Mandaris

I remember watching a short tv series based off of the Arabian nights tales. In it, a woman would tell a story to a sultan every night to keep him entertained or she would be killed. 

This is not as morbid, but the structure of having someone tell their story and having it played out by different actors is great to see. 

I especially liked the cinematography at the beginning of the film as they move from one angle to the next. It somewhat sets you off balance as you move into the main portion of the story. I just wished it tied into the main plot of the story more. 

Another aspect I enjoyed about the film is the way that it treats nudity. It’s in there, trust me you’ll see it. But it’s there as a backdrop and sometimes even as a plot point. 

Certain parts of the movie are in Ottoman Turkish without subtitles but I like to think of it as a nod how something’s are universal. The main characters do a great job of explaining whatever nuisance I missed. 

All in all, I am happy I saw it and think of it as kind of a breather from the other media I consume.