Piero Schivazappa
The psychedelic design inspired by the illustrations of Cluade Joubert, the writings of Henry Miller, the sculptures of Niki de Saint Phalle and the music by Stelvio Cipriani is the right putline for a story focused on the roles of the two sexes in mondern society, a discourse that still today it is perfectly up-to-date and far from finished. A sadistic amalgamation of power subversions. The protagonists, played by Philippe Leroy and Dagmar Lassander, are actors – in the sociological meaning of the term – of a situationist experiment, a 'staged game', in which the representation of masochism and the prevarication of man over woman occurs in half between the artistic avant-garde, the bloodiest chronicles and academic analysis.
Dr.Sayer, director of a philantropic institute, grew up with the fear of embrace following childhood trauma: he fears that the woman behaves, in love, like the female of certain scorpions, which kills the male with who, she is coupled. The complex has made him a paid female tellers: the macabre game takes place, every weekend, in his apartment, equipped with all sorts of torture instruments. One day, having missed one of his usual victims, he takes the opportunityof a visit from the secretary, Merle, to reduce the woman in his power. Torturing her, threatening her with every moment of death and showing her evidence of previous crimes, Sayer urges Merle to attempt suicide.
All the rosary of S&M tortures and tortures that Sayer submits Mary are nothing but the affirmation of their defeat, both physical and intellectual, towards women. Woman who wants to be overwhelmed, submissive and humiliated but who already in the condition of victim demonstrates the superiority so much opposed by Sayer. Schivazappa both the director and writed of The Laughing Woman (a.k.a Femina Ridens) masters the environment of his sordid tale with wonderfully weird and fantastical set designs the battle of the sexes on erotic acid.
The Laughing Woman
director PIERO SCHIVAZAPPA
year 1969
director of photography PIERO SCHIVAZAPPA
cast PHILIPPE LEROY, DAGMAR LASSANDER
words SILVIA GAIA MARCELLI
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