With a bizarre plot and a crazy color palette, Donkey Skin is the kind of gem that only the early 70s could produce.
The Big Picture When people think of crazy fairy tale adaptations, their mind usually wanders off to a number of very specific paths. Some are immediately reminded of comedic, ironic approaches to classic children’s stories, such as Shrek or its less remembered cousin Hoodwinked. Others go to movies that add a macabre, twisted element to our beloved fables, from the horror of Gretel and Hansel to the eroticism of The Company of Wolves. There’s a good reason for that.
What Is 'Donkey Skin' About? Donkey Skin is the story of a princess, played in Demy’s movie by French diva Catherine Deneuve, trying to escape the advances of her incestuous father. The story begins with a king in a prosperous kingdom — made all the more wealthy by the presence of a donkey that poops gold and diamonds — making a promise to his wife on her deathbed. The promise is that he shall never remarry unless he finds another woman more beautiful than his current queen.
Oh, and did we mention that they arrive at the ceremony on a helicopter? At least in Demy’s version of the story, the fairy godmother has time-traveling abilities, and thus her scenes in the movie are decorated with modern devices such as telephones. But, apart from this small addition, the film’s plot is extremely faithful to its source material.
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