Belladonna of Sadness

Cinelicious Pics, SpectreVision and the Cinefamily have joined forces to present a newly restored 4K version of the long-unseen 1973 Japanese anime feature, Belladonna of Sadness. Never officially released in the United States, the beautiful and wildly surreal Belladonna was adapted from writer Jules Michelet's 1862 proto-feminist, occult novel La Sorciere.

"Although it was too far-out there and explicit for distributors in America in the early 1970s, I think cinema audiences have finally caught up with Belladonna," says Dennis Bartok, EVP of Cinelicious Pics, noting "The film combines Tolkien-style medieval fantasy, demonic tarot-card imagery by way of artists like Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele and Guido Crepax, graphic and disturbing eroticism, and a mindblowing, fuzz-stoked psychedelic soundtrack."

...

Prior to the film's theatrical, Blu-ray and VOD release in 2016, Belladonna of Sadness will be screened at several prestigious film festivals, both in the United States and internationally, to be announced shortly.

Belladonna of Sadness was the final film in the adult-oriented "Animerama Trilogy," all of which were directed by Eiichi Yamamoto (the classic "Astro Boy" and "Kimba the White Lion" TV series) and produced by Japanese anime and manga legend Osamu Tezuka's Mushi Productions.

via twitch



Sounds frickin awesome afaic.

I hope the siskel film center brings it to Chicago. It reads like a wonderful film to enjoy.

Wow this sounds incredible, had never heard of this series before but really hoping for a NYC theatrical release now.

need moar tentacles

Interested in this. I love late 60's/early 70's experimental animation. Apparently there was a DVD box rset of the trilogy released in 2004, but it seems it was only Region 2. Thanks for bringing this to my attention!

Apparently there was a DVD box rset of the trilogy released in 2004, but it seems it was only Region 2.

Argh - would have been good enough for me, but went completely under my radar. Never heard of the trilogy until today...

Belladonna of Sadness is NOT screening in Detroit. Shit.

It is, however, coming to a lot of your towns:
http://www.cineliciouspics.com/belladonna-of-sadness/
Lucky ducks.

We carry the album at my job! They did a screening at Cinefamiy in LA...I didn't see it though.

Screening at the SF Drafthouse. Got our tickets and am now working on coming to terms with the fact that this film bankrupted Osamu Tezuka's film studio.

Seeing it in NYC this Monday, beyond excited!

It was gorgeous. I honestly want to see it again already and if they released this 4k remaster on DVD or streaming I would absolutely buy it.

It really was stunning. I have never quite seen animation like that, or ever will again. The ending really took me for a turn too, was not expecting that - in a great way.

Good news - they are releasing via BluRay and Digital! I really want this limited edition boxed set, the art is just so gorgeous.

http://hatandbeard.bigcartel.com/produc ... -sadness-i

It really was stunning. I have never quite seen animation like that, or ever will again. The ending really took me for a turn too, was not expecting that - in a great way.

Good news - they are releasing via BluRay and Digital! I really want this limited edition boxed set, the art is just so gorgeous.

http://hatandbeard.bigcartel.com/produc ... -sadness-i

Purchased. This is gonna be my girlfriends bday present. an Art book, 2 posters, the Blu-ray, an enamel pin, and a postcard. Too perfect!

We are showing it here at the local indie place and I get to host it

So jealous... I was able to take this one in a little over 8 years ago, thanks to the custom sub underground, but the print for the transfer was pretty worn. Still mindblowing, to be sure, but I wanna see it BIG AND PRETTY! NOW!

This trailer reflects the quality of the old DVD pretty well:

Not bad, exactly, but quite muted all around.

Poor me, I know... maybe this will finally get me to invest in this newfangled Blu-ray technology.

Yeah, while it's true that I do have a certain soft spot for the old, grainy versions of these films as we've know them (and even the shakey title sequences), I would just adore seeing this in full blast definition on the big screen. I envy those who can take part in the experience. I am sure the bluray is probably going to be fantastic as well, you should grab one D - if only so I can hear the full report. You can kind of get the impression of the differences with the new restored trailer:

NSFW