Belladonna of SadnessNothing pure can remain unchanged when infected with the contagion of evil that lurks in the hearts of men. Belladonna of Sadness is an animated tale which tells the story of two young peasant newlyweds, Jean and Jeanne, who discover that their tribute to satisfy their feudal lord is not enough for his avarice, who in turn violates her. The harrowing experience prompts the appearance of the devil, a phantom which arouses Jeanne toward corruption, both by raising Jean and herself to power in the community, and ultimately by consuming her soul following her exile from the town as a witch.
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Belladonna of Sadness was largely inspired by Jules Michelet's "La Sorcière", translated as "Satanism and Witchcraft" in English. As suggested by the title, the 19th century text concerns witchcraft, but is one which is sympathetic to the persecution of women as witches in the Middle Ages, those burned as witches and oppressed by tyrannical nobility and the Roman Catholic Church. Many of these themes of social injustice and rebellion translate from the text to the screen in Belladonna of Sadness. The feudal lord is portrayed as a cruel, hateful man with a skull-like face, with bones protruding from his head to represent a crown. He bleeds his subjects dry--sometimes literally--with taxes, even employing Jean in this capacity following Jeanne's initial success with her sewing to make some money as times get tough. There is no sympathy for him, nor any of the other nobility, who are loathsome from the start following their suggestion that Jean's tribute of cows is insufficient, and the tribute is instead forcibly taken in the form of Jeanne's virginity in one of many graphic and violent scenes of sexuality in the film. The manifestation of the devil, which looks unmistakably like a penis, grows in stature the more Jeanne slides into witchcraft, and her soul slips out of her control. She clings to her concept of her soul, but it is clear she is unhappy with the life she believes she is morally bound to embrace. Jeanne is identified as a witch by the townsfolk on the basis that she is a successful woman, and is not born into nobility; thus her power must come from the dark arts. Ironically, it is this persecution of her which propels her further into the clutches of Satan. The more power she affords the devil--in effect, the power she affords herself--the more satisfied she is, and the more empowered she becomes in the process.
It would not be implausible to perceive Belladonna of Sadness as a story with a feminist slant, although this assessment seems overly simplistic. The message of the film has more to do with morality, gender roles, and even sexuality as portrayed as constructs created by institutions of power to exercise control over others. Jeanne's "rebellion" appears superficially to be a rebellion against God--by embracing the devil--but her uprising is against the system of control which has shown her no kindness; in fact, it has openly scorned her and victimized her in the most terrible of ways, and one which believes itself entitled to this dominion. The concepts of "the devil", of graphic sexuality, and of other shocking taboos are portrayed both as unsettling and absurd, as though the idea of our fear of these unseemly forms is itself perverse, as is its effect on our subconscious--anywhere from revulsion, anxiety, or more. It is as though they are a result of our conditioning by those in power to avoid these elements which might otherwise also afford us power to rebel. Though not a universal interpretation of the imagery and acts in Belladonna of Sadness, the film evokes these responses; it is not always subtle about it, but it is often effective in it's vivid portrayal. It is also unsurprising then that when the "Black Death" infects and destroys much of the town, it is a metaphor for the stagnant mindset of those unwilling to rebel--to evolve--beyond their own perceptions of morality inflicted upon them by the powers that be. It is when Jeanne later "opens their minds" to the the possibility of using belladonna to quell the contagion that the townsfolk begin to question the veracity that Jeanne is a corrupt and soulless witch who sold her soul to the devil, as the nobility and church would have them believe. The title is a reference to the plant, "Atropa belladonna", commonly known as belladonna or "deadly nightshade". It literally translates to "pretty woman", but it is also deadly poisonous; still, when utilized properly, it also has medicinal purposes, and can also induce hallucinations. All of these seemingly paradoxical elements could just as easily describe Jeanne, who is possessed of great power, but does not appear the "wicked crone" she believes she should be following her surrender of her soul, instead looking all the more radiant in the wake of her liberation.
Belladonna of Sadness is something of a "rediscovered masterpiece", a film which was originally made in 1973, but never received widespread release until a recent restoration. The film was created during a period of time in the Seventies when erotic film was experiencing a surge in popularity in theaters, sometimes referred to as "porno chic". In Japan, the boom resulted in the advent of "pinku eiga" (pink movies), which featured more graphic sexuality and eroticism. Belladonna of Sadness was born out of this movement, part of an animated trilogy of films called "Animerama", directed by Eiichi Yamamoto. In keeping with the era, Belladonna of Sadness often feels like a psychedelic trip, a drug-induced fantasy, with numerous moments of surreal imagery, as well as a musical score replete with a disco vibe. But rather than simply appear as a product of its time, Belladonna of Sadness has a unique visual style, with characters influenced by the work of Austrian artist, Gustav Klimt; even those with a passing familiarity with the artist's work will immediately see the similarities. The juxtaposition of this kind of savage sexuality with a classical artistic rendering is a challenge to reconcile, but gives the film a unique, compelling identity, itself a work of art in the process. Although largely unseen for decades, there is a kind of subconscious sense that Belladonna of Sadness has left its silent mark upon other works about medieval injustice and unlikely witches. The sadistic and cruel nobility are unconscionable, but in a day and age when HBO's "Game of Thrones" television show is loaded with graphic sex and violence in a fantasy setting, it is no longer as unfamiliar territory for audiences. Many works of film and literature have explored the idea of witchcraft, and the gradual disillusionment with a way of life and worship which has proven unfulfilling or even detrimental for women in this type of setting. This concept is also explored in The Witch, underscoring that this theme is a persistent, collective one, and one which still holds some controversial underpinnings. Jeanne's journey of self-discovery is also one of self-destruction--and subsequent reinvention. The implications of the ending suggest that women are oppressed because they are the dominant force, and the power they have to change the world makes them dangerous and figureheads of change, evidenced by the reference to the French Revolution at the conclusion. And it is a well accepted fact that no revolution was ever started by peaceful resolution.
Recommended for: Fans of a thrilling (and shocking) animated masterpiece which is both horrifying and gorgeous. It is a movie decidedly for adults only, but it is a gripping sensory overload, one which challenges (even dares) the audience to reevaluate their perception of social conventions.
It would not be implausible to perceive Belladonna of Sadness as a story with a feminist slant, although this assessment seems overly simplistic. The message of the film has more to do with morality, gender roles, and even sexuality as portrayed as constructs created by institutions of power to exercise control over others. Jeanne's "rebellion" appears superficially to be a rebellion against God--by embracing the devil--but her uprising is against the system of control which has shown her no kindness; in fact, it has openly scorned her and victimized her in the most terrible of ways, and one which believes itself entitled to this dominion. The concepts of "the devil", of graphic sexuality, and of other shocking taboos are portrayed both as unsettling and absurd, as though the idea of our fear of these unseemly forms is itself perverse, as is its effect on our subconscious--anywhere from revulsion, anxiety, or more. It is as though they are a result of our conditioning by those in power to avoid these elements which might otherwise also afford us power to rebel. Though not a universal interpretation of the imagery and acts in Belladonna of Sadness, the film evokes these responses; it is not always subtle about it, but it is often effective in it's vivid portrayal. It is also unsurprising then that when the "Black Death" infects and destroys much of the town, it is a metaphor for the stagnant mindset of those unwilling to rebel--to evolve--beyond their own perceptions of morality inflicted upon them by the powers that be. It is when Jeanne later "opens their minds" to the the possibility of using belladonna to quell the contagion that the townsfolk begin to question the veracity that Jeanne is a corrupt and soulless witch who sold her soul to the devil, as the nobility and church would have them believe. The title is a reference to the plant, "Atropa belladonna", commonly known as belladonna or "deadly nightshade". It literally translates to "pretty woman", but it is also deadly poisonous; still, when utilized properly, it also has medicinal purposes, and can also induce hallucinations. All of these seemingly paradoxical elements could just as easily describe Jeanne, who is possessed of great power, but does not appear the "wicked crone" she believes she should be following her surrender of her soul, instead looking all the more radiant in the wake of her liberation.
Belladonna of Sadness is something of a "rediscovered masterpiece", a film which was originally made in 1973, but never received widespread release until a recent restoration. The film was created during a period of time in the Seventies when erotic film was experiencing a surge in popularity in theaters, sometimes referred to as "porno chic". In Japan, the boom resulted in the advent of "pinku eiga" (pink movies), which featured more graphic sexuality and eroticism. Belladonna of Sadness was born out of this movement, part of an animated trilogy of films called "Animerama", directed by Eiichi Yamamoto. In keeping with the era, Belladonna of Sadness often feels like a psychedelic trip, a drug-induced fantasy, with numerous moments of surreal imagery, as well as a musical score replete with a disco vibe. But rather than simply appear as a product of its time, Belladonna of Sadness has a unique visual style, with characters influenced by the work of Austrian artist, Gustav Klimt; even those with a passing familiarity with the artist's work will immediately see the similarities. The juxtaposition of this kind of savage sexuality with a classical artistic rendering is a challenge to reconcile, but gives the film a unique, compelling identity, itself a work of art in the process. Although largely unseen for decades, there is a kind of subconscious sense that Belladonna of Sadness has left its silent mark upon other works about medieval injustice and unlikely witches. The sadistic and cruel nobility are unconscionable, but in a day and age when HBO's "Game of Thrones" television show is loaded with graphic sex and violence in a fantasy setting, it is no longer as unfamiliar territory for audiences. Many works of film and literature have explored the idea of witchcraft, and the gradual disillusionment with a way of life and worship which has proven unfulfilling or even detrimental for women in this type of setting. This concept is also explored in The Witch, underscoring that this theme is a persistent, collective one, and one which still holds some controversial underpinnings. Jeanne's journey of self-discovery is also one of self-destruction--and subsequent reinvention. The implications of the ending suggest that women are oppressed because they are the dominant force, and the power they have to change the world makes them dangerous and figureheads of change, evidenced by the reference to the French Revolution at the conclusion. And it is a well accepted fact that no revolution was ever started by peaceful resolution.
Recommended for: Fans of a thrilling (and shocking) animated masterpiece which is both horrifying and gorgeous. It is a movie decidedly for adults only, but it is a gripping sensory overload, one which challenges (even dares) the audience to reevaluate their perception of social conventions.