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Kanashimi no Beradonna

  • 1973
  • Unrated
  • 1h 26m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
7.5K
YOUR RATING
Kanashimi no Beradonna (1973)
Trailer for Belladonna of Sadness
Play trailer1:32
1 Video
95 Photos
AnimationDramaFantasy

After being raped by an evil feudal lord and subsequently getting banished from her village, a peasant girl makes a pact with the Devil to gain magical powers and take her revenge.After being raped by an evil feudal lord and subsequently getting banished from her village, a peasant girl makes a pact with the Devil to gain magical powers and take her revenge.After being raped by an evil feudal lord and subsequently getting banished from her village, a peasant girl makes a pact with the Devil to gain magical powers and take her revenge.

  • Director
    • Eiichi Yamamoto
  • Writers
    • Jules Michelet
    • Yoshiyuki Fukuda
    • Eiichi Yamamoto
  • Stars
    • Aiko Nagayama
    • Chinatsu Nakayama
    • Masaya Takahashi
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    7.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Eiichi Yamamoto
    • Writers
      • Jules Michelet
      • Yoshiyuki Fukuda
      • Eiichi Yamamoto
    • Stars
      • Aiko Nagayama
      • Chinatsu Nakayama
      • Masaya Takahashi
    • 34User reviews
    • 85Critic reviews
    • 70Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Belladonna of Sadness
    Trailer 1:32
    Watch Belladonna of Sadness

    Photos95

    Natsuka Yashiro in Kanashimi no Beradonna (1973)
    Kanashimi no Beradonna (1973)
    Kanashimi no Beradonna (1973)
    Kanashimi no Beradonna (1973)
    Kanashimi no Beradonna (1973)
    Kanashimi no Beradonna (1973)
    Kanashimi no Beradonna (1973)
    Kanashimi no Beradonna (1973)
    Kanashimi no Beradonna (1973)
    Kanashimi no Beradonna (1973)
    Kanashimi no Beradonna (1973)
    Kanashimi no Beradonna (1973)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Aiko Nagayama
    • Jeanne
    • (voice)
    • …
    Chinatsu Nakayama
    • Narrator
    • (voice)
    Masaya Takahashi
    • The Lord
    • (voice)
    Masakane Yonekura
    Masakane Yonekura
    • The Priest
    • (voice)
    Katsuyuki Itô
    • Jean
    • (voice)
    • (as Katsutaka Ito)
    Shigako Shimegi
    Shigako Shimegi
    • The Lord's Mistress
    • (voice)
    Masaaki Tsukada
    • Walla
    • (voice)
    Hatsuo Yamaya
    Hatsuo Yamaya
    • Walla
    • (voice)
    Reiko Niimura
    • Walla
    • (voice)
    Akio Hayashi
    • Walla
    • (voice)
    Masakazu Yamaguchi
    • Walla
    • (voice)
    Yozo Isozaki
    • Walla
    • (voice)
    Masashi Ishibashi
    • Walla
    • (voice)
    Orio Yoshiro
    • Walla
    • (voice)
    Machiko Ito
    • Walla
    • (voice)
    Hitoshi Gôko
    • Walla
    • (voice)
    Kikuchi Kenyukai
    • Walla
    • (voice)
    Tatsuya Nakadai
    Tatsuya Nakadai
    • Devil
    • (voice)
    • Director
      • Eiichi Yamamoto
    • Writers
      • Jules Michelet
      • Yoshiyuki Fukuda
      • Eiichi Yamamoto
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The last film produced by Mushi Production. They went bankrupt shortly after its release.
    • Goofs
      The end of the film references the French Revolution of 1789, but then an image is shown of Eugène Delacroix's famous painting "Liberty Leading the People." That painting - "Liberty Leading the People" - depicts the July Revolution of 1830, not the French Revolution of 1789.
    • Quotes

      The Priest: Crafty wench... She succeded where the black death failed in penetrating the sanctum of the castle. Lord we must act at once!

      The Lord: Call that man!

    • Crazy credits
      There are no ending credits or a 'THE END' title; all the credits are at the beginning. The opening theme is reprized over a blank screen after the final scene. The 2015 restoration adds a copyright byline and credits for the restoration.
    • Alternate versions
      According to the liner notes booklet contained with the Japanese DVD of the film, there are six known versions of the film.
      • The first was a draft version that was hastily created to meet a deadline that the film had to be shown to the distributor, Nippon Herald, for their perusal by August 1972. This version, which contains temporary placeholder shots made by a team separate from the main crew, has never been shown to the public.
      • The second version was completed by the end of 1972, and premiered at the 1973 Berlin International Film Festival. Aside from the placeholder shots of the first version being replaced with material created by the main team, the scene in which Jeanne makes her pact with the Devil was immediately followed by a 5-minute live-action montage shot by Daido Moriyama depicting sexual acts performed in parks and red light establishments. This version also ends with the Devil laughing in the crowd after Jeanne's execution. Because this ending was poorly-received at the Festival, Eiichi Yamamoto decided to alter it in later versions.
      • The third version was used early on during the film's Japanese theatrical release. It omitted Moriyama's live-action montage, but still retained the Devil's laughter at Jeanne's death.
      • The fourth version, created partway through the Japanese theatrical run, removed the Devil's laughter, and featured an instrumental version of the film's theme song over the ending. An edited presentation of this version was used for some TV broadcasts.
      • The fifth version was edited for an attempted 1979 re-release. In an effort to appeal to female college students, Yamamoto cut 8 minutes' worth of material from the original camera negative, removing most of the film's scenes of sexual violence. This version also made alterations to the film's ending: a newly-animated shot of female bystanders at Jeanne's execution, whose faces morph into Jeanne's visage, was added, as well as a final montage of title cards describing the role of women in the 1789 French Revolution, with the film's final shot being of Eugène Delacroix's painting "Liberty Leading the People". Some revisions were also made to the film's opening credits roll. This version was released on VHS by Pony Canyon in the early 1980s.
      • The sixth version was created in 1986 for the film's VHS re-release and first release on LaserDisc. Although otherwise based on the 1979 re-release, it reinstates all of the sexual content omitted from that version. This is the version that has remained in circulation since, and was restored in 4K for its 2016 re-release.
    • Connections
      Follows Sen'ya ichiya monogatari (1969)
    • Soundtracks
      Inside the Pale Mirror
      Lyrics by Chinatsu Nakayama

      Music by Masahiko Satô

      Performed by Chinatsu Nakayama

    User reviews34

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Belladonna of Sadness was the product of an animation studio that knew it was doomed.
    "It becomes apparent early on when viewing Belladonna of Sadness that this film is quite unique. Certainly the first, and possibly the only animated film that might be classified in the pinku genre. But even though the film is supposedly animated, nothing seems to be moving at first. You instead see a series of elegantly designed still drawings depicting a harmonious wedding between a peasant couple in 14th century France, as a woman sings her narration in the soulful style of a 70s rock opera. This is the film's only joyous scene, as moments later the new groom is pleading with the local land baron to reduce the marriage tax he can't afford. The baron instead decides to exercise his "droit de seigneur" with the bride. It is here, several minutes into the film, that full animation is finally used, in order to depict the rape of the virgin bride with metaphorical imagery much more disturbing than what a literal depiction of the same events could provide. A sign of things to come, as this is only the first in a series of tragic events that push this woman, through desperation, into the world of witchcraft." ...
    helpful•64
    8
    • iuasdhfu9
    • Feb 18, 2008

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    FAQ16

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 30, 1973 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Belladonna of Sadness
    • Production companies
      • Mushi Productions
      • Nippon Herald Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Gross US & Canada
      • $105,841
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 26 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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