The Pillow Book Film

by Peter Greenaway

England/Japan/France, 1996, 123min.

Peter Greenaway‘s The Pillow Book is a sensual story of calligraphy as erotica that defies as many cinematic traditions as the original Pillow Book by 11th century writer Sei Shonagon did literary ones.

Nagiko’s most treasured memory is of her father, a calligrapher, painting traditional birthday greetings on her face.

He did this every year until her arranged marriage to an abusive, literature-hating man. Now, Nagiko has fled her home and husband to become a model in Hong Kong.

She takes on a string of lovers, but values her paramours solely for their calligraphic skills, encouraging them to write on her naked body.

Finally, her youthful urge to become an author herself resurfaces, but she finds she cannot write on paper; she must use flesh.

Her efforts lead to a dangerous romantic triangle with a young photographer and an English writer (Ewan McGregor of Trainspotting) who uses his naked body to convey Nagiko’s writing to a publisher.

Greenaway freely intermingles colour, tinting, black and white; varying screen widths, superimposition and frames within frames to relate Nagiko’s sensual story and to create an unorthodox, erotic pillow book of his own.