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Belladonna of Sadness
哀しみのベラドンナ
1973 87 min Japan 18+
★7.5
Animation, Drama, Fantasy
Director: Eiichi Yamamoto
📖 Based on the novel
«Satanism and Witchcraft»
byJules Michelet
Trailers
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Description
An evil feudal lord rapes a village girl on her wedding night and proceeds to ruin her and her husband's lives. After she's eventually banished from her village, the girl makes a pact with the devil to gain magical ability and take revenge.
US Gross:
$105,841
Starring
Aiko Nagayama
Actor
Chinatsu Nakayama
Actor
Masaya Takahashi
Actor
Awards
Berlin International Film Festival 1973
— Golden Bear
Key opinion
Belladonna of Sadness is a polarizing piece of 1970s experimental animation defined by its radical visual style and stark narrative simplicity. While many viewers celebrate its pioneering psychedelic aesthetics and haunting artistry, others find the storytelling repetitive and the character development severely lacking.
| Production | The film utilizes a stunning, avant-garde aesthetic, masterfully blending watercolor, ink, and psychedelic 1960s animation techniques to create a unique visual kaleidoscope. | |
| Score | The soundtrack delivers a mournful, atmospheric instrumental score that successfully captures the film's somber, dreamlike tone. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative suffers from a lack of substance, with critics pointing to a weak, repetitive script that reduces its protagonist to a one-dimensional erotic object. | |
| Pacing | Opinions on the pacing and structure are divided: some find the static, hypnotic rhythm immersive and meditative, while others perceive the film as tedious, stagnant, and lacking necessary momentum. |