House of Sleeping Beauties

House of Sleeping Beauties, released in 2006 under the directorship of Vadim Glowna, is an erotic drama shrouded in unusual intrigue and thought-provoking circumstances. The complete masterwork of Glowna's talent, who not only directed the film but also wrote the screenplay, produced it, and starred in the main role, immeasurably intensifies the film's compelling nature. Based on the novella "Nemureru Bijo," by the renowned Japanese author, Yasunari Kawabata, this German version is heavily seasoned with distinctive European stylistic cinematic elements.

The movie tells a tale of Edmond, portrayed by Vadim Glowna, a man whose life is plagued by loss and loneliness. He is an aging widower, dealing with piles of regret, grief, and the universal dread of growing old. A bitter past and an empty future seem to be his only companions until his old friend, Kogi, played by the late Maximilian Schell, introduces him to an unusual brothel. This house is not of the usual kind. It gives its customers the chance to spend the night with beautiful, young women who are perpetually in deep slumber, induced by some mysterious cocktail of drugs. Angela Winkler breathes life into Madame, a firm yet enigmatic, Madam who runs the establishment.

The house is built on strict rules; the men can do all but two things - no penetration is allowed, and the girls must under no circumstance be awakened from their induced slumber. This coins the movie's name "House of Sleeping Beauties," as it orbits the aged men's voyages into a world of youth, beauty, and subconscious innocence, enacted by passive, beautiful, young women.

The movie's sense of artistic eroticism interweaves with mysteriously morbid overtones, creating an aura of suspense as Edmond delves deeper into the secretive services of this bizarre establishment. His journey dances along the border between real life and the surreal, between pleasure and perplexity. Edmond, haunted by ghosts of his past and the hopelessness of his future, becomes consumed by this strange sexual realm.

It is perpetually enticing. The aesthetics are unapologetically stunning, capturing not only the raw emotions of the characters but also the almost dream-like atmosphere of the house and its insomnia-ridden guests. Built around ethereal, beautifully pale women in deep sleep, the setting itself feels rooted in an eclectic fusion of haunting allure and vexing fantasy.

Glowna's craftsmanship in portraying Edmond cannot be understated. His performance is outstanding and he wonderfully conveys an old man's desperate clinging to the fleeting beauty of the youth. As Edmond loses himself, even more, each night in the company of sleep-induced, ethereal beauty, the viewers are taken on a hauntingly beautiful visual journey of human flaws, weakness, and desperation.

Angela Winkler, as Madame, adds the necessary intrigue, fortitude, and mystique to her character, heightening the twilight allure of the plot's premise. She rules the house with a stern face and an iron hand, ensuring the peace is kept and every rule is followed. At times, her potency almost steals the show, commanding the scenes she's in with powerful force. Maximilian Schell, in his brief but impactful role of Kogi, infuses a sense of sophisticated camaraderie into the film, balancing out the intense emotions.

House of Sleeping Beauties is undoubtedly not the typical erotic drama. It is subtly provocative, complex, and strangely melancholic. It engages the questions of morality, the illusions of youth, and the demons of a man's past, all within a framework of subtle yet powerful eroticism. The movie is not merely an exploration of an aging man's pursuit for lost youth but a deeper reflection on questions of morality, loneliness, and existential dread.

The movie is bound to leave its viewers with a plethora of thoughts and emotions, as it twirls around the grey lines of taboo, fantasy, reality, and morality. Couple these elements with fantastic performances by the cast, and House of Sleeping Beauties stands as an intriguing cinematic masterpiece in its genre.

In essence, Glowna has managed to create an unmistakably provoking piece that veers far from mainstream cinema and deeply into the realm of abstract erotic drama, making House of Sleeping Beauties a film that will be remembered and pondered upon long after the credits roll. The film is a haunting journey into the depth of mortality, human desire, and the desperate pursuit of evanescent beauty, an exploration of the darker corners of human psychologies, and an exposition of tormented souls.