The Woman in the Dunes (1964)

We continue our request month with one from Patreon Donor Ludo Round. We’re discussing Hiroshi Teshigahara's Woman in the Dunes (1964). Based on a novel by, and adapted by the author Kōbō Abe, the film stars Eiji Okada as teacher and amateur entomologist Niki Jumpei. On a sea-side vacation, he spends the night with the titular Woman played by Kyoko Kishida . In the morning he finds that he is trapped in the pit that holds her home. He’s now expected to help her shovel sand every night in a Sisyphean nightmare.

Samm Deighan (opens in a new tab) and Beth Accomando (opens in a new tab) join Mike to talk about this beautiful film.