"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." ...
36 Reviews
A dissenting view-- beautiful but thematically vapid and borderline exploitative
MissSimonetta25 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The visuals are so stunning and creative that I want to be like everyone else and proclaim BELLADONNA OF SADNESS is some feminist masterpiece. However, the more I contemplate the story, the more I have to conclude that this is an exploitation film with only the shallowest pretensions to any social commentary.
Jeanne is constantly used by men and defined by her relationship to men, either as a victim, temptress, or savior. I know I'm supposed to view her pact with Satan as potentially liberating (people have pointed out that Satan claims he "is" Jeanne, suggesting he represents repressed desires or whatnot), but considering how Satan (literally depicted as a cartoony phallus) has to coerce a mostly unwilling Jeanne into sex repeatedly, it's hard to find much that's positive in that. It's just another relationship in which Jeanne is being used by a powerful male entity, only this time she'll get magic in exchange.
In general, the movie revels in Jeanne's nakedness to the point where she feels more like an object than a character. The first rape scene at the very least focused on the psychological effects of being violated-- it was brutal but not exploitative, evoking the character's emotional and physical agony rather than merely oogling a naked woman. I can't say the same for subsequent scenes which just luxuriate in Jean being stripped, groped, assaulted, or stimulated against her will. To call it gratuitous would be an understatement.
Jeanne is presented as a messianic figure (she even dies on a cross), but I have no clue if I'm meant to see her as a righteous figure or as something more morally ambiguous. Yes, she hands out medicine to counteract the Black Plague and gives that one impoverished couple herbal contraception so they can enjoy sex without adding more mouths to feed-- she also gives one of the male courtiers drugs to use on his high-status mistress so he can incapacitate and rape her. I have no idea what the movie thinks of this scene-- has Jeanne done something evil or are we supposed to see this as "revenge" for the mistress' earlier complicity in Jeanne being raped by the lord? Is it supposed to make us question Jeanne's motives? Or is it another excuse to show a tormented, topless woman writhing in time to psychedelic jazz for five minutes?
So yeah, I don't see this as terribly feminist. If anything, BELLADONNA is a generic 1960s/1970s "fight the power" message picture in which the elites abuse the peasants, impose sexual/moral/religious rules on them that the elites themselves do not have to abide by, and then punish the revolutionary ringleader without realizing her martyrdom will only inspire others to keep the good fight going. However, once again, the movie is more interested in extended orgies or having the camera leer at Jeanne than engaging those political ideas in a deeper way. It's all so shallow, with about as much depth as the plot in a porno, like the creative team was more interested in provoking people with images of stoned people copulating with dogs than presenting any coherent ideas about politics, sexuality, or gender.
I wanted to think this was some great masterpiece. It's certainly a unique experience aesthetically and I'll definitely revisit the soundtrack, but the movie itself is a thematic mess at best.
Jeanne is constantly used by men and defined by her relationship to men, either as a victim, temptress, or savior. I know I'm supposed to view her pact with Satan as potentially liberating (people have pointed out that Satan claims he "is" Jeanne, suggesting he represents repressed desires or whatnot), but considering how Satan (literally depicted as a cartoony phallus) has to coerce a mostly unwilling Jeanne into sex repeatedly, it's hard to find much that's positive in that. It's just another relationship in which Jeanne is being used by a powerful male entity, only this time she'll get magic in exchange.
In general, the movie revels in Jeanne's nakedness to the point where she feels more like an object than a character. The first rape scene at the very least focused on the psychological effects of being violated-- it was brutal but not exploitative, evoking the character's emotional and physical agony rather than merely oogling a naked woman. I can't say the same for subsequent scenes which just luxuriate in Jean being stripped, groped, assaulted, or stimulated against her will. To call it gratuitous would be an understatement.
Jeanne is presented as a messianic figure (she even dies on a cross), but I have no clue if I'm meant to see her as a righteous figure or as something more morally ambiguous. Yes, she hands out medicine to counteract the Black Plague and gives that one impoverished couple herbal contraception so they can enjoy sex without adding more mouths to feed-- she also gives one of the male courtiers drugs to use on his high-status mistress so he can incapacitate and rape her. I have no idea what the movie thinks of this scene-- has Jeanne done something evil or are we supposed to see this as "revenge" for the mistress' earlier complicity in Jeanne being raped by the lord? Is it supposed to make us question Jeanne's motives? Or is it another excuse to show a tormented, topless woman writhing in time to psychedelic jazz for five minutes?
So yeah, I don't see this as terribly feminist. If anything, BELLADONNA is a generic 1960s/1970s "fight the power" message picture in which the elites abuse the peasants, impose sexual/moral/religious rules on them that the elites themselves do not have to abide by, and then punish the revolutionary ringleader without realizing her martyrdom will only inspire others to keep the good fight going. However, once again, the movie is more interested in extended orgies or having the camera leer at Jeanne than engaging those political ideas in a deeper way. It's all so shallow, with about as much depth as the plot in a porno, like the creative team was more interested in provoking people with images of stoned people copulating with dogs than presenting any coherent ideas about politics, sexuality, or gender.
I wanted to think this was some great masterpiece. It's certainly a unique experience aesthetically and I'll definitely revisit the soundtrack, but the movie itself is a thematic mess at best.
Impressive work of art
Mike_Olson21 March 2017
Impressive work of art. The back cover of the Blu-ray states that this is the last film in the Animerama trilogy. In doing a little research I found that Animerama is defined as "...a series of thematically- related adult anime feature films originally conceived and initiated by Osamu Tezuka..." This third film was co-written and directed by Eiichi Yamamoto inspired by the book SATANISM AND WITCHCRAFT by Jules Michelet.
The animation is fairly basic. It's largely comprised of long paintings, done in watercolor. The effect reminds me of certain Japanese scrolls where, as they unwind, the story is told. In the case of this film, however, the camera slowly moves right to left along the painting, occasionally zooming in. There is also other limited use of cell animation where the camera is shooting each of the different cells and they are presented in sequence on film to show progression/movement...at a lower slower frame rate than, say, the average Disney cell animation. As mentioned, it's all fairly basic and yet still works well in combination with the other elements. Which are:
Narration, requiring reading of subtitles for those not fluent in Japanese.
And a great sound/music score that I wouldn't mind having on CD. It ranges from trippy to hauntingly beautiful with a few actual songs that are quite nice. And other chaotic or horrific or beautiful sounds and music. All complementing the imagery in a way that is very important to this type of animated film.
Who would I recommend this to. It deals with some pretty strong subject matter, not the least of which is rape. Horror fans may appreciate some of the darker aspects of the film. But beyond that: Do you appreciate art? Do you appreciate Japanese culture/history? Are you open to alternative forms of storytelling? If you answer yes to all then you will probably like this film. I thought it was one of those rare treats that I likely will revisit. I'm also now curious about the other two films in the Animerama trilogy.
The animation is fairly basic. It's largely comprised of long paintings, done in watercolor. The effect reminds me of certain Japanese scrolls where, as they unwind, the story is told. In the case of this film, however, the camera slowly moves right to left along the painting, occasionally zooming in. There is also other limited use of cell animation where the camera is shooting each of the different cells and they are presented in sequence on film to show progression/movement...at a lower slower frame rate than, say, the average Disney cell animation. As mentioned, it's all fairly basic and yet still works well in combination with the other elements. Which are:
Narration, requiring reading of subtitles for those not fluent in Japanese.
And a great sound/music score that I wouldn't mind having on CD. It ranges from trippy to hauntingly beautiful with a few actual songs that are quite nice. And other chaotic or horrific or beautiful sounds and music. All complementing the imagery in a way that is very important to this type of animated film.
Who would I recommend this to. It deals with some pretty strong subject matter, not the least of which is rape. Horror fans may appreciate some of the darker aspects of the film. But beyond that: Do you appreciate art? Do you appreciate Japanese culture/history? Are you open to alternative forms of storytelling? If you answer yes to all then you will probably like this film. I thought it was one of those rare treats that I likely will revisit. I'm also now curious about the other two films in the Animerama trilogy.
splendid visuals, anticipating Miyazaki. Disney it ain't!
leerssen27 April 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Loosely based on the nineteenth-century classic "The Witch" by historian Jules Michelet, "Belladonna" tells the story of a young "everywoman" in a brutally repressive and exploitative feudal society; in her powerlessness she is gradually driven to ancient superstitions and satanic practices, and then accused, tortured and executed for witchcraft. This storyline provides for a pageantry of sado-erotic scenes. "Belladonna" hovers uncomfortably on the edge of pornography but the film is saved, and viewer bewitched, by the incredible wealth of imaginative visual flourishes. Yamamoto's style in this medieval story hovers between classical Japanese landscape painting and twentieth-century underground comics (western style and manga), conjuring up, with accomplished technique, his dark fantasies. Think of Disney's Fantasia, but with more visual variation of style, and dedicated to the themes of lust and cruelty. "Belladonna" is a very early masterpiece of Japanese anime, anticipating Miyazaki by more than two decades.
Visually and aurally incredible piece of cinematic art
Red-Barracuda26 June 2016
Wow. Sometimes something comes along that really genuinely blows me away and the viewing of this movie is one such very rare occasion. It's a film that was released in 1973 in an era when the adult cartoon was a new concept, typified by the likes of Fritz the Cat (1972), but Belladonna of Sadness by contrast attracted mainly negative criticism and it then seemed to more or less fall off the radar for many, many years. Having just seen it I can only say that this is a criminal state of affairs and that it is pretty seriously unfortunate, to say the least, that something so overwhelmingly artistically beautiful was disregarded and cast aside. The amount of artistic imagination and creativity on display here is pretty monumental.
Its regarded as a very early example of Japanese anime but it's like no other anime I have ever seen. While it definitely does have some material that would go on to be associated with the manga branch of Japanese anime, it is executed in a somewhat experimental manner. This is quite honestly more of an art film than an actual story. Many folks seem to have taken all manner of things away from this one in terms of its content, such as a feminist message and such. And while I agree that this is there, the sheer beauty of the artistry is so overwhelming that the contents of the story were completely overshadowed by the visceral sensory experience of watching this one. Despite its Japanese origins this one is set in the Middle Ages in Europe and it begins with a wedding of a young couple. The groom cannot pay the marriage tax so the baron exercises his 'rights' and rapes the bride. This trauma deeply affects the young couple and the woman turns to witchcraft.
Some may be taken aback by certain aspects of this one. Firstly, despite being an animated work, much of the story is told by still paintings and drawings. There are many elaborately detailed tableaux which the camera pans across and in so doing expands upon the narrative. There are many still pieces of art of varying styles, such as landscape watercolours, comic-book style figures and surrealism. These visual ideas are interwoven with early 70's styles such as psychedelia and transgressive underground comics. There are animated sections too, which make even more impact because they only appear every so often. There seems to be a general split where the narrative is depicted using stills and the inner working of the protagonists mind are animated. Consequently, this leads to the extended animated sequences being more dreamlike and surreal in nature. Accentuating all of this is an excellent soundtrack which works fantastically well with the imagery on screen. It's quite an eclectic score which features what could best be described as Japanese folk-pop and some out-and-out prog-rock.
As I said before, this isn't a film for everybody. Aside from its experimental approach, some may find the sexual content difficult. There are many examples of sexual imagery, although I wouldn't say it's exactly in erotic territory on account of its highly stylised presentation but also due to the disturbing nature of much of it. But despite the dark undercurrents to the material this is a film of enormous visual and aural beauty. In my personal opinion this has to go down as a stonewall classic and a great example of what the animated movie format is capable of.
Its regarded as a very early example of Japanese anime but it's like no other anime I have ever seen. While it definitely does have some material that would go on to be associated with the manga branch of Japanese anime, it is executed in a somewhat experimental manner. This is quite honestly more of an art film than an actual story. Many folks seem to have taken all manner of things away from this one in terms of its content, such as a feminist message and such. And while I agree that this is there, the sheer beauty of the artistry is so overwhelming that the contents of the story were completely overshadowed by the visceral sensory experience of watching this one. Despite its Japanese origins this one is set in the Middle Ages in Europe and it begins with a wedding of a young couple. The groom cannot pay the marriage tax so the baron exercises his 'rights' and rapes the bride. This trauma deeply affects the young couple and the woman turns to witchcraft.
Some may be taken aback by certain aspects of this one. Firstly, despite being an animated work, much of the story is told by still paintings and drawings. There are many elaborately detailed tableaux which the camera pans across and in so doing expands upon the narrative. There are many still pieces of art of varying styles, such as landscape watercolours, comic-book style figures and surrealism. These visual ideas are interwoven with early 70's styles such as psychedelia and transgressive underground comics. There are animated sections too, which make even more impact because they only appear every so often. There seems to be a general split where the narrative is depicted using stills and the inner working of the protagonists mind are animated. Consequently, this leads to the extended animated sequences being more dreamlike and surreal in nature. Accentuating all of this is an excellent soundtrack which works fantastically well with the imagery on screen. It's quite an eclectic score which features what could best be described as Japanese folk-pop and some out-and-out prog-rock.
As I said before, this isn't a film for everybody. Aside from its experimental approach, some may find the sexual content difficult. There are many examples of sexual imagery, although I wouldn't say it's exactly in erotic territory on account of its highly stylised presentation but also due to the disturbing nature of much of it. But despite the dark undercurrents to the material this is a film of enormous visual and aural beauty. In my personal opinion this has to go down as a stonewall classic and a great example of what the animated movie format is capable of.
Underwhelming, But Unique
DonaldDooD30 November 2014
When I started the film, I was lured in by its bleak narrative and erotic imagery. If it weren't for the language, Belladonna would be unrecognizable as anime, with its realistic proportions, faded colors, sexual themes, and psychedelic imagery/soundtrack. I quickly emphasized with our lead's suffering, and the allure of Satan himself when all joy and hope is dead.
Unfortunately, while the initial premise was fascinating and sensual, Belladonna lacks the depth to make it a masterpiece. There is no real development. There are no likable characters. Jean doesn't ascend from her demons. Her downfall isn't particularly evocative. Its half emotional torture porn, half stoner fuel.
The animation is also kind of bad. Heck, most of the time, you're only given stills. Some shots are beautiful, but others seem very cheap. Others are nonsensical, immature pieces of graffiti that somehow snuck into an art film.
Belladonna seems disjointed between two opposite demographics and isn't good enough for either one. I wish someone could do this story better justice. But it was an interesting movie, especially for its time. Because of a few scenes and overall unique place in animation, I'd recommend it to those who are into more "art house" film. I wouldn't to those who want strong character and narrative.
Unfortunately, while the initial premise was fascinating and sensual, Belladonna lacks the depth to make it a masterpiece. There is no real development. There are no likable characters. Jean doesn't ascend from her demons. Her downfall isn't particularly evocative. Its half emotional torture porn, half stoner fuel.
The animation is also kind of bad. Heck, most of the time, you're only given stills. Some shots are beautiful, but others seem very cheap. Others are nonsensical, immature pieces of graffiti that somehow snuck into an art film.
Belladonna seems disjointed between two opposite demographics and isn't good enough for either one. I wish someone could do this story better justice. But it was an interesting movie, especially for its time. Because of a few scenes and overall unique place in animation, I'd recommend it to those who are into more "art house" film. I wouldn't to those who want strong character and narrative.
A highly underrated and experimental adult art film with a lasting impact.
Bayrock20 March 2016
Background:
Kanashimi no Belladonna, literally translated as 'Belladonna of Sadness' or figuratively as 'The Tragedy of Belladonna' is an avant- garde feature film produced by Mushi Production and directed/co- written by Eiichi Yamamoto in 1973. It was loosely inspired by the 1862 book La Sorcière (Satanism and Witchcraft) by French historian Jules Michelet. It's also the third and final installment in the Animerama trilogy conceived by manga god Osamu Tezuka, but is the only one that was neither written nor directed by him.
This isn't your typical anime by any stretch of the imagination. The rating is listed as Rx, but rest assured it isn't intended to induce erotic pleasure in any way, shape or form. It's a dark and twisted experimental sequence of art and storytelling that should be treated no less.
Story:
Belladonna of Sadness tells the tragedy of the beautiful peasant woman Jeanne who was raped by the land baron of her village on her wedding night after the couple failed to meet marriage taxes. Spurned by her husband, she decided to make a pact with the devil to gain wealth and power, but not without facing certain consequences. Jeanne becomes a suspect of witchcraft, and is subsequently banished from her village by the baron.
However, with the village quickly becoming swallowed by the cusp of the bubonic plague the baron is forced to change his heart. He summons Jeanne back and offers her the rank of highest noble in return for her to rescue them from despair with the mysterious flower she possessed. Regardless, Jeanne's motives were altered by her painful experiences, and she refused to accept such an offer.. which ultimately leads to her fate and the pinnacle of the film.
The final scene ends with an image of Eugène Delacroix's 'La Liberté guidant le people.' The painting features a female personification of liberty itself, leading a mixture of social classes during the French Revolution. In the film Jeanne finds herself in a similar position, and her impact on society can be compared with that of Joan of Arc, Salem witch trials, and several prominent women in history.
This story is depicted rather well throughout the duration of the film and is often told metaphorically with symbolism rather than figuratively with speech. The nature of it is widely subjective, but certainly compelling nonetheless. I believe it's most rewarding with an open mind.
Characters:
The characters aren't a strong aspect of the film. The only truly memorable character is Jeanne, but like the others she lacks any real development. This doesn't hinder the experience in the end, because the characters were never really intended to be a centerfold. They merely exist as a route of administration for the lessons and morals lurking in the shadows of the film.
Jeanne's character in particular appears to represent feminism, and relates to a myriad of prominent women throughout history. Especially when considering her comparison with Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc).
Michelet's book La Sorcier which inspired Belladonna of Sadness arguably depicts the story of Joan of Arc, and portrays her resistance against feudalism and the Catholic Church. The similarities with Jeanne can be seen most in the final scenes of the film.
Art:
The visuals are reminiscent of watercolor paintings and heavily influenced by western art. It often hangs in limbo between realism and surrealism, and surely isn't considered typical. The quality is fair considering it was produced in the 70s. It's also pending the release of a 4k restoration that will greatly enhance the clarity and colors.
Animation:
The animation suffers greatly where the art shines. Many of the scenes are depicted by panning across still paintings rather than being animated. This could be seen as a matter of style or budget, but it definitely could've benefited from consistency. Regardless, I think the animation can be forgiven considering the era it was produced.
Sound:
The music is as funky as the era it came from and varies greatly from the Rock Opera to Psychedelic genre and beyond. It's almost always fitting, and creates indescribable emotions that go hand in hand with the images on screen.
Overall:
A belladonna is a highly toxic flower, which also stands for 'beautiful woman.' In the past, witches were believed to use a mixture of belladonna and other plants in flying ointment, which they applied to help them fly to gatherings with other witches. A theory for the inclusion of belladonna in flying ointments concerns the dream-like waking state it produces.
Much of the scenes in the film are depicted as if the viewer was under the influence of the belladonna flower. Similar to the flower, the film itself can also be interpreted from many different perspectives.
In my eyes Belladonna of Sadness holds significant implications regarding sexuality, feminism, religion, and history. It presents a thought provoking succession of metaphorical imagery far ahead of its time, and I won't ever forget the impact it had on me.
Kanashimi no Belladonna, literally translated as 'Belladonna of Sadness' or figuratively as 'The Tragedy of Belladonna' is an avant- garde feature film produced by Mushi Production and directed/co- written by Eiichi Yamamoto in 1973. It was loosely inspired by the 1862 book La Sorcière (Satanism and Witchcraft) by French historian Jules Michelet. It's also the third and final installment in the Animerama trilogy conceived by manga god Osamu Tezuka, but is the only one that was neither written nor directed by him.
This isn't your typical anime by any stretch of the imagination. The rating is listed as Rx, but rest assured it isn't intended to induce erotic pleasure in any way, shape or form. It's a dark and twisted experimental sequence of art and storytelling that should be treated no less.
Story:
Belladonna of Sadness tells the tragedy of the beautiful peasant woman Jeanne who was raped by the land baron of her village on her wedding night after the couple failed to meet marriage taxes. Spurned by her husband, she decided to make a pact with the devil to gain wealth and power, but not without facing certain consequences. Jeanne becomes a suspect of witchcraft, and is subsequently banished from her village by the baron.
However, with the village quickly becoming swallowed by the cusp of the bubonic plague the baron is forced to change his heart. He summons Jeanne back and offers her the rank of highest noble in return for her to rescue them from despair with the mysterious flower she possessed. Regardless, Jeanne's motives were altered by her painful experiences, and she refused to accept such an offer.. which ultimately leads to her fate and the pinnacle of the film.
The final scene ends with an image of Eugène Delacroix's 'La Liberté guidant le people.' The painting features a female personification of liberty itself, leading a mixture of social classes during the French Revolution. In the film Jeanne finds herself in a similar position, and her impact on society can be compared with that of Joan of Arc, Salem witch trials, and several prominent women in history.
This story is depicted rather well throughout the duration of the film and is often told metaphorically with symbolism rather than figuratively with speech. The nature of it is widely subjective, but certainly compelling nonetheless. I believe it's most rewarding with an open mind.
Characters:
The characters aren't a strong aspect of the film. The only truly memorable character is Jeanne, but like the others she lacks any real development. This doesn't hinder the experience in the end, because the characters were never really intended to be a centerfold. They merely exist as a route of administration for the lessons and morals lurking in the shadows of the film.
Jeanne's character in particular appears to represent feminism, and relates to a myriad of prominent women throughout history. Especially when considering her comparison with Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc).
Michelet's book La Sorcier which inspired Belladonna of Sadness arguably depicts the story of Joan of Arc, and portrays her resistance against feudalism and the Catholic Church. The similarities with Jeanne can be seen most in the final scenes of the film.
Art:
The visuals are reminiscent of watercolor paintings and heavily influenced by western art. It often hangs in limbo between realism and surrealism, and surely isn't considered typical. The quality is fair considering it was produced in the 70s. It's also pending the release of a 4k restoration that will greatly enhance the clarity and colors.
Animation:
The animation suffers greatly where the art shines. Many of the scenes are depicted by panning across still paintings rather than being animated. This could be seen as a matter of style or budget, but it definitely could've benefited from consistency. Regardless, I think the animation can be forgiven considering the era it was produced.
Sound:
The music is as funky as the era it came from and varies greatly from the Rock Opera to Psychedelic genre and beyond. It's almost always fitting, and creates indescribable emotions that go hand in hand with the images on screen.
Overall:
A belladonna is a highly toxic flower, which also stands for 'beautiful woman.' In the past, witches were believed to use a mixture of belladonna and other plants in flying ointment, which they applied to help them fly to gatherings with other witches. A theory for the inclusion of belladonna in flying ointments concerns the dream-like waking state it produces.
Much of the scenes in the film are depicted as if the viewer was under the influence of the belladonna flower. Similar to the flower, the film itself can also be interpreted from many different perspectives.
In my eyes Belladonna of Sadness holds significant implications regarding sexuality, feminism, religion, and history. It presents a thought provoking succession of metaphorical imagery far ahead of its time, and I won't ever forget the impact it had on me.
An Epic Fantasy of Rape and Penises
masercot7 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I'm not going to lie to you: This is a rapey cartoon. And, I use the word "cartoon" loosely. We all know how much the Japanese like their rape, so it is hardly surprising. Even the penis imagery mostly exhibited by Satan is something we've come to expect from the craziest island in Asia. So, why did I give it a seven? There are a lot of good aspects to this film. The imagery, although barely animated, is very imaginative and at times stunning. The story flows nicely. The voices and narration are well-done.
The animation style reminds me a lot of the movie Wizards.
The ending was weak... really weak...
The animation style reminds me a lot of the movie Wizards.
The ending was weak... really weak...
A Masterpiece, but not for everybody
fallenletters3 June 2016
This film is a masterpiece. There are very few animation films that cross the territory into high art, but this is one. Calling it anime is kind of a disservice as it is more rooted in animated art films than it is anime. This may be Japans first animated masterpiece. But it was not done in a style many of us understand to be anime. It is deeply surrealistic in both imagery and approach. While some scenes are not animated, but rather hand painted still frames which are panned and edited together, but this never detracts from the overall context of the film. The animation itself is a blend of styles throughout the film, but the heavy use of watercolor lends well to the new 4K restored version.
This is a very adult film. It is highly sexual in nature. As an art film though from this era, it is actually not out of bounds. With that being said, art films, especially foreign ones, are not for everybody.
This is a feminist film, but it may be a difficult film to watch for some. So a bit of a trigger warning for those who care. The themes do deal deeply with sexual trauma and violence, and recovering from it. It is also though about finding independence in a patriarchal system, and ownership of ones own sexuality.
So beyond all that, if you do want to experience something different and beautiful, this film is something to behold. Everything from the great psychedelic rock, and free jazz soundtrack, to the mix of animation and artistic styles, we have a film that stands out even to this day. It is unique in what it offers. It's restoration should be celebrated.
On a side note, I have to credit AFI Silver in Silver Spring, MD for screening this film. It remains one of the best cinema's in the country as otherwise forgotten films find new audiences. This really has not been screened much in the US.
My hope is this does make it to blu-ray or some other media format. For now the credit is to the new distributors, but also arts cinemas like AFI Silver that are currently screening the film. It is a rare treat to see a film like this.
This is a very adult film. It is highly sexual in nature. As an art film though from this era, it is actually not out of bounds. With that being said, art films, especially foreign ones, are not for everybody.
This is a feminist film, but it may be a difficult film to watch for some. So a bit of a trigger warning for those who care. The themes do deal deeply with sexual trauma and violence, and recovering from it. It is also though about finding independence in a patriarchal system, and ownership of ones own sexuality.
So beyond all that, if you do want to experience something different and beautiful, this film is something to behold. Everything from the great psychedelic rock, and free jazz soundtrack, to the mix of animation and artistic styles, we have a film that stands out even to this day. It is unique in what it offers. It's restoration should be celebrated.
On a side note, I have to credit AFI Silver in Silver Spring, MD for screening this film. It remains one of the best cinema's in the country as otherwise forgotten films find new audiences. This really has not been screened much in the US.
My hope is this does make it to blu-ray or some other media format. For now the credit is to the new distributors, but also arts cinemas like AFI Silver that are currently screening the film. It is a rare treat to see a film like this.
What?
doggygirl20087 August 2019
Seriously. . . What?
What do you mean my review is too short? No, you know what? Maybe my review doesn't need to be four paragraphs long with big words and a plethora of commas. Maybe, what I've just seen is so ridiculously insane that all I would like to ask are five simple, little words.
What. Did. I. Just. Watch?
What do you mean my review is too short? No, you know what? Maybe my review doesn't need to be four paragraphs long with big words and a plethora of commas. Maybe, what I've just seen is so ridiculously insane that all I would like to ask are five simple, little words.
What. Did. I. Just. Watch?
Shocked that this masterpiece only has 20 reviews on here
Stay_away_from_the_Metropol10 April 2020
I had first heard of this when Cinefamily of Los Angeles started screening a new restored version of it around 2015/2016 and even involved themselves in a new Blu-Ray release of it. I finally watched the Blu-Ray of it last week and it not only lived up to the hopes I had for it after seeing the trailer, but surpassed my expectations through it's fully singular themes, animation style, innovative structure, and commitment to surrealism.
Simply put, this is one of the most psychedelic, out-there, impressive animated films I have ever seen. Due to the themes and the content it is extremely heavy & dark, so it's not for everyone, but it takes things that are fully depraved and atrocious and portrays them with beauty through visual surrealism. If you can understand the point of portraying evil in a gorgeous way, then you will likely find this film completely magical. At some point, the movie takes a much more familiar theme which has been covered in many, many films and digs into the psychological aspect of it in a way that I have never seen done before - it really kind of hit me hard when I realized what I was witnessing. This film is not for the weak hearted or overly moral.
Do not let the the first 20-30 minutes turn you off. The animation holds a very slow-burning, disciplined style for the first act, which asks for your patience. But once you finish the first act, you will cannoned into a kaleidoscope of unpredictability and stimulation to the fullest order. There is nothing like this wonder - see it.
Simply put, this is one of the most psychedelic, out-there, impressive animated films I have ever seen. Due to the themes and the content it is extremely heavy & dark, so it's not for everyone, but it takes things that are fully depraved and atrocious and portrays them with beauty through visual surrealism. If you can understand the point of portraying evil in a gorgeous way, then you will likely find this film completely magical. At some point, the movie takes a much more familiar theme which has been covered in many, many films and digs into the psychological aspect of it in a way that I have never seen done before - it really kind of hit me hard when I realized what I was witnessing. This film is not for the weak hearted or overly moral.
Do not let the the first 20-30 minutes turn you off. The animation holds a very slow-burning, disciplined style for the first act, which asks for your patience. But once you finish the first act, you will cannoned into a kaleidoscope of unpredictability and stimulation to the fullest order. There is nothing like this wonder - see it.
Beautiful
XxEthanHuntxX6 October 2021
A feministic potration and idolization- Interwoven love story, Interwoven history of medieval witchcraft as an act of rebellion against the oppression of feudalism and the Roman Catholic Church. This rebellion took the form of a secret religion inspired by paganism and fairy beliefs, organized by a woman who became its leader - Belladonna, born out of sadness and oppression. But the young, beautiful, innocent woman's sexuality is unlocked through a numerous painful processes. Often she struggles against this awakening of physical desire-but when she lets go and gives in, she gains power, especially over men. Her presence threatens the dominant order. And thus she is sent to her death.
The object of the film seems to purely be a simple and impressive formula of the Sorceress's way of life, which sadly is darkend by the very elaboration of their ruled existence. The film sympathizes with the sufferings of peasants and women in the Middle Ages, or, most possibly, throughout all ages. The strong point is to start, not from the devil, from an empty conception, but from a living reality, the Sorceress, a warm, breathing reality, rich in results and possibilities. A topic which the film contains, the showing of people refering or confusing Belladona's transformation to the devil's work, or to be more exact, the root of her shapeshifting. Which thus shouldn't be confused with the devil because rather its the oppressor. Its shows the ignorant.
The films also blends severe nudity in with its narrative, which could be explained as part of the rebellion and a seemingly violent outcry against everything that is consider tabu and holding the individuals restraint, prohibiting their freedom and keeping them locked in chains. Showing (sex) as one of the pleasures life has to offers. In addition, the film presents dancing and music as one of the cures for the deadly plauge, which is too, an enigmatic pleasure of life, which either can't be explained.
Apart from the story faultering quite a bit from its lack of focused narrative but also deficient meaning when reflecting the visuals. Fortunately, the brilliant visual artistry is enough to keep the audience enraptured In a spellbinding torrent of beautiful flowing- aquarelle artworks. Containing both vivid, erotic and grotesque imagery, including rape, orgies etc. As well as feminine beauty - dangerous, seductive and delicious. A beautiful combination of: A magnificent mixture of water colour, as well as regular animation, an Idyllic torrential flow in moving object, poetic storytelling and accompanied by a very 1970s score by the avant-garde jazz composer Masahiko Satoh.
A wonder of the film is the physicaddlic element which creates an atmosphere of surreal, hallucinogenic and delirius experience, of godlike/mysterious insanity-inducing proportion. It shows something out of human direct-understanding but consciousness.
Extremely stylistic as well as original - work of art. An animation style I have never seen on film before, but one of, if not, the best.
The object of the film seems to purely be a simple and impressive formula of the Sorceress's way of life, which sadly is darkend by the very elaboration of their ruled existence. The film sympathizes with the sufferings of peasants and women in the Middle Ages, or, most possibly, throughout all ages. The strong point is to start, not from the devil, from an empty conception, but from a living reality, the Sorceress, a warm, breathing reality, rich in results and possibilities. A topic which the film contains, the showing of people refering or confusing Belladona's transformation to the devil's work, or to be more exact, the root of her shapeshifting. Which thus shouldn't be confused with the devil because rather its the oppressor. Its shows the ignorant.
The films also blends severe nudity in with its narrative, which could be explained as part of the rebellion and a seemingly violent outcry against everything that is consider tabu and holding the individuals restraint, prohibiting their freedom and keeping them locked in chains. Showing (sex) as one of the pleasures life has to offers. In addition, the film presents dancing and music as one of the cures for the deadly plauge, which is too, an enigmatic pleasure of life, which either can't be explained.
Apart from the story faultering quite a bit from its lack of focused narrative but also deficient meaning when reflecting the visuals. Fortunately, the brilliant visual artistry is enough to keep the audience enraptured In a spellbinding torrent of beautiful flowing- aquarelle artworks. Containing both vivid, erotic and grotesque imagery, including rape, orgies etc. As well as feminine beauty - dangerous, seductive and delicious. A beautiful combination of: A magnificent mixture of water colour, as well as regular animation, an Idyllic torrential flow in moving object, poetic storytelling and accompanied by a very 1970s score by the avant-garde jazz composer Masahiko Satoh.
A wonder of the film is the physicaddlic element which creates an atmosphere of surreal, hallucinogenic and delirius experience, of godlike/mysterious insanity-inducing proportion. It shows something out of human direct-understanding but consciousness.
Extremely stylistic as well as original - work of art. An animation style I have never seen on film before, but one of, if not, the best.
Too heavy on the immature male fantasy
gbill-7487711 March 2017
This film has several things that made it of interest to me: stylish Japanese animation, a story containing a deal with the devil (I'm always a sucker for movies featuring the devil, don't ask me why), and a director who was certainly not shy about showing nudity and sex (ok, I'm probably a sucker for those too, if they're done right anyway). Unfortunately, the movie doesn't live up to its potential, or perhaps, hasn't aged well. While some of the artwork is beautiful, the plot is simple, plodding along during slow right-to- left pans, and far too often using sex as a crutch. We see the devil having sex with the woman several times, lots of phallic imagery and big boobs, and a bizarre, surreal orgy in the woods featuring people, animals, and half-people/half-animals. It just gets to be a little much, and is definitely written/conceived/drawn from an immature male perspective. It's a shame that such a weighty theme and Faustian premise was so poorly handled. I also have to say that the scenes in France at the end are ridiculous, almost as if someone had an incoherent thought while high. Maybe if you were drunk or on an acid trip watching this film in college with your guy buddies in the 70's or 80's, you would love it. Otherwise, you can enjoy it for a window into what feels like 1960's psychedelia, some of its pretty animation (particularly in the first part of the film), and for it presumably having pushed boundaries in Japan at the time.
Tragic, disturbing and colourful!!!
Irishchatter13 August 2019
Yeah.. There were a lot of extremely disturbing scenes which involved rape, 99.9% of nudity, sexism, betrayal, murder, corruption, you blooming name it!
I really appreciated the art like for a 1970's anime, it did a decent job in making your brain go all over the place. The storyline was quite on point to make you go "omg" or "WTF" the whole time.
Yeah this anime is pretty underrated and probably not to everyone's taste due to it being heavily disturbing so take note before watching!
I really appreciated the art like for a 1970's anime, it did a decent job in making your brain go all over the place. The storyline was quite on point to make you go "omg" or "WTF" the whole time.
Yeah this anime is pretty underrated and probably not to everyone's taste due to it being heavily disturbing so take note before watching!
Brilliant Art Come To Life For A Gruesome Story
max4movie18 August 2019
Full Review on my blog max4movies: Kanashimi no Belladonna (international title: Belladonna of Sadness) is an experimental animation movie for an adult audience. Its plot focuses on Jeanne, a young and beautiful woman, who after being raped, has visions of the devil. It features extreme graphic content, like naked women, rape scenes, and an orgy with animals. This, alongside with Jeanne being mostly naked and the omnipresence of phallic imagery, will be appalling to some - although the movie never indulges in voyeuristic pleasures like other erotic movies. Still, the movie features undeniably beautiful images with a unique art style, ensuring that the colorful depictions of rape and torture not only fascinate but also highlight the rich underlying thematic concepts, like open sexuality, criticism against religion, and a social commentary about totalitarian regimes.
"Belladonna of Sadness Review"
actualbookworm19 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Art for art's sake is how I would describe this film. It includes themes of witchcraft and satanism, but the underlying meaning of it depicts the different kinds of abuse that women experience around the world. Though I'm not an expert in art, I think this movie is presented in a very unique, artistic way. For this reason, the film is visually beautifully but also unsettling at the same time.
A masterwork of minimalism, a vibrantly surreal beautifully grim look at feminism, paganism, feudalism, Satanism, and Christianity
IonicBreezeMachine21 April 2021
Set in Medieval France, the film tells the story of two peasants a man named Jean and a woman named Jeanne who marry. Per tradition the two must make an offering to the Feudal lord who rules over their village, but when the lord rejects Jean's meager offer and instead takes an evening with Jean's bride Jeanne who is subjected to brutal rape by the Feudal lord and his court for their amusement. When Jeanne returns home, humiliated and pained, Jean becomes distant. A spirit visits Jeanne promising power and prosperity. But the Feudal lord and his court grow jealous of Jeanne's powers and use their status of "Divine right" to denounce Jeanne as a witch(which even her husband Jean buys into) and the spirit revisits once again revealing itself to be Satan, but his bargain is not what one would think.
The final film in the Animerama trilogy(following A Thousand and One Nights and Cleopatra) a series of adult skewing Japanese animated films initiated by anime pioneer Osamu Tezuka and produced by Mushi Pro. Belladonna of Sadness was the only one of the trilogy to have no involvement from Tezuka who had stepped away from the film to focus on his manga work. The film is co-written and directed by Eiichi Yamamoto a colleague of Tezuka's who's worked with him all the way back to the days of Mighty Atom(Astro Boy) and Jungle Emperor Leo (Kimba the White Lion). The film is an adaptation of the book Satanism and Witchcraft by historian Jules Michelet giving a sympathetic view of women and peasants as well as to Paganism and Satanism which stemmed from acts of rebellion against the Feudal Lords and the Roman Catholic Church that legitimized their power. The movie is very much of that mindset and gives a surreal journey through an act of defiance by an ordinary women who suffers cruelty and indignity at the hands of one such Feudal Lord and his Catholic Priest and gradual attains power by embracing the antithesis of her feudal society.
The movie as an animated film has little actual "Animation" instead going for an experimental approach with most of the film's story told through stills and Panoramic painting linked through voice over and narration. The movie uses this limitation to its benefit in that while there's limited movement, when there is actual movement it strikes just the right mood and is used to emphasize the power of the scene. Even when the movie uses stills for its lower key scenes they're used dynamically so they still feel alive. There's so many amazing sights and sounds making up Belladonna of Sadness that it can sometimes become overwhelming, but the movie is wise enough to dial back these moments when needed so these scenes of visual eruption are more able to stand out and are given proper weight.
Belladonna of Sadness is a surreal journey that captures both beauty and ugliness with equal veracity, and often simultaneously. It's a movie that isn't designed to appeal to a mass audience and will make many viewers dislike it. For me personally I felt an experience watching this movie that I hadn't felt since my first initial viewing of Walt Disney's Fantasia.
The final film in the Animerama trilogy(following A Thousand and One Nights and Cleopatra) a series of adult skewing Japanese animated films initiated by anime pioneer Osamu Tezuka and produced by Mushi Pro. Belladonna of Sadness was the only one of the trilogy to have no involvement from Tezuka who had stepped away from the film to focus on his manga work. The film is co-written and directed by Eiichi Yamamoto a colleague of Tezuka's who's worked with him all the way back to the days of Mighty Atom(Astro Boy) and Jungle Emperor Leo (Kimba the White Lion). The film is an adaptation of the book Satanism and Witchcraft by historian Jules Michelet giving a sympathetic view of women and peasants as well as to Paganism and Satanism which stemmed from acts of rebellion against the Feudal Lords and the Roman Catholic Church that legitimized their power. The movie is very much of that mindset and gives a surreal journey through an act of defiance by an ordinary women who suffers cruelty and indignity at the hands of one such Feudal Lord and his Catholic Priest and gradual attains power by embracing the antithesis of her feudal society.
The movie as an animated film has little actual "Animation" instead going for an experimental approach with most of the film's story told through stills and Panoramic painting linked through voice over and narration. The movie uses this limitation to its benefit in that while there's limited movement, when there is actual movement it strikes just the right mood and is used to emphasize the power of the scene. Even when the movie uses stills for its lower key scenes they're used dynamically so they still feel alive. There's so many amazing sights and sounds making up Belladonna of Sadness that it can sometimes become overwhelming, but the movie is wise enough to dial back these moments when needed so these scenes of visual eruption are more able to stand out and are given proper weight.
Belladonna of Sadness is a surreal journey that captures both beauty and ugliness with equal veracity, and often simultaneously. It's a movie that isn't designed to appeal to a mass audience and will make many viewers dislike it. For me personally I felt an experience watching this movie that I hadn't felt since my first initial viewing of Walt Disney's Fantasia.
Amazing strange film .....
hulchris31 January 2019
What an amazing film , remember seeing this at a friends house in a Vhs and i was the only one that i like it ( back at 1988 ) could not understand why my friends didn't like it ,i was trying for years to see it again , and when Cinelicious Pics release the restore version of the film i was amazed once more , drawings , design , music , story all works perfectly in a movie that plays with your mind and how you see things around ......
A beautiful, disturbing masterpiece
rdoyle2920 September 2022
In medieval France, young couple Jean and Jeanne marry, but on the wedding night, an attempt to pay the required tribute to their lord results in a group sexual assault on Jeanne. Shattered by this, Jeanne is visited by Satan in the form of a very small penis man, who offers her the power to strike back against her abusers in exchange for her soul. Jeanne initially resists, but succumbs in stages, each resulting in penis Satan becoming a bit larger and Jeanne gaining some power over the lord, but ultimately facing greater setbacks. When she is at her lowest, she gives in completely and soon must be dealt with by the lord.
The first thing to note about this film is that it is exquisitely animated. Anime pioneer Eiichi Yamamoto, who had a hand in "Astroboy" and "Kimba the White Lion", forgoes any semblance of contemporary anime style and forges a psychedelic and deeply transgressive style based in modernist European watercolors. A lot of the animation is just still watercolor paintings that the camera pans across, but there's also a fair amount of animation. It's an absolutely gorgeous film.
This provides even more power to the film's very sexual, hallucinatory and transgressive images. It's very easy to label a film this explicit as "pornography", but none of the imagery in this film is used with any intention to arouse the viewer. It's very much apiece with the story that quite deliberately does not equate the embrace of "Satan" ... in this story, the embrace of personal, anti-authoritarian power partly via sexuality ... with evil. It's a deeply disturbing film with some of the most bizarre sexual imagery I have ever seen, but I also think it's a quiet masterpiece.
The first thing to note about this film is that it is exquisitely animated. Anime pioneer Eiichi Yamamoto, who had a hand in "Astroboy" and "Kimba the White Lion", forgoes any semblance of contemporary anime style and forges a psychedelic and deeply transgressive style based in modernist European watercolors. A lot of the animation is just still watercolor paintings that the camera pans across, but there's also a fair amount of animation. It's an absolutely gorgeous film.
This provides even more power to the film's very sexual, hallucinatory and transgressive images. It's very easy to label a film this explicit as "pornography", but none of the imagery in this film is used with any intention to arouse the viewer. It's very much apiece with the story that quite deliberately does not equate the embrace of "Satan" ... in this story, the embrace of personal, anti-authoritarian power partly via sexuality ... with evil. It's a deeply disturbing film with some of the most bizarre sexual imagery I have ever seen, but I also think it's a quiet masterpiece.
Woman
mrdonleone20 October 2019
There's something sad about the Fate of Belladonna of Sadness, duh. It didn't get much praise at the time while it should have, and it caused its company to go bankrupt, which is silly really for it's a great movie. One should see it while taking drugs though, and sniff it on that huge orgie scene in all its extension.
Interesting.
chrismulcheater13 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
The animation is gorgeous and unique. There isn't anything quite like this movie in terms of visuals. I love the surreal segments where the film just throws a bunch of scary, colorful imagery at you. I'm just a sucker for that.
I appreciate it for its sensitive handling of sexual assault and mental illness. I can see why people call it feminist for its time. It doesn't exploit the imagery of Jeanne being raped for shock or the gratification of the audience, and her depressive arc resonated with me.
However, I find the framing of the relationship between Jeanne and the devil troubling. The devil does nothing but rape and bully her, but when she sides with him, it's framed as badass and triumphant. It's clearly abusive, but they end up being framed as an epic demonic power couple by the end of the film. It's weird.
I appreciate it for its sensitive handling of sexual assault and mental illness. I can see why people call it feminist for its time. It doesn't exploit the imagery of Jeanne being raped for shock or the gratification of the audience, and her depressive arc resonated with me.
However, I find the framing of the relationship between Jeanne and the devil troubling. The devil does nothing but rape and bully her, but when she sides with him, it's framed as badass and triumphant. It's clearly abusive, but they end up being framed as an epic demonic power couple by the end of the film. It's weird.
There is probably no movie out there more confounding or trippy than this
datautisticgamer-7485323 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This was yet another one of my brother's gift films, and we spent the previous night watching it. With a name like Belladonna of Sadness, I was expecting something romantic, but I had no idea that I was about to watch a movie that genuinely infuriated me. This is why.
Packed into its 86 minutes of run time, the plot here isn't always followed, but instead gives way for significant amounts of filler scenes that are only there to depict weird things that would be best for me to not mention on IMDb. Only some of these gory or erotic scenes are pertinent to the actual story surrounding Jeanne, but even then they are way too exaggerated and most of them feel pointless. Maybe I have poor taste as a film critic in movies like this, but this movie brings up significantly more questions than it answers. The characters are a similar mess, with a bunch of questionable things being done by Jeanne and, unsurprisingly, Satan himself. Some of these actions, such as a good amount of what Jeanne does to the village, contribute to this movie's borderline over-saturation of filler material. The music is probably the best thing about this movie, as it does complement each filler scene well. It's not as good as the music in some other movies, but it's probably the one thing about this movie I can safely praise. I can commend the animation for using a different style than most Japanese animation, but it's shockingly inconsistent; I counted 5 distinct styles of animation, with 4 of them being used for the filler. It depicts things that could have worked if it had more context (as in, relevant to the plot), but since it doesn't, its only purpose is just showing us the imagery. Personally, I dislike such choices by the crew. As good an idea it is for animation to invoke more than one style in a movie, it was not done properly here. At the very least, its animation stands out, and that alone gives this movie slightly more credit. Maybe I'm too simple to understand anything this movie said, but most of this film just took my brain and drowned it in boiling oil.
I can't guarantee that you will enjoy this film even if you enjoy erotic or psychedelic material, let alone animation in the first place. Think of this film as the slightly exorcised love child of anything by Unearthed Films (the psychedelic and erotic imagery) and Plumbers Don't Wear Ties (most of the film, especially the portions fitting the plot, is just a slideshow with voices over it). Like those two, this is not something I can recommend to the common viewer. Oh, and if you suffer from seizures, avoid this film completely. There are two scenes that go way too overboard with multi-colored strobes.
Packed into its 86 minutes of run time, the plot here isn't always followed, but instead gives way for significant amounts of filler scenes that are only there to depict weird things that would be best for me to not mention on IMDb. Only some of these gory or erotic scenes are pertinent to the actual story surrounding Jeanne, but even then they are way too exaggerated and most of them feel pointless. Maybe I have poor taste as a film critic in movies like this, but this movie brings up significantly more questions than it answers. The characters are a similar mess, with a bunch of questionable things being done by Jeanne and, unsurprisingly, Satan himself. Some of these actions, such as a good amount of what Jeanne does to the village, contribute to this movie's borderline over-saturation of filler material. The music is probably the best thing about this movie, as it does complement each filler scene well. It's not as good as the music in some other movies, but it's probably the one thing about this movie I can safely praise. I can commend the animation for using a different style than most Japanese animation, but it's shockingly inconsistent; I counted 5 distinct styles of animation, with 4 of them being used for the filler. It depicts things that could have worked if it had more context (as in, relevant to the plot), but since it doesn't, its only purpose is just showing us the imagery. Personally, I dislike such choices by the crew. As good an idea it is for animation to invoke more than one style in a movie, it was not done properly here. At the very least, its animation stands out, and that alone gives this movie slightly more credit. Maybe I'm too simple to understand anything this movie said, but most of this film just took my brain and drowned it in boiling oil.
I can't guarantee that you will enjoy this film even if you enjoy erotic or psychedelic material, let alone animation in the first place. Think of this film as the slightly exorcised love child of anything by Unearthed Films (the psychedelic and erotic imagery) and Plumbers Don't Wear Ties (most of the film, especially the portions fitting the plot, is just a slideshow with voices over it). Like those two, this is not something I can recommend to the common viewer. Oh, and if you suffer from seizures, avoid this film completely. There are two scenes that go way too overboard with multi-colored strobes.
A beautiful and tragic movie based on Jules Michelet's 'La Sorcière'
noxiousbruja6 November 2019
Of course I am biased because Kanashimi no beradonna is one of my favorite movies of all time, but this movie is a masterpiece. It is definitely a niche movie. For the lack of animation (although it becomes very animated during the second part), the soundtrack makes up for it. It is very 70's and fits the mood of the film very well. The art is absolutely gorgeous as well. If you are into 70's european-style animation, funky soundtracks and tragic stories, I recommend this film to you.
Simply Put, the best movie ever
TooKakkoiiforYou_3217 July 2020
Feminism, religion and authority bashing, beautiful animation and drawings, this is adult anime at its most refined form ever. It doesn't get better than this. Myazaki who? Watched for 9 times, and I'm positively sure I'll watch it even more.
Edit: watched a tenth time, still tears to no end and still the best movie ever made in history, I don't care one bit of the naysayers. Love this absolute masterpiece until the end of time.
Edit: watched a tenth time, still tears to no end and still the best movie ever made in history, I don't care one bit of the naysayers. Love this absolute masterpiece until the end of time.
Beautiful Film
theworstcritic25 October 2021
This film blew me away. The animation is stunning. The water colour art and the fluidity of the animation make for a crazy psychedelic experience. A fair bit of the film is still images, I assume due to budget issues, but it doesn't bother me. In fact, due to the wonderful art, I quite like it, it's like reading a picture book. The music is also spot on. Mixed with the art makes for a wonderful experience. There is a lot of sexual imagery in it, so maybe don't watch it if you're not into that kind of thing. It is a bit over the top at times but I think it mostly works. It's an thoughtful and sad tragedy about suffering and desire. It is truly a work of art, please watch this hidden gem, I can't recommend it enough.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
