In about 2000 the Czech animation genius Jan Svankmajer started on his “horror” film called Sileni (Lunacy). Sileni is being called an elaborate blend of live-action, high-tech animation, perverse and bizzare portraits of its main characters, a Marquis de Sade type (Jan Triska) and a very naive and mentally troubled Jean Berlot (Pavel Liska).

The story is loosely based on the life of the Marquis and “The Premature Burial” by Edgar Allen Pole. In 1962 Roger Corman attempted an adaptation for the screen of this same Poe novel starring Ray Milland of “The Lost Weekend” and “Dial M for Murder” fame.

This new outing by Svankmajer uses all the latest in cinematic and animation technology to pull out all the stops in a very non-sensitive and over the top imagery that nears on perfect illustration of very troubling themes of debauchery, good versus evil, freedom and oppression and the fine line between discipline and repression.

One note of caution: This is not fare for children so leave the kiddies home. Sileni is purely adult viewing and only for adults with exceptionally strong dispositions and stomachs.

Sileni also stars Anna Geislerova, Martin Huba and Jaroslav Dusek. There is still no official word on the release date, but production reportedly wrapped up about two months ago. You can view the TRAILER HERE.