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The Pillow Book Reviews

1995

50
from 2236 members

Peter Greenaway directed this elliptical and visually intricate tale of the far side of erotic and intellectual attraction. As a girl, Nagiko would receive a special gift each year from her father: a calligrapher (Ken Ogata) who would carefully paint a poem on her face, as her aunt (Hideko Yoshida) read aloud from The Pillow .. Read more

Starring	Vivian Wu, Ken Ogata, Ewan McGregor, Barbara Lott
Director	Peter Greenaway
Genres	Romance

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Critic's review of The Pillow Book
View all critics' reviews (6)
- A complex narrative that gives a sexual edge to the act of writing, it is ravishing to watch, especially in its split-screen recreations of pleasures listed in The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon, but too often seems little more than an elaborate liter
- 30011
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:38
Write your own review »
Most helpful member's review of The Pillow Book
View all members' reviews (34)
- - 8
  - 2
  Watch when you're not in a rush
  
  This is a film to watch when you're not in a rush. Very beautifully filmed, and with an intriguing development of characters as the film develops, but quite... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 297576
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - blackheath1
  - London
  - 15 Jan 2004 at 22:48
Most recent members' reviews of The Pillow Book
View all members' reviews (34)
- - 0
  - 0
  Rewards concentration
  
  Visually stunning, slow moving, but perhaps a little thin, and ultimately not as fantastic as I'd hoped it would be. I would, however, watch it again just ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1115958
- - Slurs
  - Scotland
  - 02 May 2012 at 08:55
- - 0
  - 0
  Ewan great, visually great. Dull, slow film
  
  Honestly, the only reason I rented this film was because Ewan Mcgregor is in it. The film itself is rather arty. I'm not a fan of films that start in black ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1113661
- - a customer
  - 23 Apr 2012 at 18:54
- - 0
  - 1
  "WE MUST OBLITERATE THIS CR4P"
  
  'The Pillow Book' - A brilliant cure for insomnia.....
  
  One of those 'ARTY-F4RTY-UP-ITS-OWN-AR5EY' types of film that sad, pretentious... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1113632
- - a customer
  - 23 Apr 2012 at 17:21
- - 2
  - 0
  Disappointing from a usually good director
  
  Oh dear. I've enjoyed Peter Greenaway's work in the past and rented this on that basis, only to be sorely disappointed. It's all far too self-... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1099065
- - a customer
  - 04 Mar 2012 at 14:30
- - 1
  - 1
  Not for me
  
  I'm afraid it was just too arty for me turned it off after about 45 mins really not my kind of film!
  
  Report this review
- 1087931
- - DDoormouse
  - 9 reviews
  - 02 Feb 2012 at 07:56
- - 0
  - 0
  Now that's what I call Cinema
  
  I have always been an unconditional fan of Peter Greenaway's, most of his films are actually a piece of art (only exception is the Baby of Macon) that push ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1078739
- - Howardheino
  - 3 reviews
  - 05 Jan 2012 at 13:04
- - 0
  - 1
  One for the clever folks.
  
  Looks fantastic,......that's it really for me I'm afraid.
  
  The cinematography and layout are beautiful but that can only keep you going for so... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1062692
- - KwaidanFan
  - 46 reviews
  - London
  - 14 Nov 2011 at 19:46
- - 0
  - 0
  The Pillow Book
  
  It had some interest for me but I found it too boring to see through. Well acted and filmed though.
  
  Report this review
- 1050989
- - a customer
  - 13 Oct 2011 at 11:37
- - 1
  - 2
  Ewan Naked!
  
  There's only one reason to rent this film-to see Ewan McGregor with his kit off. The film itself is turgid so just fast forward to the saucy bits is my ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1041638
- - a customer
  - 17 Sep 2011 at 12:21
- - 2
  - 1
  Lovely Ewan
  
  Ewan takes his clothes off and makes love like a Scotsman, lovely.Oh I've got to say 20words err Ewan has really nice long hair in this film.
  
  Report this review
- 1033374
- - DianeP
  - 7 reviews
  - ilchester
  - 25 Aug 2011 at 10:28
View all members' reviews (34)

- - 8
  - 2
  Watch when you're not in a rush
  
  This is a film to watch when you're not in a rush. Very beautifully filmed, and with an intriguing development of characters as the film develops, but quite... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 297576
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - blackheath1
  - London
  - 15 Jan 2004 at 22:48
- - 3
  - 0
  I tried to like it...
  
  This movie kind of made me think of an adolescent poet - at times it was very beautiful and the ideas at play were very interesting, but there were too many ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 83992
- - simonlogan
  - 76 reviews
  - Edinburgh
  - 22 Mar 2005 at 10:30
- - 3
  - 0
  A beautiful and innovative film
  
  Peter Greenway cannot be accused of making unsophisticated or simple-minded films. Neither can he be accused of being unadventurous, exploring new avenues both ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 348848
- - philjb
  - 55 reviews
  - Bromsgrove
  - 20 Sep 2005 at 13:08
- - 3
  - 1
  A film that you can ...
  
  A film that you can watch in the same way that you look at a painting; images of complexity and beauty; each frame a subtle combination of two or more layers ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 49092
- - Sam#62
  - NORTHAMPTON
  - 08 Oct 2004 at 08:49
- - 2
  - 0
  Disappointing from a usually good director
  
  Oh dear. I've enjoyed Peter Greenaway's work in the past and rented this on that basis, only to be sorely disappointed. It's all far too self-... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1099065
- - a customer
  - 04 Mar 2012 at 14:30
- - 2
  - 1
  Lovely Ewan
  
  Ewan takes his clothes off and makes love like a Scotsman, lovely.Oh I've got to say 20words err Ewan has really nice long hair in this film.
  
  Report this review
- 1033374
- - DianeP
  - 7 reviews
  - ilchester
  - 25 Aug 2011 at 10:28
- - 1
  - 0
  Greenaway's best film
  
  There's no doubt for me that this is Greenaway's best film. It combines all his favourite themes & features in an amazing, complex, indulgent, rich... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 362080
- - deeboy
  - LONDON
  - 21 Mar 2006 at 22:35
- - 1
  - 0
  Erotica greenerway stylie
  
  Loved this film.. so much in it so much to make one salivate.. japan, culture, history. A painting in cinematography... lots of colour... flesh... meat. ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 413543
- - Duchess of Rockingham
  - London
  - 20 Feb 2007 at 16:44
- - 1
  - 0
  Not worth your time
  
  I rented this because someone told me it was a erotic, tasteful film. In fact, it's a confused, pretentious bore of a film. At the end, the only thing I ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 433599
- - a customer
  - Cambridge, England
  - 25 Apr 2007 at 10:37
- - 1
  - 0
  pure classic
  
  Well I loved this. Along with 'Prospero's Books' this is a real stunner for the senses. It shows you what you can do with Adobe AfterEffects (... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 551009
- - dougthom
  - 247 reviews
  - Brighton,UK
  - 08 Apr 2008 at 22:51

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Critics' reviews
- A complex narrative that gives a sexual edge to the act of writing, it is ravishing to watch, especially in its split-screen recreations of pleasures listed in The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon, but too often seems little more than an elaborate liter
- 30011
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:38
- "...A richly sensual stylistic exercise filled with audaciously beautiful imagery....THE PILLOW BOOK has been stunningly photographed..."
- 7367
- - New York Times
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
- A Japanese calligrapher marks his daughter Nagiko's every birthday with two rituals: he paints a greeting on her face,... read more on Time Out
- 43118
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:13
- "...Enormously impressive....[A] uniquely bold and arresting depiction of exotic erotica..."
- 7369
- - Variety
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
- "...Breathtaking...Erotic...Curiously moving..."
- 7368
- - Sight and Sound
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
- "...It's a true erotic caprice..."
- 7365
- - Entertainment Weekly
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58

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Buy from Amazon.co.uk

- - Buy
- The Pillow Book - Blu-ray
  
  An arresting Japanese model seeks to indulge her fantasy of having calligraphy inked on her body, a whim based partly on her father's habit of painting poetry on her face when she was a girl and partly on readings from the 10th-century erotica tome "The Pillow Book." But the tables are turned when ...

- - Buy
- The Pillow Book
  
  Peter Greenaway directed this elliptical and visually intricate tale of the far side of erotic and intellectual attraction. As a girl, Nagiko would receive a special gift each year from her father: a calligrapher (Ken Ogata) who would carefully paint a poem on her face, as her aunt (Hideko Yoshida) ...