Greta Gerwig reveals the list of 32 films that inspired Barbie

With many films from the golden age of Hollywood, but also some classics from the history of French cinema…

While Barbie is about to be released this Wednesday in French cinemas, the promotion continues to be in full swing, despite the call for a strike issued by the Union of American Actors and Actresses (SAG-AFTRA) last week.

The actors’ strike brings Hollywood to a standstill!

If the director Greta Gerwig has spoken many times about the film and its conception, however she has mentioned very little about the inspirations of this Barbie full-scale. Looking at the trailer, it’s hard not to see something close to the Truman Show by Peter Weir, with its deliberately superficial dollhouses and this supposed escape to the outside world. It is therefore no coincidence that this film is part of the list of cinematographic works that have inspired Barbiewhich Greta Gerwig reveals in large part in a video from the social network Letterboxd.

Among the films mentioned are many classics from Hollywood’s golden age, such as The Wizard of Oz by Victor Fleming, with its golden brick path which echoes the pink brick path seen in the various excerpts from Barbiebut also The Red Slippers the Powell-Pressburger duo, for their sparing use of color, or even An American in Paris by Vincente Minnelli, again for his use of color and for his iconic opening scene, in which the morning routine of Gene Kelly’s character is in many ways reminiscent of that of Barbie…

Greta Gerwig also cites more modern inspirations like Pee Wee’s Big Adventure by Tim Burton, The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola, or even Saturday night fever by John Badham, in which John Travolta’s steps are reminiscent of those of Margot Robbie, seen in the trailer dancing to the song “Dance the Night Away” by Dua Lipa.

Several films outside the American setting are also mentioned, including And sail the ship by Federico Fellini, for his use of the “false sea“, but also Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown by Pedro Almodóvar and Wings of Desire by Wim Wenders. Several French films are included in the lot, including two classics by Jacques Demy, The Demoiselles de Rochefort And Umbrellas of Cherbourgin which Catherine Deneuve’s cut would have inspired that of Margot Robbie, but also Lady of… by Max Ophüls, for his long panoramic shots, or even play time by Jacques Tati, in which the director builds a deliberately superficial world, a bit like that of Mattel’s dollhouses.

Waiting Barbiewhich will be released this Wednesday in French cinemas, discover here the entire list of Greta Gerwig.