The Cult Classic Behind A Musical Name

The iconic pop band Duran Duran took their name from a villain in the 1968 film Barbarella. In the movie, the scientist Dr. Durand Durand invents a weapon capable of destroying all of humanity.

This psychedelic space adventure featured Jane Fonda and became a touchstone for science fiction camp. While the film is visually eccentric, its legacy lived on far beyond the cinema through the name choice of the famous British band. It is a rare case where a fictional mad scientist inspired the branding of a global music phenomenon. The film remains a colorful relic of late 1960s pop culture aesthetics.