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The Pillow Book
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray A - America - Film Movement Review written by and copyright: Abraham Phillips (21st June 2015). |
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The Film
 The title to the movie, "The Pillow Book" is in reference to a very ancient Japanese diary by Sei Shonagon. The main character Nagiko (Vivian Wu) is a model who lives in Hong Kong. She wishes to have a lover, but not just any lover, a lover that can succeed, and honor her deep, carnal desire. She not only wants a lover that can satisfy her, she wants a lover who is poetic and passionate. Her desire for poetry stems from her childhood with her dad who painted calligraphy characters upon her face. One day she encounters Jerome (Ewan McGregor), a British translator living in Hong Kong. Nagiko takes to Jerome very quickly but soon realizes that he is not able to spark her interest because his handwriting/calligraphy is not up to par. Their complicated relationship takes a turn when Jerome offers his naked body as a canvas for her to write upon. So begins this unique, vibrant and beautiful film. Erotic, sensual, and imaginative story telling at the finest. I think "The Pillow Book" is one of those under appreciated films, a movie that is equal parts beautiful, poetic, and dramatic. I saw this many years ago and was really happy to see Film Movement release it on Blu-ray. Starring two wonderful performers, Vivian Wu and Ewan McGregor. Both capture perfect chemistry and play off each other in emotional ways. Vivian Wu is beautiful, and a wonderful actress, she starred in one of my favorite films of all time, 1987’s "The Last Emperor" and also featured in "The Joy Luck Club" (1993) and "Heaven & Earth" (1993). She brings her character to life with a vivid understanding of the part. Alongside co-star Ewan McGregor as the character of Jerome. McGregor over the years has flourished in many wonderful roles. His performances in the brilliant "Trainspotting" (1996) and the equally brilliant "Velvet Goldmine" (1998) are just two small examples of his talents. No matter the character McGregor manages to create something memorable and this part of Jerome is no different. Directed by Peter Greenaway, who previously directed the excellent "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover" (1989). He is terrific at crafting performances and using the camera to bring his unique vision to reality. "The Pillow Book" is a prime example of how to make a film that leaves a lasting impression. Greenway's style incorporates unconventional lighting that gives the scenes with heavy nudity and sexual imagery an interesting aesthetic. "The Pillow Book" is beautifully seductive, features powerful imagery and is perverse is its beauty. The naked form as a canvas of art, weaved around the world of poetry, and the art of sexual exploration are the heavy themes of this film all told passionately through terrific direction. This Blu-ray is lovingly put out by Film Movement.
Video
Presented in the film's original full frame ratio of 1.33:1, mastered in high definition 1080p 24/fps using AVC MPEG-4 compression. The video is visually priceless, the imagery is vibrant and colorfully beautiful in its High Definition format.
Audio
Presented in Japanese/English LPCM 2.0 stereo audio, the audio is fantastic. Crisp to the ears but the film features burned-in English subtitles for the portions of the film that are not in English.
Extras
Film Movement have included an audio commentary, a collection of theatrical trailers and a booklet as supplements on this disc. Below is a look at these extras. The audio commentary features director Peter Greenaway. This newly recorded track is very informative despite only lasting the first 38 minutes of the film. The original theatrical trailer is included with a running time of 2 minutes 5 seconds. There are a collection of bonus trailers for: - "Full Moon in Paris" running time of 1 minute 21 seconds. - "Marquise of O" running time of 1 minute 43 seconds. - "Amour Fou" running time of 1 minute 43 seconds. - "A Life in Dirty Movies" running time of 1 minute 10 seconds. - "Come Undone" running time of 1 minute 39 seconds. - "The Piano in a Factory" running time of 2 minutes 14 seconds. You also get a 12-page Insert booklet. Which is an essay by film critic Nicolas Rapold, a senior editor of Film Movement magazine, and is a New York Times contributor. The booklet also comes with 9 images from the movie.
Packaging
Standard Plastic Blu-ray case. Wrap around art work, which is also reversible with an image of McGregor and Wu in the bath tub on the inside.
Overall
"The Pillow Book" is a vibrant and visual beauty of a film. It would have been nice with more special features considering this film is so unique and different, however, the audio and video I feel are excellent. Recommended.
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