Belladonna of Sadness

Belladonna of Sadness (Kanashimi No Beradonna) (1973)

Runtime: 93 minutes

Directed by: Eiichi Yamamoto

Starring: This is another animated film, this time from Japan

From: Mushi; yes, that's what that animated studio was called

What a double bill this was late Saturday night on TCM Underground. As odd as Fantastic Planet was, this was all the more odder. Wait until you read the details below: 

I was able to see this movie late Saturday night courtesy of TCM Underground; I heard all about it since it was remastered last year but this was finally the opportunity for me to check it out; wow, what a film it was. I certainly wasn't expecting something so erotic and sensual... not to mention full of phallic imagery, or all the genitalia-related imagery in general.

This animated movie (where the images usually look like watercolor paintings; at times it seems like 255 million colors are being used at the same time) details how a town in olden times was ruled by a despot king who was an awful human being. It follows a young couple, where the woman has something very heinous happen to hear and in a moment of weakness, the Devil arrives. He agrees to help her, but of course there's a price to be paid...

What a wild psychedelic freak-out of a movie this is. All those crazy images, bright flashing colors, to the jazz-rock soundtrack that veers into prog rock at times (this was done by Masahiko Sato), it's definitely better seen than described. There are several long bits where it's just the soundtrack and outrageous visuals. I won't spoil the ending but you do find out why the setting appears to be a few hundred years ago. It really comes out of nowhere, unless I don't know much about that real life setting and witchcraft/selling your soul to Satan was a part of that uprising...

No matter, this is a rather unorthodox look at a woman being empowered; I wouldn't be surprised if some women don't enjoy the female lead here, for a variety of reasons. Me, I dug this weird, surreal provocative journey, a product of its time, both good and bad.