounters, half adventure and half farce, as she moves toward the city of Sogo. Its lively tone and exuberant design blend space opera with a satire of the manners and sexual customs of its era.

How it was made

Producer Dino De Laurentiis bought the rights to Jean-Claude Forest's comic and hired Roger Vadim to direct, a choice driven by Vadim's interest in the exaggerated humor of comic strips. Vadim screen-tested several actresses before choosing Jane Fonda, his wife at the time. Terry Southern wrote the first draft, but the script changed considerably during filming and was eventually credited to several writers. The shoot followed directly after Danger: Diabolik, another De Laurentiis comic adaptation that shared some of its cast and crew. Claude Renoir's photography and the retrofuturist design, including Fonda's costumes, define its look.

Reception and legacy

The film was a major hit in the United Kingdom, where it was the second-highest-grossing picture of the year. Contemporary critics praised its visuals and cinematography but felt the story lost momentum after the opening scenes. Over time it has become a cult favourite, valued for its camp sensibility and 1960s retrofuturist style, and it remains a reference point for later science fiction. Sequels and remakes have been planned, but none has reached production.