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The Pillow Book

Vivian Wu (Actor), Ewan McGregor (Actor), Peter Greenaway (Director) Rated:
NR
Format: DVD
IMDb6.5/10.0
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Genre Drama
Format NTSC, Color, Dolby, Closed-captioned
Contributor Akihiko Nishida, Yoshi Oida, Barbara Lott, Kentaro Matsuo, Vivian Wu, Peter Greenaway, Nguyen Duc Nhan, Shiho Takamatsu, Ewan McGregor, Dehong Chen, Chizuru Ohnishi, Ken Mitsuishi, Lynne Langdon, Hideko Yoshida, Miwako Kawai, Hisashi Hidaka, Judy Ongg, Yutaka Honda, Ham-Chau Luong, Ken Ogata See more
Language Japanese
Runtime 2 hours and 6 minutes
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Product Description

Product Description

Three experiences make an indelible impression in a young girl's childhood: her father's tender calligraphy on her face and neck, the text of a noblewoman's sensual diary (or pillow book), and the discovery that her father is being blackmailed. These three images become a single obsession when the girl becomes a woman (Vivian Wu of The Joy Luck Club) and meets a man (Trainspotting's Ewan McGregor) who offers his body to her, both as a blank page to write upon and as a weapon of revenge. Beautiful to behold and impossible to forget.

Amazon.com

Peter Greenaway (The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, Drowning by Numbers) continues to delight and disturb us with his talent for combining storytelling with optic artistry. The Pillow Book is divided into 10 chapters (consistent with Greenaway's love of numbers and lists) and is shot to be viewed like a book, complete with tantalizing illustrations and footnotes (subtitles) and using television's "screen-in-screen" technology. As a child in Japan, Nagiko's father celebrates her birthday retelling the Japanese creation myth and writing on her flesh in beautiful calligraphy, while her aunt reads a list of "beautiful things" from a 10th-century pillow book. As she gets older, Nagiko (Vivian Wu) looks for a lover with calligraphy skills to continue the annual ritual. She is initially thrilled when she encounters Jerome (Ewan McGregor), a bisexual translator who can speak and write several languages, but soon realizes that although he is a magnificent lover, his penmanship is less than acceptable. When Nagiko dismisses the enamored Jerome, he suggests she use his flesh as the pages which to present her own pillow book. The film, complete with a musical score as international as the languages used in the narration, is visually hypnotic and truly an immense "work of art." --Michele Goodson

Product details

  • Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.33:1
  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 5.38 x 0.6 inches; 4 ounces
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Peter Greenaway
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, Color, Dolby, Closed-captioned
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 6 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ December 15, 1998
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Vivian Wu, Ewan McGregor, Ken Ogata, Hideko Yoshida, Yoshi Oida
  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
  • Language ‏ : ‎ Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Columbia Tristar Home Video
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0767819772
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
260 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Jef Cameron
5.0 out of 5 stars LONG OVERDUE FOR A CATCH-UP!
Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2011
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I sincerely wish Mr. Greenaway would consider taking a couple months out of his busy filmmaking schedule to revisit this MASTERPIECE and give us a restored Bluray Disc of "The Pillow Book." The Criterion Collection would do well to add "TPB" to its lineup of master works of film, as this I find to be Peter Greenaway's most accomplished work thus far (and that's saying something).

While I appreciate the past necessities of tweaking things to work on the older smaller screens (when this came out originally on DVD), now that most of us have larger-sized and wider-aspect flatscreens, it would be more appropriate - and desirous - for there to be a bluray version that brings back the wondrous use of space and aspect utilized in the original film's theatrical release. Additionally, it would be greatly instructive to hear what Mr. G might have to say about why he created this film to look and feel the way it does: what were his motivations for film/video, aspect ratio, image placement, etc.

"The Pillow Book" takes a fascinating, and revealing, look at culture, art, and of course literature, and how they interplay with our more primal, instinctual urges; and ultimately what all of it says about being human and our struggle for meaning as well as happiness. A "must-have" for any serious film aficionado/collector!
23 people found this helpful
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C. Collins
4.0 out of 5 stars Unique visual storytelling
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2006
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This is certainly a fascinating film with visual images that are unique and beautiful and disturbing. There are several highly interesting aspects to the film that I would like to explore in this review.

First, Peter Greenaway has the eyes of a visual artist. His attention to the odd detail is incredible and subtle. I found the film to be full of images that went beyond the story line and pentrated at an unconscious emotional level. The act of exploring the human body with a caligraphy brush, composing stories, poems, novels, autobiography is certainly a compelling image and concept. Isn't our life written on our bodies? Don't we read the bodies of those with whom we are intimate? Don't we in some way brand or stain the bodies of those whom we love and in turn are we not burned and molded by those who love us? From the corpses of a young lover wrapped in indigo paper, to baths in ancient urns, the an army of handsome Japanese nude men covered in caligraphy, the film floods you with images. The storyline, the text, is only part of the story - a point I wish that those who did not like this film would recognize.

Second, it is unique storytelling. Nagiko, a Japanese girl, adores here novelist father. She comes to understand however that he must submit to sodomy with his homosexual publisher to remain in print and prosperous. Nagiko marries and becomes an unhappy young bride. She runs away from her husband and Japan to Hong Kong where she eventually becomes a fashion model. She explores the concept of writing on the human body as her art form as she moves from lover to lover, experience to experience. She meets a handsome European translator, Jerome, and becomes fascinated with him once she learns he is the publisher's lover also. She seduces him and then gradually develops a plot of revenge against the publisher. Yet, she has met her sexual, artistic, intellectual, aethitic match in Jerome and they both know that their relationship is rare. She and Jerome plot to have her story read by the publisher while he is making love to Jerome and sees the caligraphy on Jerome's body. But this plot backfires terribly as Nagiko finds she can not bear the jealousy and she rejects Jerome. Jerome, the romantic, kills himself with a drug overdose. The publisher uncovers Jerome's body and has his skin turned into parchment so he can retain his lover in book form. Nagiko learns of this and wants the book, for Jerome's skin is her medium. Her revenge includes writing a series of tales of desire and experince on the bodies of handsome Japanese nude young men whom she sends to the publisher for publication. The publisher is captivated by the beauty of the work and the men and begins to publish her novels and poems. Yet in the end, Nagiko sends an assassin with the final chapter, the last of 12 books, who kills the publisher and retrieves the book composed of Jerome's skin. I dare you to find a more odd story than this!

This visual feast of the unconscious is not for everyone. It is only somewhat linear with flashbacks to Nagiko's childhood and sections from the Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon integrated throughout the film. Yet, the character of Nagiko, her cognitive association of writing with the body, made far more sense than many performance and conceptual artists in the art magazines.

I was left with one haunting line, spoken by the 10th century courtesan who wrote the original pillow book in the title who says at the end: "I have loved two things, literature and the body."
10 people found this helpful
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joe chick
5.0 out of 5 stars DVD
Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2023
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Received in excellent condition sooner than later but did not really care for the overall story and how it was done!
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Ang Poon Kah
5.0 out of 5 stars about the DVDfilm/movie the pillow book...............
Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2008
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This story is basically about a Japanese caligrapher woman (inherit from father which write wrods on body) and she later had a lover that have the same interest as her and had sex (with Jerome) and later he died ans finally she use ways to let one Japanese old man whom open book shop (whom is obbsessed by this body caligraphic work) die which is finally took her revenge and look after her new born child. Recommended to those whom are interested in this genre of film.

 The Pillow Book

Review by:

Dr, MR Franc MBBS (PhD) GPS Ang Poon Kah
director Lou Ye - Ang Poon Kah for film summer palace.
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Mary Kean
3.0 out of 5 stars Very, very strange
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2005
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This was without doubt a visually stunning film. It stunned all the senses as I didn't know what to make of much of it.

The main plot involving Ewan McGregor was very erotic although not as sensual as I had expected from other reviews. It was all just so very strange. It had a very modern-yet-retro Japanese feel that reminded me of the scene in "Lost in Translation" when Scarlett Johansson rescues Bill Murray from the strip bar.

I wasn't sure what my feelings toward the Ewan McGregor character of Jerome were. I didn't even know whether he was likable and yet he was Nigiko's lover. Or if I liked Vivian Wu for that matter. I found the chapters so confusing at first and the sex so distracting that I had to go back to the main menu and start the chapters over again and re-watch them.

After the second viewing I watched the rest of the film through to it's conclusion in a state of mixed shock, sadness, revulsion, and feelings I could not describe in words.

I don't know if I could recommend this as a film based on it's storytelling merits alone. The acting however is worth it. It's so hard to remember the fresh faced young actors as they were when they made this that it is enjoyable just to see how they've grown and changed over the years.

This is not a popcorn movie and not something you can walk away from without a heavy heart.
7 people found this helpful
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Figurepainter_nude
5.0 out of 5 stars A gutsy as well as beautifully made film
Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2018
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"The eroticism of calligraphy" are 4 words I wouldn't have thought to put together. Visually stunning, with inserts of contrasting images, black and white with color or mono-tones, traditional Japanese fashions with things that would never be worn off the cat walk, young and old, English and Japanese and a fair amount of nudity. A gutsy as well as beautifully made film.
7 people found this helpful
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Amy
5.0 out of 5 stars Glad to Have Received!
Reviewed in Canada on August 5, 2022
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It took awhile to come in, and after a bit, I didn't think it would, but it did!! I love this rare film d'art, hard to find, and now, so happy to own. Thank you!
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juan
5.0 out of 5 stars Impresionante
Reviewed in Spain on May 24, 2023
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Un gustazo cada vez que la veo. Grande Greenaway, no la verás en prime !!
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cora
5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing Story and Visual Splendour
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 20, 2021
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I had no idea what to expect and bought the DVD on a whim. And I'm glad I did. What a stunningly beautiful film this is. It's unlike anything I've ever seen, and with its montages and inserts and captions and subtitles it took repeated viewing to fully appreciate the beauty of both the story and the visuals.

Having watched it quite a few times by now, I love absolutely everything about this film. The story is intriguing, the acting is flawless, sets and costumes are wonderful, and the editing is absolutely inspired. I know very little about Oriental culture and nothing about calligraphy and yet, this is the real star of the film. It is telling that the calligraphers are credited immediately after the costume designers in the opening credits. Their artwork really does serve as costumes much of the time, covering, as it does, the skin of the entire human body.

Which brings us to the topic of nudity. Yes, you do get it here, and lots of it. But none of it feels gratuitous. It's an integral part of this particular story. This is pretty much the total objectification of the human body, in particular the male one, with the skin being no more than the paper the text of Nagiko's books is written on. It's definitely not a film for everybody, but if you like arthouse films and have a sufficiently open mind to go for something new and different, go for it. And if you're lucky you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

The DVD I purchased is the Film Four Video/VCI release. The film is presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio, which may be disappointing to some buyers, but didn't much bother me. Picture and sound quality are good. Subtitles for the hard of hearing are not available, however much of the dialogue/narration is in Japanese (and possibly some Chinese) and these passages are subtitled in English. These subtitles are in an elaborate yet easy to read calligraphy like font and they are an integral part of the visuals.
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daniel
2.0 out of 5 stars Mangelnde Bildqualität
Reviewed in Germany on October 16, 2010
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The Pillow Book ist ein toller Film von Peter Greenaway mit fantastischen Bildern und hätte fünf Sterne verdient - leider ist die Bildqualität dieser FR Import DVD miserabel und genau die Bilder sind es die diesen Film ausmachen.
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Carlos Vicente
1.0 out of 5 stars Visibilidad
Reviewed in Spain on July 29, 2023
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Mi reproductor de DVD no és compatible con el producto
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