I saw this movie tonight at a preview and was merely bored with it. "The House of sleeping beauties" is a German remake of the Japanese movie "Nemureru bijo" and the third film adaption of the book by Yasunari Kawabata. The story follows a man in his sixties, who lost his wife and daughter. Depressed by this loss, he's introduced to a very special woman who offers him a night with a beautiful girl. The tricky thing is, the girl is sleeping and can not be awaken.
I do not neglect that this story (and film) have a great sense of philosophy, but Vadir Glowna (who's the leading actor, too) does not manage to create an intensive atmosphere. The bad acting of every actor - excluding Schell maybe - leads to a very poor credibility of the characters. Even good lines are poorly recited, without passion and feeling.
What's left to say is, that you can argue, if you like Kawabata's story or not - anyway, Glowna's film does not pay Kawabata tribute.
I do not neglect that this story (and film) have a great sense of philosophy, but Vadir Glowna (who's the leading actor, too) does not manage to create an intensive atmosphere. The bad acting of every actor - excluding Schell maybe - leads to a very poor credibility of the characters. Even good lines are poorly recited, without passion and feeling.
What's left to say is, that you can argue, if you like Kawabata's story or not - anyway, Glowna's film does not pay Kawabata tribute.