This is a striking poster. It was made for the 1970 West German movie Mädchen mit Gewalt, which in Japan was called Shiki-jou Gunrentai, and in English was called The Brutes, among other titles. Basically it’s about two sexual predators who meet Helga Anders at a go-kart track and manage to maneuver her to a remote quarry, where they intend to have their way with her. It’s an indication of how strange the movie is that its remainder, all seventy minutes of it, takes place in that quarry. Without getting into too much detail, cooperation between the two guys devolves into a deadly enmity, leading to an ending that will provoke comment. It all sounds pretty dodgy, we know, but it’s a serious movie, not any sort of nudie flick meant to appeal to your mini-brain. In fact, the most titillating moment you’ll get is when you see Astrid Boner’s name in the credits. This is real cinema, with a real attempt at a message. Successful? Well… Mädchen mit Gewalt premiered in Germany in 1970, and reached Japan today in 1971.
