Maladolescencia

Normally depicting the kind of cruelty that children are capable of is limited to works of fantasy such as William Golding's Lord of the Flies. Maladolescenza, a German-Italian production from 1977, however, deals with it in a way that is powerfully real – showing in graphic terms adolescent bullying and use of sex as an instrument of domination. Because of its depictions of children in sexual situations, however, it has been banned in many countries, most recently in Germany in 2006. While I'm not entirely clear about the purpose and intent of the director, I did not find it to be any more salacious than the films of Larry Clark and even more beautifully realized and honest. Please be advised, however, that Maladolescenza is a very disturbing film and is not recommended for those offended by cruelty to animals (in this case – a bird) or children presented in the nude and in threatening situations.

Set to an original score by Pippo Caruso based on medieval songs and dances, the film takes place in a brooding forest that holds the ruins of an ancient city. There are only three actors in the film and they deliver memorable performances. Two adolescents, Fabrizio (Martin Loeb) and Laura (Lara Wendel), live close to the edge of the forest and spend their summer holidays playing together as they have for many years. 12-year old Laura is in love with Fabrizio and teases him sexually but he responds only by taunting and frightening her. Like most bullies, however, he knows just when to let up in order to reassure his victim and give her a false sense of security. When the two discover the mysterious old city, Fabrizio declares himself to be king, but in order for Laura to be queen, she must first be able to win the cruel tests he has devised.

Among these are having a snake thrown on top of you as you lay on the ground and being chased by a snarling dog through the woods. Laura, like many willing victims, proclaims her trust in Fabrizio in spite of his sadism and his killing of her pet bird. When they at last make love together, however, it is done with tenderness and the film shows Fabrizio as good hearted when it suits his own purposes. When a new 13-year old girl, Sylvia (Eva Ionesco), joins the group on the invitation of two friends, things do not work to Laura's advantage. Sylvia, unlike Laura, is manipulative and cold and soon she and Fabrizio join forces to humiliate and frighten Laura, at one time compelling her to run through the woods while they shoot bows and arrows at her while wearing terrifying masks.

Realizing that Fabrizio and Sylvia have fallen for each other, Laura heartbreakingly begins to dress and act like Sylvia to win back Fabrizio's affection but without success. As the summer nears an end, Fabrizio is determined that Sylvia will never leave him alone and the result is a senseless tragedy that could have been easily averted. Although the setting is idyllic, under the skillful direction of Pier Murgia, Maladolescenza maintains a constant atmosphere of impending threat. While the story can be seen as a metaphor for the confusing currents of puberty, it can also be interpreted as symbolic of the loss of innocence and the misdirection of sexual energy into avenues of power and domination, perhaps an underlying theme in the history of the Third Reich.

A typical 70s Italian coming of age film, original and good music, but with some quirks, interesting but not fantastic photography, poor and at times confused storyline (e.g. the role of the wolf-dog, and where does the boy come from?) with poor dialogue, nice ambiance.

The reason it is still (relatively) well-known and sought after is probably the nude scenes (including typical 70s pseudo-coitus) involving an 11 and 13 year old girl with an older teenage boy (Eva Ionesco and Laura Wendel) - it is interesting from a socio-political point of view to see how these representations of very young adolescents was considered acceptable and normal in the whole of Europe (and US) 30 years ago, whereas now it is more than taboo.

The story revolves round bullying of one girl (Laura) by the other two characters, and her discovery of sex, a quite accurate representation of an aspect teenage life. The character of Eva (Silvia) does not evolve to the very end of the film and already appears very versed in the erotic arts - there is no "coming of age" for her: she is a very vain young girl who is already aware of her sexual charms, but ultimately is just used and ends the film crying like the little girl she really still is. The boy is an utterly despicable bully, while Laura comes across as a very naive and weak victim.

This is one of the most banned movies or highly cut movies at all times, Cannibal Holocaust was banned in 33 countries, but when the time was right it became available all over the world. Maladolescenza never did. In 2002 there was a movie Ken Park that was discussed and been cut due the fact that adolescents were naked in the movie and Adam Chubbuck was in a controversial shot on the cover that was released. But the film wasn't banned because they were over 18 years old. Back in the seventies and especially at the end of that era everything could be done. The rise of the slashers, the glory days of (s)exploitation and the 42nd sleaze. But one thing people couldn't stand, the use or abuse of children. They still should be innocent. But some flicks dared the viewer to watch something different. In 1975 The Psychopath came out, a story about a looney children's television show host taking revenge when 'his kids' were punished from their parents, shown on screen. Beatings with a belt, what was normal in the seventies was shown. The movie never got a proper release. 1976 took it a bit further, Assault on Precinct 13 came out, a girl is shot in her face by an ice cream man. That scene had to been cut out, nowadays it's funny in some way, then it was a real shocker. 1989 brought us, Beware Children at Play. Children are killing adults but the adults take their revenge by killing the children. Never got a proper release and it was spit out by the journalists. But sometimes their was that special one, 1976, France brought us, Une Vraie Jeune Fille. Charlotte Alexandra played a 14 year old girl going on holiday on a farm with her uncle and aunt. Being bored she starts to exploit her body. One scene was much spoken about, she experiments with a worm running on her private parts. The movie was banned but is now available uncut. The age of Charlotte at the time being was never known, but she must have been around her twenties. The only thing known was that she was born at the end of the fifties. So she was an adult. One year later German/Italie brought us Maladolescenza. Again a story about a boy living in his own world and exploiting young girls to examen his/their bodies. Once it was known that it all was shown in an explicit way the movie became banned. There was nudity in it from the two girls, only 13 and 11 years old, showing their private parts and breasts. The only versions that were available was a cut version of 77 minutes, not the full 90 minutes. But the movie had a problem, showing young girls explicit it was an ideal movie for pedophiles. Well sought by them all copies were destroyed but of course some people had the full uncut versions. It was almost unavailable full uncut until in 2006 Andreas Bethmann brought out the full uncut on his X Rated Kult label as Spielen Wir Liebe only to be sold in Germany, of course that didn't work out and it was banned again. in some countries people went to jail just by buying this flick. There is a lot said about this flick, is it childpornography or not. Just let me tell that it was an official release, and the two girls were never forced to undress. But still, nowadays the word pedophile is a hot item and the movie is still banned. Even on ebay it is on the banned item list. Sometimes it pops up under Spielen Wir Liebe or Puppy Love. And guess what, it goes for a lot of money. So far no retailer dares to sell it. Probeply the most hard to get item on the net and at Conventions. All I want to say, if you can get a full uncut try to go back in those days were everything was possible. And still their will be voyeurs and pedo's searching for it, but it isn't that if you watch a horror you become a killer that if you watch this one that you will go hunting innocent children.

Having grown up in Amsterdam,Holland, where our liberal ideas are pretty much the norm, I have to say that I cannot understand why this movie caused so many problems when it came out! Sure, it is a movie of the 70's when peace and love were still there amongst a lot of old and younger people in Holland. I saw the film on a good DVD version last year and thought it was a love story about youth, rite of passage and growing up. The music in the background was pretty dire and some of the scenes were a bit dull (what was the snake scene all about??) but generally it wasn't a bad film. If some people get wound up about preteen nudity, then all I can say is they should get a life!!

Often beautiful at a visual level, poignant on its directorial style, joyful but nostalgic at the same time, and ultimately a satisfactory experience for the all-rounded, open-minded viewer (you may want to stay clear, and while at it also to spare us from a certain neo-medieval kind of retarded comments, if you happen not to be one).

You may love this movie, you may hate it, or you may simply end up wondering what's all the controversy about and why is it still banned or heavily censored in certain so-called "advanced" countries.

One thing is certain: if you like film in general, you should watch it (there's a great new DVD available from Germany, with English subtitles).

Not only because it's a centerpiece both of cinema styles and social perspectives in change and of its own author's career and I dare say, personal life, but also because it's one of those rare, last standing moments of sheer honesty which are representative of a bygone era, and indirectly also representative of how close-minded and hypocrite our western world has become in the past two decades, in direct contrast with what should be expected from a society which repeatedly acknowledges itself (no one else probably would, and clearly DON'T) as the most "advanced" - making it all the more ironic that this simple but interesting movie IS, after all, all about the loss of innocence and youth.