The Voice of the Moon

The Voice of the Moon

Year: 1990

Runtime: 120 mins

Language: Italian

Director: Federico Fellini

FantasyAdventureComedy

Recently released from a mental asylum, Ivo Salvini teams up with former prefect Gonnella, an unlikely pair who roam the Italian countryside. As they travel they encounter a bizarre, media‑saturated dystopia filled with endless television commercials, beauty pageants, loud rock music, fervent Catholic rites and eclectic pagan rituals.

The Voice of the Moon (1990) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at The Voice of the Moon (1990) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In a sun‑splashed Italian countryside that feels equal parts postcard and television set, the world of The Voice of the Moon swirls with relentless commercials, booming rock anthems, solemn Catholic processions and wild pagan rites. The landscape itself seems to pulse to a constant broadcast, turning everyday villages into stages for absurd spectacles. Amid this kaleidoscopic backdrop, a sense of both wonder and weariness hangs in the air, as if the very horizon is humming a lullaby that is both playful and melancholy.

Fresh from the confines of a mental asylum, Ivo Salvini steps back into society with a restless curiosity and an almost devotional longing for the moon’s elusive glow. His path quickly entwines with that of Gonnella, a former prefect whose career was derailed by a growing paranoia that now fuels a bizarre partnership. Together they drift from town to town, their oddball alliance a parody of authority and ambition, while they encounter an array of eccentric figures—an oboist’s silent wife, rooftop meditatists, and other dream‑like personalities that flicker in and out of the scene like fleeting radio frequencies.

A central thread in their wandering is Aldina Ferruzzi, a woman who embodies the lunar light Ivo reveres, sparking an intense but unreciprocated infatuation that colors his every move. Their journey also brushes against the enigmatic presence of the Micheluzzi brothers, whose larger‑than‑life aspirations hint at a world where the ordinary is constantly reshaped by the extraordinary. The film balances razor‑sharp satire with a tender sadness, inviting viewers to linger in its surreal carnival, listening for the quiet moments that linger beneath the clamor of a society that never quite knows how to turn the volume down.

Last Updated: December 03, 2025 at 23:41

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Surreal journey movies like The Voice of the Moon

Eccentric characters wander through a society that has lost its meaning.If you liked the wandering, philosophically charged road trip in The Voice of the Moon, explore these movies where eccentric characters traverse strange, broken worlds. These films share a sense of surreal adventure, media or political satire, and a melancholic search for meaning amidst societal absurdity.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread are typically episodic, structured around a series of encounters rather than a tight plot. The protagonist, often an outsider or someone deemed 'mad,' acts as a lens through which the absurdity of the world is revealed. The journey is internal as much as external, leading to ambiguous revelations about society and the self.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are grouped by their shared structure of a picaresque journey through a surreal setting, their blend of satire and melancholy, and their focus on characters who are observers of a world gone mad. They create a distinct feeling of being unmoored in a carnivalesque reality.

Movies with melancholy beneath the chaos like The Voice of the Moon

Whimsical and chaotic surfaces hide a deep, quiet yearning.Find films similar to The Voice of the Moon that masterfully blend whimsical satire with a deep undercurrent of melancholy. If you enjoyed the contrast between chaotic pageants, loud music, and the protagonist's quiet longing, these movies explore the sadness that often hides behind a colorful, carnivalesque mask.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread often feature protagonists who are participants in, or observers of, frenetic social rituals (carnivals, parties, media events) but remain emotionally detached. The narrative tension comes from the gap between the external chaos and the internal stillness or sorrow of the characters, leading to endings that are reflective and often unresolved.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by their unique tonal blend, using satire and whimsy not just for comedy but to amplify a sense of disillusionment and existential longing. The shared experience is one of bittersweet observation, where the most vibrant scenes evoke the deepest sense of loneliness.

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The Voice of the Moon Summary

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The Voice of the Moon Summary

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The Voice of the Moon Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in The Voice of the Moon

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Voice of the Moon

More About The Voice of the Moon

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