I think I saw this when it was new. Hard to remember, because I don't think it had much effect on me. If it did, it has far less now.The idea here is that we see creeping malevolence made crisp by showing it among preteens an setting it in a sort of ruined forest-city. There's nudity, sex and murder placed so that we will fall into a pattern of being shocked, and walk away disturbed. The filmmakers at the time said that the intent was to let that disturbance seep in for a few days and bond with the notion of exploitation of humans by other humans. Here is is men of women, but their intent was more universal (if you can believe it). The reference to the "Blue Mountain" seems a deliberate reference to national socialism. The problem is that it just doesn't work. Its too blunt. Sure some of the settings have power, and it is novel seeing young people having sex. But the basic qualities that could creep under our skin are missing. The three kids here just don't have the talent they needed to make this really disturb. The director muffs the ending. The sex, which is supposed to be so controversial is clumsily fake.So I cannot really recommend this. You may have a hard time finding it in its original version, and that fact is more interesting than the movie itself. When this was made, it was (and still is) arguably on the "redeeming art" side of the pornography equation. It doesn't matter that many folks suck at this for its prurient elements, the fact is that it should exist and be seen and judged on its merits.It will not be, at least not legally in my lifetime. That's because since this was made, the internet has opened a whole new supply and demand ecosystem for child pornography, and draconian laws have been universally passed by a coalition of the merely outraged and those actually intent on protecting children. So even if these were "adults" (meaning over 18) pretending to be children, or cartoon figures, this is illegal. But surely there is a difference between a serious film made with consent and fake sex, with pretensions to being worthwhile, and exploitive prepubescent pornography. And since when do 18 year old kids magically become less inept at life?Anyway, I don't this is worth the battle. Others obviously do.Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

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.

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!!

Once in a great while a film comes along that is so unique and controversial that one must take notice. Maladolescenza is such a film. A powerful study of that specific time in life when one is still a child, but just at the threshold of becoming an adult. Laura is around 12 years old, hopelessly in love with Fabrizio, a boy a few years her senior. It is summer, and the two spend their days in a fairytale-like forest, where Fabrizio imagines himself King, looking for his Queen that will stay by his side for all time. Even though he treats her savagely, she wants to stay with him. Of course she must return to her home in the evenings. Watching the way Fabrizio terrorizes this sweet girl is not easy. The film takes this route for a while, with only these two characters present. The character of Laura is established as the victim, And Fabrizio is the abusive and controlling bully. Then one day another little girl appears. The doll-like Sylvia is stereotypically beautiful, and just too "glamourous" and sexual for a twelve year old. So much so, that it is downright creepy. Sylvia is also arrogant, and incredibly vicious, in the way that only girls of this age can be. It seems that Fabrizio has met his match in Sylvia, and when the two of them join forces the result is utterly sinister. Together they begin a campaign of sheer terror against the hapless Laura, who just doesn't get the reason for all the cruelty. And when given the chance to walk away from the increasingly painful situation, she doesn't do it, choosing instead to stay, most likely out of the desperate need to belong and to be accepted by her peers. Laura must stand by and watch the boy she loves have sex with the spiteful Sylvia, in one of the films most shocking scenes, as Sylvia asks in a sugary sweet voice, "Don't you wish that it could be you?". In another equally disturbing scene, the pair torture and kill a bird by shooting arrows through the creature while again, Laura watches in silent horror. More disturbing still is that the scene is not simulated. One thing that makes the film so powerful is the way it constantly swings back and forth between scenes very beautiful, such as the kids playing and laughing as pretty music plays, before the scenes change into horror. Throughout the film I kept remembering another film similar in theme; "Lord of the Flies", another film which deals with the dark side of children. However "Maladolescenza" goes further into the theme, examining the absolute horror of "innocent evil." It is filled with so much disturbing imagery that I was tempted to turn it off. However that would have been impossible; The film is morbidly fascinating, strangely hypnotic. Notorious for it's depictions of graphic sex, and deservedly so. The nudity is explicit, and there is not one sex scene that plays without some undercurrent of violence and hostility. The whole thing is violent from start to finish, but the violence is mostly in the psychological mind games and power struggles within the group. In one scene, the much-abused Laura puts on the pretty dress of Sylvia, while the girl is off with Fabrizio, and admires herself in a gold mirror, also belonging to Sylvia. She poses herself in the same arrogant way, wanting so much to be strong, to be in the other girls place. Needless to say the film ends in an equally tragic and horrific way. I wanted to dislike this film, but it's power cannot be denied. I don't know anything about the filmmaker, or what his intentions were. Was he some twisted pervert, or a man with a truly dark and brilliant vision? Who knows? I guess the only thing that matters here is the end result; a film of extreme power, and insight, and beauty. "Maladolescenza" seems to have a profound message concerning the painful experiences of youth. It understands what it is like for a boy Fabrizio's age to be consumed with the conflicting and overwhelming feelings of love, lust, hate, insecurity, and terror at the thought of being left alone. I doubt there will ever be another film quite like this unique work. Certainly a milestone in underground cinema that will unfortunately only be seen by a very select few.