DONKEY SKIN, a lyrical fantasy based on a fairy tale by Charles Perrault, takes place in a mythical kingdom where a queen's dying wish is that her husband remarry someone more beautiful than she. Unfortunately that woman turns out to be their daughter (played by Deneuve). After consulting her Fairy, the Princess conceives several schemes to escape her father, finally escaping in the skin of his favorite donkey and hiding in the outer reaches of the kingdom. In her new persona of "Donkey Skin," the princess lives life as a simple scullion, but eventually a handsome prince discovers the princess in hiding.

Jacques Demy takes his unique and musical vision to the world of fairy tales in this fantastical film. Based on a story by Charles Perrault, DONKEY SKIN takes place in an amorphous medieval kingdom of a king (Jean Marais), his queen, and their beautiful daughter, the princess (Catherine Deneuve). When the queen dies, the king takes an oath that he will only marry a woman more beautiful than she. Unable to find such a woman, the king settles upon the unlikely candidate of his daughter. In horror the princess flees, helped by her sassy fairy godmother (Delphine Seyrig). Mystical, surreal, and fantastical events as well as several musical numbers by Demy's longtime collaborator, Michel Legrand, lead the princess to flee the castle in the skin of her father's favorite donkey (it had bowel movements of jewels and gold). Her new existence as a filthy scullion named "Donkey Skin" is thankless and sad, and the princess longs for love. When a neighboring Prince comes to town a romance is born, and proceedings of epic fairy tale proportions lead the prince and the former princess "Donkey Skin" together, bringing this extravagantly filmed, whimsical and decorative tale full circle.

DVD Features:

Keep Case
Audio:
(unspecified) - French
Subtitles - English
Additional Release Material:
Interviews: Mag Bodard
Original French Theatrical Trailer

Catherine Deneuve: French actress
Jean Marais: French Actor
Jacques Perrin: French Actor/Producer
Micheline Presle: French Actress

Jacques Demy: French Director

"...Gently charming, opulently beautiful and slyly humorous..."
"Demy's use of colour is ingenious, the Michel Legrand music is as enchanting as ever..."