Cinelicious Pics restoring Belladonna of Sadness for US release

[chronoclast]

http://www.cineliciouspics.com/indie...na-of-sadness/

INDIEWIRE: Cinelicious Pics Restoring Animated Masterpiece BELLADONNA OF SADNESS for U.S. Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 29, 2014 | 9:00AM PT

Cinelicious Pics has signed an exclusive deal to restore and distribute the long-unavailable 1973 Japanese animated masterpiece BELLADONNA OF SADNESS, as its first major restoration and re-release. The last film in the groundbreaking Animerama trilogy produced by the godfather of Japanese anime & manga, Osamu Tezuka (METROPOLIS, ASTRO BOY) and directed by his long time collaborator Eiichi Yamamoto, BELLADONNA is a mad, swirling, psychedelic lightshow of medieval tarot-card imagery with horned demons and haunted forests. Never before released in the U.S., BELLADONNA OF SADNESS unfolds as a series of spectacular still watercolor paintings that bleed and twist together like an animated version of Chris Marker’s LA JETEE. Cinelicious will restore the feature using the original 35mm camera negative and sound elements in anticipation of a 2015 theatrical, VOD, and home video re-release in North America.

Cinelicious Pics, which launched earlier this year, is uniquely positioned to restore film through its parent company Cinelicious. “It took months of negotiations to convince the Japanese rightsholders to entrust us with the original camera negative of the film which we’re restoring in-house,” says Cinelicious Pics’ President Paul Korver. “People will be simply blown away by the wild, hallucinatory images and soundtrack,” he adds. “BELLADONNA OF SADNESS belongs on a short list with Rene Laloux’s FANTASTIC PLANET and Ralph Bakshi’s WIZARDS as one of the trippiest animated films ever conceived,” adds Cinelicious Pics’ EVP of Acquisitions & Distribution Dennis Bartok. “This is a major rediscovery – and I have to give credit to Hadrian Belove at The Cinefamily here in L.A. for bringing the film to our attention.”

An innocent young woman, Jean (voiced by Katsutaka Ito) is savagely assaulted by the local lord on her wedding night. To take revenge, she makes a pact with the Devil himself (voiced by Tatsuya Nakadai, from Akira Kurosawa’s RAN) who appears as an erotic sprite and transforms her into a black-robed vision of madness and desire. The film is fueled by a Japanese psych rock soundtrack by Masahiko Sato. The deal was negotiated by Cinelicious Pics’ President Paul Korver, President of Business Affairs Kristine Blumensaadt and EVP Dennis Bartok with Japanese rightsholders Gold View Co. and Mushi Productions.

[Bubblegum2032]

Good news indeed. A very deranged and surreal film, one that I never thought I'd see released out here.
Coincidentally I bought it on laserdisc just a couple weeks ago haha.

Here's hoping the other two in the Mushi Pro Animerama film trilogy; Cleopatra and A Thousand and one Nights, receive similar treatment.

[UseY0ur1llusi0n]

Fantastic! Love the animation style of this, looks super trippy/atmospheric and something right up my alley. If it's anything like this this surreal experience, they should compare compare brilliantly.

And the best news of all:

Cinelicious will restore the feature using the original 35mm camera negative and sound elements in anticipation of a 2015 theatrical, VOD, and home video re-release in North America.

[Tiberius]

Originally Posted by UseY0ur1llusi0n

If it's anything like this this surreal experience, they should compare compare brilliantly.

This movie is a lot crazier. If you look around for reviews, "acid trip" comes up very often.

[Yami]

Great news! It's a beautifully animated film

[UseY0ur1llusi0n]

Originally Posted by Tiberius

This movie is a lot crazier. If you look around for reviews, "acid trip" comes up very often.

...Awesome.

[Gehirn]

Should look pretty good on bluray, hope to pick it up when it releases.

[Herry Dunston]

Is this the movie that inspired Kunihiko Ikuhara to direct Utena?

[Bubblegum2032]

Originally Posted by Herry Dunston

Is this the movie that inspired Kunihiko Ikuhara to direct Utena?

Supposedly. Certainly from a visual perceptive, Utena shares similarities with Kanashimi No Belladonna.

[varmintx]

This week's Mike Toole Show goes into some of the history of this title and a few similar ones.

[UseY0ur1llusi0n]

I missed this twitter post from the 29th of November.

[Cat III]

This is one anime classic that I'm unfamiliar with. I hope to remedy that soon. Good news.

[Craig-Rogers]

One of the most exciting projects I've worked on. If you love movies and truly care about quality restorations be sure to follow us on facebook and twitter to keep up to date. There's more very exciting stuff on the horizon.

https://www.facebook.com/cineliciouspics

https://twitter.com/cinelicious

[UseY0ur1llusi0n]

Originally Posted by spiffnme

One of the most exciting projects I've worked on. If you love movies and truly care about quality restorations be sure to follow us on facebook and twitter to keep up to date. There's more very exciting stuff on the horizon.

https://www.facebook.com/cineliciouspics

https://twitter.com/cinelicious

Oh goody! Color me stoked!

[Thomas Guycott]

You had me sold at "inspired...Utena."

[GasmaskAvenger]

Didn't really care for all that much when I last this movie a few years back, but I wouldn't mind adding it to my collection in a such a delicately remastered form.

[UseY0ur1llusi0n]

[Craig-Rogers]

I'll be posting images of our Belladonna work in our official thread here.

[Craig-Rogers]

We've got a tumblr page up for our Belladonna restoration now as well.

[Norbie]

Originally Posted by spiffnme

We've got a tumblr page up for our Belladonna restoration now as well.

I would love it if prints or posters of images from the film were also available for purchase.

Pretty please.......