This Louis Malle film has, until recently, been almost impossible to see since its theatrical debut in 1975. A surreal fantasy film, Black Moon is an atypical entry in Malle’s oeuvre and has never been released in the U.S. on either DVD or VHS. Because of its intriquing premise and unusual position in Malle’s filmography Black Moon has always been on my personal list of desired "lost" films. A year or two back TCM screened this rare title in a late night timeslot. Now, thanks to the Criterion Collection, after almost 40 years of obscurity it is finally available on both DVD and Blu-Ray.
Black Moon is an adult Alice In Wonderland story focusing on an adolescent girl’s bizarre exploits in odd and unknown surroundings. As such, it fits into a sort of sub-genre of European ‘70s cinema that uses the tale of Alice as a template for female escapades in strange fantasy worlds. The minor masterpieces of this sub-genre are Roman Polanski’s What? (1972) and a little-known Czech film from 1970 called Valerie and Her Week of Wonders. (Also somewhat of a “lost” film, What? has never been released on home video in the U.S. but is available on the grey market thanks to an Italian DVD release. Valerie is available on DVD thanks to the wonderful Facets Video.)
Black moon is a little used astronomical term for a month when there are two dark cycles of the moon. In myth this second dark period, the black moon, is a time of heighted magical and spiritual activity. The moon also has deep connections to women in ancient lore, including Luna the Roman goddess of the moon. Both aspects of the title are key components of the film.
The story takes place in the near future where a literal war is raging between men and women. A young girl (thinly disguised as a boy) races in a car down a pastoral road. She witnesses several wartime atrocities on both sides of the gender conflict and, soon after her femininity is revealed, she runs wildly on foot through the countryside and passes out on the grass. Upon waking, she sees what appears to be a small unicorn, but before she can get a closer look it is gone and a woman rides by on a black stallion. The girl follows after the stallion and shortly comes upon an idyllic looking farmhouse.
At this point the film’s tenuous connection to any form of narrative trajectory is completely severed and the girl enters Malle’s surrealistic Wonderland. Outside the farmhouse, a group of naked children playfully chase an enormous pig. Inside the house, even more absurdities abound with a pig in a high chair at the kitchen table, an old woman lying in bed talking to a rat, obtuse messages coming through a radio transmitter, and ants crawling over a piece of cheese. Instead of a potion with a tag saying “Drink Me”, our young Alice sees an abnormally large and temptingly refreshing glass of milk in the middle of the kitchen table. It is almost out of her reach but she is just able to grab it and quench her thirst.
Trying to find a method to the madness of this film is a difficult task, but given the title and the constant allusions to motherhood and sexuality one of the obvious themes is the fear or trepidation a young girl may feel when transforming from adolescence into womanhood. The old woman mocks the girl for having “no bosom” and later laughs when her panties fall down revealing even more intimate areas. In a scene perhaps foreshadowed when the girl thirstily gulps the large glass of milk, she later breastfeeds the old woman when the woman goes into an infantile state and throws a temper tantrum. She also rocks her with a comforting lullaby demonstrating a bizarre acceptance of her maternal instincts.
Her sexuality awakening, the girl meets the gardener who is a strong and virile looking young man. They are able to communicate their thoughts to each other without speech. This is an idealized female view of a romantic relationship. Man and woman completely in synch – a soul mate. Though he is the strong, masculine silent type they are able to connect even without speech.
Phallic imagery is also present throughout, with a snake making several appearances and advances upon the heroine. First he slithers towards the girl as she looks through a dresser drawer and she recoils from him in surprise or fear. Later, when she is sleeping on a bed, the serpent slithers slowly up her leg and beneath her skirt.
Black Moon also uses the familiar image of the unicorn, but turns this imagery upside down. Traditionally, the unicorn is a symbol of chastity and purity and they are often connected with young girls in lore and literature. Legends say they will run away from every human except for innocent or virginal young girls. The unicorn constantly runs away from the girl, which suggests that she is not pure or no longer a virgin. However, this unicorn is not like the unicorns pictured in storybooks. He is a small, dirty brown pony instead of a proud white horse. When the girl finally does corner the unicorn she finds out he talks and that he is not at all fond of her. “What is it you want anyway - chasing after me? You are mean” he says. Offended, she can only disparage him for not being a real unicorn. “Unicorns are slim and white,” she says. Is the girl already a woman and no longer innocent and pure or is the unicorn not a true unicorn? The unicorn appears again in one of the memorable closing scenes when it becomes apparent that the girl is about to breastfeed him. Malle tastefully (perhaps too much so) chooses to leave this scene to the viewer’s imagination.
This film is rich in more imagery and imagination than covered here and there are numerous layers of symbolism and alternative thematic explanations possible. The vivid imagery and beautiful cinematography from the legendary Sven Nykvist keep this surreal fantasy fresh even after repeat viewings. Black Moon deserves its place next to the other classics of this sub-genre and is highly recommended. Available from Criterion on Blu-Ray and DVD.
