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Fantasy Cult Classic

A surreal odyssey through a war-torn wonderland haunted by unicorns, allegory, and gendered apocalypse.

BLACK MOON

An apocalyptic Alice in Wonderland!

1975 · 1h 41m · R · Fantasy / Horror / Mystery / Science Fiction · IMDB TMDB

There is a war in the world between the men and the women. A young girl tries to escape this reality and comes to a hidden place where a strange unicorn lives with a family: Sister, Brother, many children and an old woman that never leaves her bed but stays in contact with the world through her radio. Since the content of this picture is not as important as the pictures and allegories, the simple plot can not be described further.

Quick Answer

What is Black Moon about?

Black Moon is a 1975 France-Germany fantasy, horror, mystery, and science fiction film directed by Louis Malle about a young woman seeking refuge during a brutal gender-based civil war, only to find herself in a surreal rural world of allegories and strange inhabitants.

Programmer's Pick

Louis Malle’s Black Moon isn’t content to just be strange—it luxuriates in its own surrealism, offering talking flowers, allegorical unicorns, and a civil war where gender is the only side. If you like your fantasy with a dash of existential dread and a serving of visual poetry, this one’s for your midnight watchlist.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Black Moon drops viewers into a dreamlike landscape where Lily, played by Cathryn Harrison, flees a violent gender-based conflict tearing the world apart. Seeking escape from the executions and brutality she witnesses on the road, Lily ventures deeper into the woods, where reality and logic begin to dissolve. Her flight leads her past haunting images: a self-hanged shepherd, militarized women tormenting a captive, and even crying flowers beneath her feet. The surreal only intensifies as she encounters a brown unicorn and mysterious figures who seem to inhabit a hidden, otherworldly domain. Here, allegory and atmosphere overtake plot, immersing the audience in a world that blurs the line between nightmare and fable.

Details & Specs

Director
Louis Malle
Writers
Louis Malle, Joyce Buñuel
Release
1975
Runtime
1h 41m
Country
Germany, France
Language
English, French
Also Known As
Lua Negra, El unicornio, Musta kuu, Fekete Hold, Luna nera, Czarny ksiezyc, O Unicórnio, Svart måne

Why This Matters

Louis Malle's experimental fantasy horror blends French and English dialogue and was showcased at the 1975 New York Film Festival, with North American distribution by 20th Century Fox. The film is dedicated to cast member Therese Giehse, who died shortly after filming.
— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: Louis Malle Writers: Louis Malle +1 more

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Why Cult

Gender Apocalypse

The film’s world is ripped apart by a war between men and women, setting the stage for allegorical mayhem.

Surreal Visuals

Crying flowers, self-hanged shepherds, and a brown unicorn populate a landscape where the rules of reality are on permanent holiday.

Unicorn Mythology

A mysterious unicorn haunts the film’s hidden world, layering the narrative with enigmatic symbolism.

Allegorical Narrative

Black Moon trades conventional storytelling for a sequence of dreamlike, symbolic encounters where meaning is up for interpretation.

Scene Gallery

Threat File

Trigger

Escalation of gender-based civil war

Threat

Systematic executions and violence between men and women

Effect

Forces Lily to flee and encounter surreal dangers

Setting

Fever-dream countryside and hidden chateau

Questions from the Vault

When was Black Moon released? +

Black Moon was released in 1975.

Who directed Black Moon? +

Black Moon was directed by Louis Malle.

How long is Black Moon? +

Black Moon has a runtime of 101 minutes.

What genre is Black Moon? +

Black Moon is a fantasy, horror, mystery, and science fiction film.

Where can I watch Black Moon? +

You can watch Black Moon on SassyFlix.

Trailers & Clips