Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Woman in the Dunes

Play trailer Poster for Woman in the Dunes 1964 2h 5m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 32 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Entomologist Niki Jumpei (Eiji Okada) misses the last bus home when exploring for insects in a series of sand dunes, and is persuaded by local villagers to spend the night in a house at the bottom of the sandpit. An unnamed young widow (Kyôko Kishida) lives there alone, forced by the villagers to dig the sand that they sell to nearby cities for construction. Enslaved to dig sand alongside the widow, Niki plots his escape even as he adapts to his imprisonment.
Watch on Fandango Stream Now

Where to Watch

Woman in the Dunes

Critics Reviews

View More
William J. Nazzaro Arizona Republic 03/30/2022
The camera work by Hiroshi Segawa is often extraordinary in its ability to make a sheet of sand something mysterious and wonderful. Go to Full Review
Michael Kustow Sight & Sound 03/31/2020
The camera's power to turn fact into metaphor catches the intent of Kobo Abe's book perfectly. Go to Full Review
Jonathan Romney Independent on Sunday 06/29/2015
The couple's grimly inescapable dilemma becomes hugely complex and terrifyingly resonant -- a sexualised version of the Sisyphus myth, recounted with a distinct touch of Buuelian absurdism. Go to Full Review
Àngel Quintana Caimán Cuadernos de Cine 09/30/2023
Teshigahara films absurdity with a strong poetic consciousness. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Joe Muldoon Battle Royale With Cheese 05/02/2023
There are few surprises to fans of the novel, but this by no means hampers enjoyment of the picture. Go to Full Review
Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 03/18/2022
4/4
One of the great cinematic evocations of the rhythm of life, and humanity's obligation to give life purpose by breaking free of that rhythm. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
nick S @Nick_S 3h Impressive to make a film with so few actors and such a narrow premise. Even more impressive to pull it off. The setting was slightly absurd but that didn't matter. The acting was spellbinding and the progression of ideas fascinating. See more Jay W @RT52162311 3d This movie is "The Dark Knight Rises" if the entire movie took place in the pit where Batman was imprisoned. This movie is next level emersion. Much like the main character I felt trapped. I felt like I had been stuck in this sand pit forever and was desperate for it to end. But as a twist, the real villains of the story are the sick twisted people watching these two suffer at the bottom of the pit. See more Due F @RT14704568 Jun 26 *Woman in the Dunes* is a haunting psychological drama that explores freedom, isolation, and human resilience through compelling character development, striking black-and-white cinematography, and an immersive atmosphere. While its limited setting and restrained character backstories create some emotional distance, the film's powerful symbolism and thoughtful storytelling leave a lasting impression. Overall, it is a timeless classic that is highly rewarding for viewers who appreciate slow-burning, philosophical cinema. BY ALUNAUWIE See more W. W. W @Witt2k9 Feb 21 The photograph is depressing. See more Michael Edwards T @Mikedbigame Nov 14 Probably one of the best 5 foreign films I've ever seen. I usually can't do Plus-2 hour foreign films, but this one had me captivated. Did not feel 130 minutes. See more Leo P @RT23366938 Oct 18 This shockingly good fairy tale for adults, an allegory, works on all levels: on the ground level and below, in a sandpit, where a man is trapped with a young woman whose only goal in life is to shovel sand. See more Read all reviews
Woman in the Dunes

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Movie Info

Synopsis Entomologist Niki Jumpei (Eiji Okada) misses the last bus home when exploring for insects in a series of sand dunes, and is persuaded by local villagers to spend the night in a house at the bottom of the sandpit. An unnamed young widow (Kyôko Kishida) lives there alone, forced by the villagers to dig the sand that they sell to nearby cities for construction. Enslaved to dig sand alongside the widow, Niki plots his escape even as he adapts to his imprisonment.
Director
Hiroshi Teshigahara
Producer
Kiichi Ichikawa, Tadashi Oono
Screenwriter
Kobo Abe
Distributor
Milestone Film & Video
Production Co
Toho Company Ltd., Teshigahara Productions
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 25, 1964, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 8, 2017
Runtime
2h 5m
Sound Mix
Mono
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings