Woman in the Dunes (1964)

Eiji Okada: Entomologist Niki Jumpei

Photos 

Quotes 

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : The certificates we use to make certain of one another: contracts, licenses, ID cards, permits, deeds, certifications, registrations, carry permits, union cards, testimonials, bills, IOUs, temporary permits, letters of consent, income statements, certificates of custody, even proof of pedigree. Is that all of them? Have I forgotten any? Men and women are slaves to their fear of being cheated. In turn they dream up new certificates to prove their innocence. No one can say where it will end. They seem endless.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Living here is like building a house on water when a boat would make more sense. Such rigid thinking. It has to be a house or nothing at all.

  Woman : But don't you want to go home too?

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : That's different.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : I don't get it. Doesn't all this seem pointless to you? Are you shoveling sand to live or living to shovel sand?

  Woman : I know it's not as fun as Tokyo.

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : I'm not talking about Tokyo!

• Woman : There's nothing for me to do on the outside.

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : You could walk around.

  Woman : Walk around?

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Yes! It's great to walk around freely!

  Woman : Isn't it exhausting, just walking around aimlessly?

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : This is futile. If it wanted to, the sand could swallow up cities and even entire countries. Did you know that? A Roman town called Sabrata and the one in "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam," both completely buried under particles an eighth of a millimeter wide. You can't fight it! It's hopeless!

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : You criticized me for arguing too much. But the facts speak for themselves.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Shall I - brush off the sand?

  Woman : But, aren't all the city girls prettier than me?

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Nonsense! Give me the cloth.

• Man : [First lines]  Is this an inspection?

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Inspection? Not really. Were you expecting one?

  Man : You can stay as long as it's not an inspection.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : They don't care about you. People only care about themselves. Here we are, ruthlessly exploited, yet happily wagging our tails. Before you know it, they'll abandon us here.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : We could, for example, think of some way to exploit the lure of the dunes. My fascination with the sand is what brought me here, after all. I'm serious. That postcard salesman probably came for the same reason. Advertise the area. Develop it into a tourist resort. Make the sand work for you, not against you.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : How can you stand being trapped like this?

  Woman : This is my home.

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Then demand your rights.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : This isn't funny! Even dogs go crazy chained up all day! And we're human beings!

  Woman : But you see, if it wasn't for the sand, no one would bother about me. Isn't that right?

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : I refuse to die like a dog!

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Even if it is a lie, it helps to have hope that tomorrow things will change.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : A rope ladder?

  Male Villager : That's what we use out here in the boonies.

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : This is quite an adventure.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : I'm collecting insects.

  Man : Huh?

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Bugs. I collect bugs. I specialize in these sand bugs.

  Man : So you're not from the prefectural office?

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Prefectural office? Don't be absurd. I'm a schoolteacher.

  Man : A teacher? I see.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : [after tying up the Woman]  You'll have to endure it a while. Now we can both say we've been deceived. You reap what you sow.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Men aren't dogs. You can't put them on a leash.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : If I suffer, you suffer. Give that some serious thought.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : I failed.

  Woman : Shall I wipe you off?

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : I didn't know the geography, that's why.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : The sand? What good it that? It's the source of all your troubles.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Who cares? We're living like animals anyway!

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Come on! We can just pretend!

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : If not today, maybe tomorrow.

• Woman : This village has real local spirit.

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : What kind of spirit?

  Woman : Love of our birthplace.

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : I see, a good thing, indeed!

• Woman : But you do understand, don't you?

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Understand? What's there to understand?

  Woman : But you know...

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Why do you cling to this place? You must be mad!

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Where is everyone? Your family?

  Woman : I live alone. Last year a storm swallowed up my husband and daughter.

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Swallowed up?

  Woman : The sand roared down like a waterfall. He went out to save the chicken coop.

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : And got buried?

  Woman : It was a horrible gale.

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : That's awful. That's really awful.

• Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Isn't my underwear dry yet?

  Woman : You shouldn't wear anything in bed.

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Why not?

  Woman : You'll get rashes from the sand.

  Entomologist Niki Jumpei : Rashes?

  Woman : The sand draws moisture.