Memoirs of a Geisha

[RetroModelSari]

I can?Ǭ¥t wait or it to come over to Germany. I loved the book! It was sooooo sad!!!!!

 

[BigDuke634]

My daughter has seen the movie twice, and raves about it. I think that's enough for me to never want to see it.

 

[minus_273]

the book

The film actually had Chinese actors playing Japanese characters? And much of it was filmed on set in California? I'll wait to watch on HBO.

and it is based on a book written in the 90's by a white guy from New Jersey

 

[BettyValentine]

and it is based on a book written in the 90's by a white guy from New Jersey

A white guy from New Jersey who has a Master's degree in Japanese history from Harvard and years of field research in Gion. I find this model vastly superior to the one wherein a completely random White Guy character is inserted into an Asian setting/story for the audience to identify with because US audiences clearly can't relate to inscrutable Asians. (coughRaymondBurr).

For being essentially Liza Dalby's dissertation draped over the bones of a lame, superfluous, and pretty creepy love story, it is actually pretty good. It falls into some of the issues common in the genre, but it does a better job of avoiding them than Shogun ever did. I thought the movie was a surprisingly well-done adaptation. I went in expecting to see something like that steaming exoticist pile of Meiji ideology called "The Last Samurai" and I was pleasantly surprised. (Not to say that there are no problems in Memoirs (mostly omissions of important issues), but I get talky on such subjects and we'll be here all day if I get to go into another monologue on the performance of femininity in pre-war Japan).

BV - Also... Colleen Atwood is a genius, and I would walk on hot coals to watch Gong Li in *anything*.

 

[Lauren]

I liked it. I bought a kimono.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

BettyValentine, I like your wit!

 

[MrBern]

I havent seen it yet.

A japanese friend's first comment was that she was disappointed that the actresses are actually chinese.
I can understand her disappointmnt, but I also understand that in Hollywood, the talent chosen for roles often relies on how well the potential audience knows them. How much 'heat' they generate in the boxoffice.

Bear in mind that the Frida movie took many years to develop & that Madonna & Jlo wanted to portray the Mexican artist before SalmaHajek rallied the project.

An American friend in Japan related to me that the review he'd read in the JapanTimes praised the actresses but felt the culture is trivialized. That the sets look thrown together from Chinatown. That dance scenes were too hollywood & bore no resemblance to th appropriate traditional dances. That there are innaccuracies about Geisha life & some of the ceremonies depicted were not for Geisha, but for courtisans

I seem to recall reading something about the book's acurracy was in doubt & that the Geisha interviewed ended up sueing the authur.

Did the screenplay follow the novel?

 

[Mr. Rover]

First- Lauren, that is a rad kimono! I saw it on myspace.

Next-
it's not a matter of Chinese or Japanese, but respecting the cultural differences. It's ignorant comments like "I wouldn't be able to tell the difference" that tick me off. Being Chinese, I find it insulting if someone were to mistake me for Chinese or Korean, just as if when a Hispanic person were mistaken for Italian, Scottish for Irish, etc.

Now in the context of film and movie making, naturally the best person for the job should take it, so long as it doesn't distract from the experience.
I know that Michelle Yeoh is Malaysian (she went to school with my mom's friend) and that Zhang Ziyi is Chinese, but can they pull you into the story? Yes, I think they did it very well. It does help to look the part, and I remember reading stories about a Danish guy playing detective Charlie Chan in the 30's. It's all good in Hollywood.

Btw, Last Samurai and Lord of the Rings were both shot in New Zealand. Not exactly where they were meant to be, but can you tell the difference? The camera only shows what the director wants to show.

 

[Harry Lime]

Bravo.

First- Lauren, that is a rad kimono! I saw it on myspace.

Next-
it's not a matter of Chinese or Japanese, but respecting the cultural differences. It's ignorant comments like "I wouldn't be able to tell the difference" that tick me off. Being Chinese, I find it insulting if someone were to mistake me for Chinese or Korean, just as if when a Hispanic person were mistaken for Italian, Scottish for Irish, etc.

Now in the context of film and movie making, naturally the best person for the job should take it, so long as it doesn't distract from the experience.
I know that Michelle Yeoh is Malaysian (she went to school with my mom's friend) and that Zhang Ziyi is Chinese, but can they pull you into the story? Yes, I think they did it very well. It does help to look the part, and I remember reading stories about a Danish guy playing detective Charlie Chan in the 30's. It's all good in Hollywood.

Btw, Last Samurai and Lord of the Rings were both shot in New Zealand. Not exactly where they were meant to be, but can you tell the difference? The camera only shows what the director wants to show.

You continue to amaze me with your maturity, intelligence and style. I'm going to date myself and sound like an old guy right now but you are really quite a fine young man.

This folks, is the way to analyze and judge a film.

Harry Lime

 

[Lauren]

First- Lauren, that is a rad kimono! I saw it on myspace.

Thanks

 

[KR]

I just finished reading the book and very much enjoyed it. I look forward to seeing it but I'm not sure if I'll go to the theater or just wait till it's on DVD.

I'm really curious to hear the soundtrack! I know that John Williams passed on scoring the fourth Harry Potter film to write the soundtrack for this picture. I've always enjoyed his scores in movies, especially Star Wars.

 

[koopkooper]

I thought it was interesting to see Japan in pre and post war.
Very well done. Some great hats! Who cares if people are upset the actors were Chinese, they looked like Japs to me.

 

[Mr. Rover]

I agree with the hats! Some great homburgs and fedoras!
I was especially interested in suits! Pictures from that Japanese tailor reminded me of my experience watching that movie. I probably spent just as much time ogling at those great period suits as I did ogling at Zhang Ziyi.


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