As a young girl in Japan, Nagiko's father paints characters on her face, and her aunt reads to her from "The Pillow Book", the diary of a 10th-century lady-in-waiting. Nagiko grows up, ... See full summary »
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A mute woman along with her young daughter, and her prized piano, are sent to 1850s New Zealand for an arranged marriage to a wealthy landowner, and she's soon lusted after by a local worker on the plantation.
Based on a true story set in pre-war Japan, a man and one of his servants begin a torrid affair. Their desire becomes a sexual obsession so strong that to intensify their ardor, they ... See full summary »
A young Parisian woman begins a sordid affair with a middle-aged American businessman who lays out ground rules that their clandestine relationship will be based only on sex.
Director:
Bernardo Bertolucci
Stars:
Marlon Brando,
Maria Schneider,
Maria Michi
After her mother commits suicide, nineteen year old Lucy Harmon travels to Italy to have her picture painted. However, she has other reasons for wanting to go. She wants to renew her ... See full summary »
Young nobleman Orlando is commanded by Queen Elizabeth I to stay forever young. Miraculously, he does just that. The film follows him as he moves through several centuries of British ... See full summary »
Two girlfriends on a summer holiday in Spain become enamored with the same painter, unaware that his ex-wife, with whom he has a tempestuous relationship, is about to re-enter the picture.
Director:
Woody Allen
Stars:
Rebecca Hall,
Scarlett Johansson,
Christopher Evan Welch
As a young girl in Japan, Nagiko's father paints characters on her face, and her aunt reads to her from "The Pillow Book", the diary of a 10th-century lady-in-waiting. Nagiko grows up, obsessed with books, papers, and writing on bodies, and her sexual odyssey (and the creation of her own Pillow Book) is a "parfait mélange" of classical Japanese, modern Chinese, and Western film images. Written by
Michael C. Berch <mcb@postmodern.com>
The keeping of pillow books to record poems, secrets, and encounters with lovers was a common practice of noble women in Heian Japan. Although its content is unrelated to the film, a famous example was written by Sei Shonagon at about the same time as Lady Murasaki's The Tale of Genji which has the honor of being the world's first novel. In fact, it has been said that Sei Shonogon and Lady Murasaki were rivals in the court of Heian. See more »
Goofs
Mike visible during wide shot when Nagiko kneels and Jerome signs his name on her back. 01:03:59 into the film on PAL DVDs. See more »
Quotes
Nagiko:
When God made the first clay model of a human being, He painted in the eyes... the lips... and the sex. And then He painted in each person's name lest the person should ever forget it. If God approved of His creation, He brought the painted clay model into life by signing His own name.
See more »
Seems most, if not all, movies today are so formulaic (I can only watch so much Jane Austen: Bridget Jones' Diary, Cold Comfort Farm, others?). A revenge/love story, this picture made me fall in love with Ewan McGregor! Such a skilled actor at such an early age and willing to go to such extremes! Because the acting, camera and editing were so fabulous, this movie could have easily been without words.
Ewan's character was so innocent and gullible. The female lead's character was very strong and overpowering. Imagine being in the position of having to protect your father and then seek vengeance on his destroyer. And such a small delicate woman.
While there were some awkward moments revealing the immaturity of the female lead and some disgusting circumstances propelling her toward revenge, in all, I have to rate this movie excellent for the editing, camera, story, and high impact acting. It was very moving.
11 of 16 people found this review helpful.
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Seems most, if not all, movies today are so formulaic (I can only watch so much Jane Austen: Bridget Jones' Diary, Cold Comfort Farm, others?). A revenge/love story, this picture made me fall in love with Ewan McGregor! Such a skilled actor at such an early age and willing to go to such extremes! Because the acting, camera and editing were so fabulous, this movie could have easily been without words.
Ewan's character was so innocent and gullible. The female lead's character was very strong and overpowering. Imagine being in the position of having to protect your father and then seek vengeance on his destroyer. And such a small delicate woman.
While there were some awkward moments revealing the immaturity of the female lead and some disgusting circumstances propelling her toward revenge, in all, I have to rate this movie excellent for the editing, camera, story, and high impact acting. It was very moving.