The occult is a very recurrent and powerful element in Federico Fellini’s imaginary. The depressive mental state that haunted the director since the mid-1950s—which merged with his fascination for esoteric practices such as ESP, spiritualism, seances, astrology, cartomancy, and so forth—is worth exploring as a subversive device that supplements Fellini’s ongoing mockery of the norms and conventions imposed by society and the church found in two of his significant films.
In Juliet of the Spirits (1965), Fellini’s first color feature film [if we exclude The Temptations Of Dr. Antonio (1961)], the director displays his interest in the irrational and dream-like state by leaning on the supernatural as a means of liberation and redemption—specifically in the case of Juliet's emancipation. In this tribute to transcendentalism and the importance of individuality, the lead character embarks on a semi-infinite spectrum of emotions in order to gain her sought after freedom.
Juliet (Giulietta Masina) initially comes off as a kind middle-aged housewife, who despite her efforts is nearly invisible to her cheating husband and glamorous relatives. However, it does not take long for the audience to discover that she is trying to escape from a world of repressive, outdated religious values, and fictitious romantic feelings.
Late at night, during a seance, Juliet is approached by Iris, an ambiguous spirit who guides her through her newly embraced emancipation. With the support of her group of heterogeneous New Age friends, as well as the carefree Suzy (Sandra Milo), Juliet finally gets to experience what was forbidden by her suffocating and traumatic Catholic childhood environment and current marriage.
Through an unquantifiable aesthetic experience, the director shows that Juliet's liberation is made possible by her new attraction to the spirit world. For Fellini, the concept of the supernatural is not solely based on paranormal events but also an ancestral element dwelling in the unconscious that enables the protagonist to find the strength to set herself free and embrace her own personality. Without her husband, Juliet finally becomes her true self.
The Freudian concept of the "Uncanny," something that has been previously repressed and suddenly reemerges, plays a big role in this dynamic. Dwelling in the realm of the dark and eerie, the ‘Uncanny’ is ancestrally connected to something familiar which resides deep down inside one's unconscious, a dormant element that emerges from terrifying disguises, such as Juliet’s childhood flashbacks triggered by Iris.
The presence of the occult is traceable in "Toby Dammit," a segment of the omnibus Spirits of the Dead (1968) loosely inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s short story "Never Bet The Devil Your Head" (1841) in which a decadent young English actor is followed by a devilish figure that only he can see.
A cynical consumed alcoholic, Toby's (Terence Stamp) success swiftly leads him to self-destruction. He does not refrain from sharing personal childhood memories of abuse when discussing his upbringing, and he reveals took a role in the first ‘Catholic western’ ever made because he was promised a Ferrari. Fellini portrays him as a caricature of the stereotypical, narcissistic actor.
During an interview, Toby says ‘I don’t believe in God but I believe in the Devil’, another subtle directorial choice that subverts the majestic relevance of Catholicism. The use of an angelic-looking girl for the role of the Devil is one of Fellini’s many subversive statements against the church and the absolutism of their self-righteous doctrines. Contextually, the Devil is a supportive figure, a friend that helps Toby fully understand his desire to end his life.
After escaping the suffocatingly hedonistic realm of the film business, the artist finds himself lost in a village full of cut-outs, a director's commentary on the ‘reality’ fed to Toby. While having an existential crisis, he catches the last glimpse of his demonic friend and gets lured to his death, which he fully embraces.
Toby knew deep down that making a bet with the devil would turn out to be fatal (the 'Uncanny'), but he does it anyway because it will set him free from a useless terrestrial life.
The directorial choice of the suffix ‘Dammit’ (damned) gives the audience a hint of Toby’s cursed faith. That would explain the enigmatic initial scene when the fortune teller is about to read the actor’s hand but changes her mind with fear in her eyes, likely foreseeing that the man is, in fact, doomed.