Synopsis
Haunting. Erotic. Unforgettable.
An entomologist suffers extreme psychological and sexual torture after being taken captive by the residents of a poor seaside village.
Woman in the Dunes
1964 ‘砂の女’ Directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara
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Alternative Titles
La Femme du sable, Písečná žena, Suna no onna, 沙之女, De Vrouw in 't Zand, A Mulher da Areia, Kvinnan i sanden, Una mujer en la arena, La mujer de arena, La mujer de la arena, Woman of the Dunes, La Femme des dunes
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93/100
Hasty airport catchup: Marveled while rewatching this at its allegorical versatility, or perhaps slipperiness—it feels like it could represent anything and everything, which I suppose detractors might argue means that it represents nothing. Ultimately doesn't matter much, though, as the film's weirdly parched sensuality knocks me for a loop right from the surface. Life is an inexorable invasion of grit, inspiring a sort of existential Stockholm Syndrome; had Teshigahara chosen to call this The Sand, its kinship with Sjoström's The Wind (a contender for my favorite silent feature; Woman in the Dunes might as well be one too) would be more apparent.
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It just doesn’t get any more absorbing, provocative, existential and beautifully shot than this! Woman in the Dunes is only my first Hiroshi Teshigahara film and it absolutely floored me with the excellent performances, claustrophobic atmosphere, introspective look into the human condition and isolation, visual allegories, memorable dialogue and an unnerving musical score which reminded me of Mica Levi’s work in Under the Skin to some degree. There are many impressive shots of sand slithering downward, having a constant menacing aspect to them. After all, our protagonists are forced to live in this pit because of sand and they end up finding purpose in living on those circumstances. You also get a strong sense of fellowship throughout the film, emphasizing traditional Japanese family and community values. Overall, Woman in the Dunes is a remarkable gem and a must-see for every film enthusiast!
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Words to describe Hiroshi Teshigahara's Woman in the Dunes can range from "exotic" to "surreal" or "hypnotic" but they are mere understatements if one is going to describe the experience that is set to come. Though if there was one word that hits me when I think of Woman in the Dunes is not "masterpiece," because such a word isn't going to do justice to the experience that I had when I watch such a brilliant work. The moment when I first watched Woman in the Dunes was an experience that overwhelmed every thought process that was going through my head - but in such a way that I could not pin everything down on the spot what a film…
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Woman in the Dunes is a scathing piece on a man's place in modern society, wrapped up in the facade of an intense cat-and-mouse thriller. Despite the fact of the majority of the story revolves a man's self-rescuing, both the title and the poster primarily single out the female character, which is a really admirably intentional move from director Hiroshi Teshigahara.
Earning a surprising best director nomination at the Oscars, Woman in the Dunes proves its directorial excellence at sight and sound as early as the first frame, amplifying an eerily transfixing experience of a male scientist collecting insects in the desert, yet ending up being the collected, by heavy use of close-ups and sensual sound effects. Teshigahara combined elements…
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“Do you shovel to survive, or survive to shovel?” – The Man
The Japanese Woman in the Dunes is a parable and visual tone poem that defies conventional description since it resists social realism, although in its hermetic presentation it plays realistic. It is also what the DVD box quote promises: “Haunting. Erotic. Unforgettable.” Sovereign rulers of nondescript power are perched atop a hill. Beneath are desert canyons, with people lodged in the dunes like inhabitants of an ant colony. The woman (Kyoko Kishida) needs a companion, so the village rulers trick a man (Eiji Okada) into the pit with promise of a hospice, and then permanently remove the ladder. The man, desperate for freedom, attempts to climb and scale…
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I’ve been haunted by this masterpiece for over fifteen years. In many ways, it is the film that sparked my obsession with cinema.
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"Don't look up, you'll get sand in your face."
i would have payed for a directing masterclass with my student aid money if it was lead by hiroshi teshigahara were he alive today. the dude somehow made sand scary, even giving it its own motif: a sharp one note that feels like cold water to the face. there's a vague anxiety that pierces through all of this; a screeching score that blankets serene scenes, human faces dissolving into the sand, all these little fears waiting to dig their way up and clog your pores should feel like an uneasy experience, but this is among the most serene and seductive you could ever get with a creature as claustrophobic as this. what a barnburner.
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#Watchlist 2021
'Sand makes things rot.' A grain of sand can make you thirst for money. A handful of it can make you commit inhumane acts for said money – kidnapping, captivity, abuse, mental and physical torture. A mound of it can delude you into thinking it stands on solid ground, when all it needs is one slight tremor – and it becomes a landslide. A solid wall of it ruptures the delusion but makes you think that if you dig dig dig and strive upwards, you’ll break through eventually. After all, sand is merely tiny specks of slippery nothingness. But even a grain of it can bury you under. 'Sand makes things rot.' It will always sift through your…
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***One of the best 150 films I have ever seen.***
After making some documentaries and short films, Hiroshi Teshigara managed to achieve popularity, respect and a good reputation when he directed his first three feature films, which were the most famous and admired ones. After his masterpiece Otoshiana (1962) allowed his name to be considered among the greatest Japanese filmmakers, his second film Suna no Onna allowed him to gain world recognition, since it is widely considered as his best movie and his most representative and iconic masterwork. Dealing with existentialist thematic elements and having a hypnotic direction and a thrillingly atmospheric pace, Suna no Onna had the talent of functioning as a deep reflection not only for Eastern audiences,…
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Woman in the Dunes is Hiroshi Teshigahara's collaboration with Kôbô Abe creating a stunning piece of cinema. It is a critique of alienation, modernity and identity and social escapism. It's adapted from Abe's novel by Kôbô Abe and the film is infused with a spirit of deadpan surrealism; A man searching for insects by the sea, Junpei entomologist, is trapped at the bottom of a sand pit with the widow by local villagers. At first, Jumpei tried every way that possible to escape, but later Jumepi and the widow were in a strange and erotic relationship, so Jumpei gave up on the plan to escape.
The film has a very good storytelling by leading the audience to feel distrustful circumstances…