socrates99 I've always wanted to know about Geishas and the women of old Japan, ever since I first saw pictures of them in high school. Something about their style and how different they were from modern women never failed to intrigue me. And when I grew up, I collected paintings and prints of them which I still have, and read any novels or articles that promised to tell me their secrets. Despite numerous attempts I never really penetrated their personalities until this obscure movie.I only DVRed it thinking it was just another period piece with samurais and bloody battles that would be fun to watch. It was not that at all. In fact there are no sword fights. It's all about the women (not Geishas) in a red light district in Japan in a village by the sea, and especially two of them, Kikuno and O-Shin, both of which are perhaps the most endearing and unforgettable women I've ever encountered in film. And this despite the fact they are playing prostitutes sometime in the 18th century.Their facial expressions, their hand and body movements, the way they walk and laugh, it all had me so enthralled I barely saw the time go by. And yet this movie was created in 2002. How did these modern Japanese actresses resurrect these women so completely and convincingly? I have no idea, but I admit it doesn't matter. The only female performance I find even remotely comparable is of Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara. But despite Scarlett's undeniable beauty and spirit she can't hold a candle to the sheer magnetism and humanity of O-Shin or the more dignified and mature Kikuno.My only regret is that I hadn't seen this film earlier, and that I will now have to buy this film on DVD because there is no way I can bear deleting it. For me it's a gem of the highest order though I admit I've always wanted to know women like these, and if you've had no similar notion, it might not be your cup of tea. All I can say is I do now feel as if I've been transported back to another time and place and spent time with women who have always caught my attention, and I am completely satisfied that I have gotten very close to the myth if not the reality.Which is not to say I now know everything. Despite having watched their every move here, I still can't say I understand them, not really. I feel I could happily spend a great deal of time with them, there is something unusually pleasurable about them, but they will always be mysteriously beyond my grasp. It's even more exasperating given I can't think of any modern women inhabiting the same emotional space they do. And I have no idea why.

sitenoise The Sea is Watching starts off as an attractive film; rich colors, effective photography, nice framing, fetching prostitutes. Then it goes melodrama, followed by silly, culminating in corny which brought a smile to my face before the surreal kicked in. It never stops looking good, though. I give it high marks for that.There's nothing particularly new or groundbreaking story-wise, but it is a charming, sometimes funny, bittersweet tale of the inhabitants of a samurai-era brothel whose entire district ends up under water. Plot-wise it focuses on the love lives of two of the working girls: Kikuno (Misa Shimizu) plays an elder to the younger girls and enjoys being the object of pursuit, never giving in to the suitors who want to take care of her and take her for their very own; and Oshin (Nagiko Tono) who, against the advice of those around her, seems to fall in love with every one of her clients. One of them, a sweet samurai type, visits her often and convinces her that her "fallen soul" and "soiled body" can become pure again—just like a person's hair, nails, and teeth fall out and grow back. "A body can become pure again ... it would be too horrible for words if it weren't true".Oshin is the main protagonist of the film and is meant to give it an emotional center as her heart breaks and yearns, but it never quite happens. Although Shimizu and Tono give good performances, overall the acting is not one of the film's high points. I recommend the film to those wanting a taste of historical Japanese culture and who enjoy quiet films about love, loss, and friendship. Yes, the ladies are prostitutes but they have feelings too.

turtle_chokers A tragically wonderful movie... brings us to a Japan that does not exist anymore. Despite Hollywood's technical expertise, I have yet to see a (hollywood) movie that can match the authenticity of the atmosphere in this small town by the river near the sea... Tom Cruise's The Last Samurai looked liked the last installment of the Lord of The Rings in trying to capture rural Old Japan.If you like serene but intense story lines, this is a must see film. It will be a respite from hollow flashy films much like the last 1000 blockbusters you saw. I think this is one of Kurosawa's better stories.Even if it's a movie about geishas and brothels and the complicated rules that govern life in such settings, it did not turn into a skin flick. The characters are full of depth and act with much intensity.

wobelix The Sea Is Watching has been made from an original Akira Kurosawa script, and it is indeed a lush and warm film. Watching it will be a pleasure !Kei Kumai as director is certainly no equal to the old but everlasting master (particularly the mass scenes in the beginning of the film has some terrible acting), but the overall mood and scenery is very enjoyable. Another thing that is missed here: Kurosawa always managed to let the characters be so much more then what they are actually showing and doing.Probably that was his magic on set while shooting; and just maybe this script was not fully up to par yet.Maybe we just miss the eye of the master.This is one lovely and sweet film, but it is no Kurosawa. To expect that might well be very silly...