Wednesday, June 3, 2015

'The Pillow Book' DVD: Ewan McGregor Bares Soul (and All Else) in Sensual Erotic Classic

THE PILLOW BOOK DVD & Online Streaming

Uber-awesome (mostly foreign) indie flick distributor Film Movement continues expanding beyond its spectacular Film of the Month DVD club, VOD streaming service, and theatrical releases by launching a series of home video releases of classic films. The separate June 9, 2015 Blu-ray and DVD releases of the equally highly sensual and erotic 1996 Peter Greenaway film "The Pillow Book" is the perfect inaugural title for this venture.

The following clip, courtesy of YouTube, of the theatrical trailer for "Book" wonderfully conveys the symbolism and other wonderful imagery of this genuine art house film.


"Book" centers around the related highly psychological quests of Nagiko, played by renowned Asian actress Vivian Wu. The strongest childhood memories of this complex character consist of her beloved father using her face as a canvas for a special  birthday tradition calligraphy project and her aunt reading passages from the titular tome. That literary work essentially is the ancient memoir of a lady-in-waiting.

The etched-in-acid deep impression of these experiences and of other childhood memories prompt the aforementioned crusades of Nagiko. She seeks out men who can meet the challenges of being a suitable human canvas for her own calligraphy and a sexual partner who can satisfy her physical needs.

All of this relates to Nagiko writing her own Pillow Book and otherwise yearning to express herself.

The depiction of those encounters clearly fall within the sensual/erotic (rather than the pornographic) range of stories that are chock full o' sexuality. The intensity, passion, and numerous other strong emotions associated with the plethora of modeling/intimate activity sessions in which Nagiko engages will entertain and evoke the other assorted desired responses. Wu truly brings that character to life and gets you to feel her joy, sorrow, anger, etc.

Nagiko finds the seemingly ideal man for those tasks (and a related darker purpose) in professional translator Jerome, played by an absolutely beautiful Ewan "Obi-Wan Kenobi" McGregor. The numerous nude scenes featuring a fully nude and semi-aroused McGregor will appeal to his fans.

Further, the incredibly exquisite cinematography, creative filming techniques, and beautifully bright colors are tailor-made for Blu-ray; choosing that format over DVD is a no-brainer.

The special features include what must be a fascinating commentary by Greenaway.

Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Book" is strongly encouraged to email me; you can also connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy,


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