[book/movie] Memoirs of a Geisha

[luvsfroot]

What did you guys think of Memoirs of a Geisha? I haven't read it but if it's worth the time, maybe I should. Did you know there's going to be a movie? I think it's coming out next year & it's starring Zhang Ziyi (crouching tiger hidden dragon, hero/ying xiong, rush hour 2) as Sayuri, Ken Watanabe (the last samurai, batman begins) as The Chairman, Michelle Yeoh (crouching tiger hidden dragon, tomorrow never dies, hua mulan) as Mameha, Gong Li (farewell my concubine) as Hatsumono, Yoki Kudoh as Pumpkin, (directed by Rob Marshall, produced by Steven Spielberg). Do you think the movie will be good, especially with these highly-acclaimed actors, or bad because the book will be better? (I'm probably going to start reading it & watch the movie when it comes out.) =) ... Ok just wondering what you guys thought. :wink2:

p.s. Movie info from Movies.com & Imdb.com

[tearstained7987]

isnt the geisha japanese? why are they having chinese ppl act in it?

-amie

[ene]

Yes, I've read the book and is eager to see how the movie version turn out. Sadly, most book-to-movies are very badly done so I'm not holding a lot of hopes for the movie version. The book is pretty good. Go read it. I have to say the casting is pretty well done. I can imagine the actors as the book characters.

tearstained Language problems ? Perhaps to the Caucasians, Japanese, chinese all look alike :happy:

[msv]

To me, I think Zhang Ziyi would do the role justice and we don't know if the casting directors really do think all asians look alike or not, but I'm going to have faith and say that these people match the role thus they were given the role regardless of ethnicity. Anyways, with Zhang Ziyi, you tend to see her in these fighting movies (like Michelle Yeoh too) and I know she can do more than just flash off some moves. And I think she'll do a great job along with the supporting cast too. And plus Spielberg is producing it too (yay!) so I'm really looking forward to the movie. :excited:

The book is a very good book. I'd highly recommend people reading it because you can relate some of the things the main characters had to go through to what is happening now too (woman's role, children's role, society pressures for the poor etc.) Of course there'd be spoilers if you read the book first but I think if you did, it'll help you understand the movie better and what the chracters are going through internally. :happy:

[Chun Li]

DONT LIKE THE BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sorry, I may seem baised, but if I wanted to learn about the way a GEISHA lives her life I'd read a book written by a Japanese GEISHA! Why would I want to read a book written by a white American guy?

I was not impressed by this book. Not at all.

[zhy378]

oh that's kool that they r gonna have a movie, well, haven't read the book yet, still needa read that book. though i had read a book that's kinda like it on geisha though not sure. but it was good, forgot is name.hehe. :wink2: can't wait for the movie!

[yukiko]

i've read this book. it's a very good books if u wanna know more bout geisha n japanese culture. make sure u read it.

[pyro_sign]

I'm really interested in this now. XDD I'm gonna see if I can find the book somewhere... It looks so interesting. I want. Read. XDD

But as for the whole movie thing... =X The actors are pretty good. I don't know if they'll fit the part, but we'll hope for the best, right? Hopefully the movie wont' ruin the book. nn;

[specizhen]

I love that book. But I'm not that eager to watch the movie though... like what ene says, most books to movie shows are terrible.

[kewlpiggy88]

ooh, the movie? i want to watch it! but not to be like stereotyping, but zhang ziyi doesn't look japanese at all....it kind of ruins the effect. but anyway, i really liked this book. even though it ended up happily, i'm sure not all geisha lived a life like hers, but she had those special eyes.

just a question. how come it says "translated by.."? because it's historical fiction right? and then the beginning where it talked about a "real" woman left me so confused because that lady seemed real. but it's historical fiction. or maybe it was there just for effect?

[yukiko]

I love that book. But I'm not that eager to watch the movie though... like what ene says, most books to movie shows are terrible.

most of them is bad. but not at all lor. some of them r good also.

[oy]

kewlpiggy88: i think because the author wanted it to seem like a real memoir so he wrote an introduction like that. I was confused at first because the author is a man and the main character is a woman...that cant be right.

i loved this book. i thought it was very well written and i liked how the author explained the world of a geisha throughout the book. but i dont know about the movie. i'm not so sure the people who were casted are fit for the characters of the book...but i'm kinda excited how the director puts it on the screen.

[sabriel]

the book was good in the fact that a man did an amazing job of writing from the point of view of a women. tho i agree a bit with chun li that it is some what biased. but i'll still want to see the movie.
although, its always hard to fit a few hundred pages into 2hrs. everything is open to interpretation.

[khupno0do]

how is it biased? i cant seem to see it. maybe i need to reread the book a little more...

[linny]

how is it biased? i cant seem to see it. maybe i need to reread the book a little more...

It's a white American man writing a book about a woman in Japan. I'm sure the author spent a lot of time researching to write this book, but since he can't suddenly change himself to have the mindset of a Japanese woman who is from a completely different culture, there are bound to be slight biases on certain views, portrayals, etc.

I was speaking with one of my Japanese friends about this during class one time, and she told me that the way the author portray's a geisha isn't completely accurate since being a geisha is not simply about selling your virginity. There is some deeper meaning to the profession.

I liked most of the book until the end. Towards the end, the main character irked me more and more. The things she did, ugh. And it just made me angry because it felt like the author ended the book happily for the sake of having that happy ending.

I look forward to the movie though. It should be enjoyable at the least.

[Chun Li]

Also, he gave her "gray" eyes and like lightish color hair, right? Jeez. Sounds like a blond to me!

[judes]

^ That was what really bothered me about the book. It's nice to make your character interesting and all, but suddenly have some sort of genetic mutation to make your character seem different from everybody else...eh. And the ending was kind of...what?

I actually really liked the book because it seemed like careful research went into it, but like people above said, there's probably lots of bias involved with the work. The choices they made for the movie aren't bad, I would like to watch it...still, wouldn't Japanese actors be better for a book about Japanese people? Hmm.

[Chun Li]

So Zhang Zi Yi is supposed to be Japanese? Sorry guys, I'm not knowing about anything regarding this movie right now.

[judes]

It does sound stupid to not have Japanese actors/actresses portraying Japanese roles, but there aren't that many famous Japanese actors/actresses in the western entertainment biz. (or maybe I just haven't noticed since I'm not into that stuff as much)

[w4t3r_lily]

I think they will have a japanese actor for the lead man role. It's gonna be Ken Wanatabe if i'm not mistaken :oops: he is the one who play with Tom Cruise on the Last Samurai. And Gong Li also gonna play in the movie too :excited: this book simply a great book. I can't stop read it until finish :sweat:

[sawmui13]

i'd be interested in seeing the movie because in terms of imagery the book was great...historical accuracy and character depth...meh... :worry: i personally liked it alot, and the whole prologue about the guy interviewing sayuri really threw me off! i was so disappointed when i found out about the author, but oh well. alot of the story revolves around sayuri's childhood years....i wonder who'll be playing that part?

[petricia]

hmmm... maybe i am getting the book during the holidays to read it... it is such a highly acclaimed book... anyway... it think it should turn out okay... and hopefully not like Shi Mian Mai Fu (haven't watch it but tons of people advised me against it) and Hero (nice but too much repetition)... which disappoints me..

[pyre]

credits to Asian Fanatics

http://usera.imagecave.com/gossip80/ziyi.bmp.jpg
Ziyi will be the leading character in Steven Spielberg's Memoirs Of A Geisha.
Maybe she was more prepared as she will soon be filming Memoirs Of A Geisha in Hollywood.

TORONTO - Maybe her British-educated beau, Fok Kai San, had something to do with it.

Whatever the reasons, actress Zhang Ziyi surprised the press on Sunday when she answered all her questions in English with minimal help from her translator, said Apple Daily.

She was at the Toronto International Film Festival with director Zhang Yimou to promote their movie, House Of Flying Daggers.

Noting how American actresses often lament the lack of strong women roles in Hollywood, she said: 'As Chinese actresses, we just have to work harder.'

Zhang Yimou told reporters that her big break came when she played an extra in a shampoo commercial.

'There was a room full of girls but she left an impression,' he said as she nodded and giggled in the background, reported AFP.

'When we started shooting The Road Home, we remembered that face... and we went to find her,' he added of her first movie in 1999.

She is set to lead a star-studded cast including Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li in the Steven Spielberg produced Memoirs Of A Geisha.

[roche]

hm....i loved the book!!! not too sure how historically accurate it was, but i loved the story and i thought it was rather captivating...i read it a long time back though.
haha, but i remember feeling very "conned" since i really believed the intro and i honestly thought it WAS an autobiography by a real geisha named sayuri!!!! felt somewhat cheated when i came to the end and read that it wasn't real. hmph.

but anyhow, i thought it was a good read, and i enjoyed the book a lot.
i wonder who they'll get to play Nobu....(he's the guy who's got bad, pockmarked skin and only one arm) from what i remember he's got a larger role than the Chairman....
maybe in the movie version they'll play up the rold of the chairman...???

and hm....i wonder if they're gonna make zhang ziyi wear grey contacts???? the fact that she has grey eyes seems pretty important in the book....i mean, that was what made her "unique" and thus very attractive to the japanese patrons...or that was the impression that i got.

sigh....too bad there's no big role for a young guy...else i would hope that takeshi kaneshiro would be casted in it!!!!!!!!! he's half japanese!!!!!!! :)

[pyre]

Credits to Asian Fanatics
http://www.asianfanatics.net/

Hong Kong newspaper The Sun reported that Japanese studio Toei, set to collaborate the production of Memoirs Of A Geisha in Japan, might refuse to lease its set to the Americans. According to the paper, Toei was not happy about the fat that the cast of Memoirs Of A Geisha, a story supposed occurred in Japan, consists with too many Chinese and not enough Japanese. It was just like "changing a Kyoto's temple into a grand Chinese restaurant."

Both the movie and the book it is based on are in fact western interpretation of Japan's geisha culture. The Japanese are especially upset that geishas are portrayed as prostitutes. In fact, they are entertainers and could even be seen as artists.

[roche]

more info about the movie....

Producers Doug Wick, Lucy Fisher, Steven Spielberg and Director Rob Marshall
Announce Principal Casting for Ensemble Drama

CULVER CITY, Calif., Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/-- Oscar(R) nominee Ken Watanabe
("The Last Samurai") has been signed and will be joined by a spectacular
ensemble of international actors led by Zhang Ziyi ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon"), Gong Li ("Raise The Red Lantern"), Michelle Yeoh ("Crouching Tiger,Hidden Dragon"),
Youki Kudoh ("Snow Falling on Cedars") and Koji Yakusho("Shall We Dance?") who are in final negotiations
to star in Columbia Pictures
/ DreamWorks Films / Spyglass Entertainment's feature film adaptation of
"Memoirs of A Geisha" for Academy Award(R)-nominated director Rob Marshall, it
was announced today by Matt Tolmach and Doug Belgrad, Co-Presidents of
Production for Columbia Pictures, and producers Doug Wick, Lucy Fisher and
Steven Spielberg.
Based on Arthur Golden's exotic and enthralling best-selling novel,
"Memoirs of a Geisha" will begin production this September in Los Angeles and
Japan. Written by Ron Bass, Akiva Goldsman and Robin Swicord, the film is
produced by Wick, Fisher and Spielberg.
The primary cast was assembled after an exhaustive search, which began
with several months in Japan and continued throughout Asia to find the perfect
actor for each role.
"We could not be more excited about the extraordinary cast that we have in
place for 'Memoirs of a Geisha,'" said Marshall. "We are adapting a beloved
piece of literature that has become a worldwide sensation, which made it
important to me to assemble a cast with a prestigious international profile.
I cannot wait to begin production this fall."
"We are thrilled to be using this beautiful piece of literature as an
opportunity to bring together some of the greatest actors in the world, and
certainly the most distinguished team of Asian actors ever assembled for an
American movie." said Wick and Fisher.
"From the time I first read Arthur Golden's novel, I wanted to see this as
a film," Spielberg said. "It's a uniquely compelling story rich with
characters who take you into a world you have never experienced before, and
there is no one better than Rob Marshall to bring all the poetry and artistry
of Arthur Golden's novel to movie theaters all over the world."
Heading the cast is Ken Watanabe, who received an Academy Award(R)
nomination for "The Last Samurai" and is a top box office attraction in his
native Japan. Watanabe will portray 'The Chairman,' the high-powered
executive with whom the young geisha, Sayuri, falls in love. Watanabe who
stars in the upcoming "Batman Begins," is also familiar to American audiences
from the popular Japanese comedy "Tampopo."
Chinese-born actress Zhang Ziyi will portray Sayuri, the beautiful young
orphan from a remote fishing village whose life changes forever when she is
sent to the city to learn the ways of the geisha. Zhang Ziyi made an
indelible impression on audiences around the world with her portrayal of the
rebellious 'Jen Yu' in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." Her credits also
include "Rush Hour 2," "Purple Butterfly" and the upcoming films "Hero,"
"2046" and "House of Flying Daggers."
"Memoirs of a Geisha" reunites Zhang Ziyi with her "Crouching Tiger,
Hidden Dragon" co-star and sparring partner Michelle Yeoh, who will portray
Mameha, the elegant and experienced geisha who becomes Sayuri's mentor. The
Malaysian-born action star brought the fearless 'Shu Lien' character to life
in Ang Lee's award-winning film, and was also featured in the James Bond film
"Tomorrow Never Dies."
Another Chinese-born actress, Gong Li, will portray Sayuri's stunning and
treacherous rival Hatsumomo. Gong Li achieved international celebrity in "Ju
Dou," "Red Sorghum," "Raise the Red Lantern" and "Shanghai Triad," and other
acclaimed films including "The Emperor and the Assassin," "Temptress Moon" and
"Farewell My Concubine." Gong Li recently co-starred along side Zhang Ziyi in
director Kar Wai Wong's soon-to-be-released "2046."
Rounding out the principal cast is Japanese actor Koji Yakusho ("Shall We
Dance?") as Nobu, the brilliant but tragic businessman who seeks to become
Sayuri's patron and another Japanese star Youki Kudoh ("Snow Falling on
Cedars") as Pumpkin, Sayuri's closest friend since childhood who also
struggles on the path to becoming a geisha.
"Memoirs of a Geisha" is also utilizing the talents of Liza Dalby,
world-renowned geisha expert and author of many definitive works on the
culture of the geisha, including "Geisha" and "Kimono," as consultant in the
making of this film.

[pyre]

This is going to be one excellent film to watch. Great directors and actors. Getting happy and excited already! Want them to start production soon so they can release screen caps! Love to watch trailer of the film aswell! Gonna be awesome!

EDIT: News I found today

Cameras Go on GEISHA
Wednesday October 27 12:57 PM ET


Rob Marshall's adaptation of the Arthur Golden bestseller Memoirs of a Geisha begins filming in the Los Angeles area.

By Lisa Johnson, FilmStew.com

Memoirs of a Geisha, a romantic epic based on the internationally acclaimed bestseller by Arthur Golden, has begun filming in Los Angeles under the direction of Academy Award nominee Rob Marshall (Chicago). In addition to locations in the Los Angeles area, Memoirs of a Geisha will film in Japan and Northern California.

The film's ensemble cast includes Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) in the title role, opposite Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai) as the man she loves. Gong Li (Raise the Red Lantern), Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Koji Yakusho (Shall We Dance?) and Youki Kudoh (Snow Falling on Cedars) also star in leading roles. The casting of so many Chinese actors in the Japanese-centered film has been a point of contention in the Asian community.

Set in a mysterious exotic world, the story begins in the years before WWII when a penniless Japanese child is torn from her family to work as a maid in a geisha house. Despite a treacherous rival who nearly breaks her spirit, the girl blossoms into the legendary geisha Sayuri (Zhang). Beautiful and accomplished, Sayuri captivates the most powerful men of her day but is haunted by her secret love for the one man who is out of her reach (Watanabe).

Produced by Lucy Fisher, Douglas Wick and Steven Spielberg, the Columbia Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment project also has an award-winning team of behind-the-scenes artists including many of Marshall's key Chicago collaborators. The screen adaptation was written by Ron Bass, Akiva Goldsman, Robin Swicord and Doug Wright. The executive producers are Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber, Patricia Whitcher and Bobby Cohen.

Source: Yahoo Movies

[jbalibean]

I saw this forum and I nearly jumped out of my chair! I just finished Memoirs of a Geisha a few days ago, and I can confidently say that is one of the best books I have ever read! (My opinion cannot be totally discredited because I have been reading constantly since I was three). As for the movie, there is no way the mastery of syntax and diction can be conveyed effectively in the movie. Sayuri has such intricate complexities, that I doubt Zhang Ziyi, whom I have only seen as a one dimensional personality, will be able to captivate the confident aloofness that is necessary. It is a shame that great works have to be capitalized on, transforming a gem of creativity into mass media garble.

[roche]

i'm just wondering.....can zhang ziyi speak english well enough to handle being sayuri??? i mean, as the lead in a film like this, i'd think she would have a lot of lines. she can't get away with not saying much like in crouching tiger hidden dragon, coz i mean, after all that's kinda a martial arts film with lotsa fight scenes.

i'm pretty excited about the movie though.....i really loved the book!!!
i even wrote a paper for this east asian studies class i was taking (it covered china japan and korea) on geisha!!!! haha.....

[shiroyume]

i reccomend the book! its well written, there was something that disapointed me though, but i wont say! but it is indeed quite a book.
my book used to be clean, as if it were jsut bought.. but then i lent it to my friends.. about 4-5 of them? and it was returned to me looking like an extremely pre-loved book!
im really looking forward to the movie.. it must be good, seeing as there are so many reknown actors which are going ot be in it... anyone know when the movie is being released?

[Grudge_Boy]

I loved this book. I thought it was a very authentic account of a geisha's life. It was told really through honesty. I cried through some bits because its a very touching book.
Everyone should read this book. Im really looking forward to this movie to relive 'Memoirs of a geisha'.

[ViBi]

I loved this book. I thought it was a very authentic account of a geisha's life. It was told really through honesty. I cried through some bits because its a very touching book.

no way.. its no where near being authentic apparently... the geisha arthur golden interviewed for the book sued him for depicting "geishas like prostitues" apparently... but despite that point.. i loved the book... but i still dont think the cast is cast properly..

hahaha.. cant imagine how they will do the scene of the geisha selling her virginity to that creepy doctor guy.. and the ugly lizard nobu san...

[jbalibean]

ViBi said: i still dont think the cast is cast properly

I completely agree, why couldn't they get somebody besides Zhang Ziyi? She is such a slut. Maybe she thinks she could try America because she isn't respected in China. I'm also disappointed like many of the others in this forum, that there are no Japanese people starring in this movie!! :crazy: It will probably turn okay, figuring Stephen Spielberg is directing. As for her English, I imagine she is getting a lot of lessons. Will she try and pretend a Japanese accent for the movie though? Are there any parts where the movie is in Japanese? Prolly not, but I still was wondering. I like Michelle Yeoh, why couldn't she play Sayuri? Or why not Sammi Cheng? She is talented, and I think she speaks English fairly well. Oh well, at least Jay's movie is coming out soon! :D

[luvsfroot]

I just found some photos from the movie (coming out Dec. 9!):

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/columbia_pictures/memoirs_of_a_geisha/ziyi_zhang/memoirs1.jpg
Zhang Ziyi as Sayuri

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/columbia_pictures/memoirs_of_a_geisha/_group_photos/ken_watanabe1.jpg
Zhang Ziyi & Ken Watanabe (Chairman)

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/columbia_pictures/memoirs_of_a_geisha/_group_photos/gong_li2.jpg
Suzuka Ohgo (young Sayuri) & Gong Li (Hatsumomo)

[judes]

wow. thanks for those pictures.

i am still not impressed by the casting.
you would still think that for a movie based on a book about japan, you would choose JAPANESE people to fill at least the main roles.

[jayx8318x]

You can now download the trailer from the official japn site! Download (http://www.movies.co.jp/sayuri/trailer/sayuri_trailer_500k.wmv) (11mb; 3minutes)
It looks AWESOME and Zhang Ziyi looks so gorgeous!

[kamui]

i really liked the book! in fact i just finished reading it and it was really good ^^ acutally i dont really mind the cast, although i think that it's kind of weird that the directors chose so many chinese actors/actresses for a japanese movie. i guess its because there arent as many famous japanese actors/actresses in teh US? well whatever the case is, i think that Gong Li makes a good Hatsumomo and i'm excited to see Ken Watanabe in another movie. I want to see pictures of the rest of the cast in their roles though.

oh and thank you for the trailer jayx8318x! just curious, is the movie going to be called Sayuri, or Memoirs of a Geisha?

[yakusoku]

Yes Gong Li is gorgeous as Hatsumomo!

She is what I would have imagined Hatsumomo to look like.

[spork]

I didn't like the book >_< At first I was very intrigued because the narrative was very poetic and beautiful, and it stayed that way through the end, but I couldn't respect Sayuri at all in the end, even if it was a happy ending. I'd watch the movie, just to see how they did it, but not because the book was wonderful -_-

I was under the impression that the former geisha the author interviewed for Memoirs of a Geisha was the same geisha that "wrote" [dictated in japanese to another author to translate to english] Geisha of Gion, which is an actual memoir of a girl who became a geisha. It makes sense if she did that, especially if she really did try to sue the author of Memoirs.

[Becci]

Memoirs of a Geisha? I didn't know it was a book too! Yeah I heard Zhang Ziyi is acting in it and that why I really want to see the film! What's the book like??

Thanks jayx8318x for sharing the trailer. :happy:

Edit://

Just saw the trailer,I didn't realise it was an movie from the US! Zhang Ziyi's english is improving a lot. :happy:

[kewlpiggy88]

little sayur is so much cuter than the grown-up sayuri (sorry to zhang ziyi fans). it's just....zhang ziyi is not japanese-looking at alllllll. WHYYYYYYYYYYY CAST HER? i know, i know....it's cuz ppl in the US actually know who she is, but i mean.......SPREAD THE LOVE. cast her in a supporting role and then get another japanese actress to be the main role. right? makes sense to me. lol.

[vanillae123]

I think the actors in the cast are talented enough. I'm sure they can portray a japanese no matter how chinese they are. but it still bug me. i'm sure that they are a lot of talented japanese actress to act as Sayuri.
Overall, I like the book and it is one of my favourite.

Cant wait to see the movie!!! I hope they do the adaptation right. Hollywood have a knack to mess things up.

[luvsfroot]

Yeah I think it still kind of bugs me too, that the main actresses aren't Japanese. Gong Li & Michelle Yeoh are good actresses but maybe they should've tried getting some more Japanese ppl in the cast. Like maybe the Japanese model Koyuki Katou (aka "xiao xue")? I don't know if she's that good an actress but she looks like she could be a geisha. After reading the book, which I loved, the 3 main actresses didn't fit my impressions of the geisha. I guess they cast them to generate more revenue, esp. since Zhang Ziyi is so well known in the international film industry now and is quite popular among Americans. I wonder if she'll be wearing gray-ish contact lenses? (I couldn't tell from the trailer.) I dunno if that'd look weird on her, but it is quite a major part of the character I think. I really like that they cast Ken Watanabe though; he looks pretty much like what I thought the Chairman would be like. Oh and I guess the movie's going to be called "Memoirs of a Geisha" in the US but "Sayuri" in Japan?

[[[JaYnIi]]]

any how i looove the book its not like omg briliantly written or anything but according 2 my meomry its very very interesting if u like reading bout japanese stuff. Bout the movie, not so keen on the fact chinese people playing the movie like i don't really h8 them or anything it just doesn't seem right, is there a problem hiring japanese actors?

[jay_gf]

I actually just finished reading the book last week, I had been wanting to read it for a while, so I finally went out and bought it, I really like it!! Well I've never read anything about Geishas and also had the western perception that Geishas were prostitutes in Japan! I didn't even know we had a thread about it here in JC NEt, and theres a movie too! I'm looking forward to seeing it coz I like the book - but it is sad that Chinese people will be starring in it - all the famous chinese actresses/actors too. I'm still pretty skeptical that they can pull it off, - I mean Mameha is supposed to be really gorgeous and young right, in the movie it is to be played by Michelle Yeoh - isn't she old..ish? I think Zhang Ziyi might be good at playing Mameha! But since she is Sayuri - I wonder like everyone else here, how they will do her eyes! Coz they are supposed to play a big part huh.

Thanks to the pics luvsfroot have provided it looks like it will be better than I have perceived it to be. Thanks Jayx8318x for the trailer, I'm downloading right now!

Spork - Geisha of Gion huh? I think I will go check that book out, sounds like a good read - especially the fact that its an actual memoir!

-edit-
I just watched the trailer - its looks really good! I'm looking forward to seeing it. Few points - Michelle Yeoh does look too old for the part, Nobu should be uglier (hehe just my opinion) and Zhang Ziyi's contacts..well..don't really look right. Or maybe it just looks weird coz we know she doesn't really have blue eyes? :wacko:

[fujiwaratofushop]

to us Chinese, we probably cant help getting very bugged by the fact Zhang Ziyi & gang are chinese, not jap, but i think to the western people, basically they cant tell the difference.

I was really impressed by the trailer, am now so very looking forward to the release next year (such a long wait! Zzz). i thought all three were brilliant in the brief scenes during the trailer. and i had to buy the book the very next day.. the book is great as well.

yes i agree jay_gf i was also expecting Nobu to look MUCHH uglier than that, hmm.
and can someone enlighten me? where does that scene where GongLi set the room on fire come from?

[jay_gf]

yes i agree jay_gf i was also expecting Nobu to look MUCHH uglier than that, hmm.
and can someone enlighten me? where does that scene where GongLi set the room on fire come from?

lol yes, much uglier! You know what? I had the same thought too! I was wondering where the fire thing came from...coz somehow I don't remember either?

The girl that plays Sayuri when she is little is sooo cute!

[FSUTan]

the book memoirs of a geisha by author golden is one of my favorite books of all time! i saw the 10 minute trailer...and i have very mixed feelings on it. first off. I LOVE ZZY's eyes (a translucent gray as the book describes them) and i actually want contacts like them LOL! as far as the cast...zzy, gong li and michelle yeoh all being chinese...though i don't quiet agree that they got picked to play japanese characters, i do understand why. more well known people, the more attraction to the movie. as far as ken wantanabe...he is absolutely amazing. The whole movie being in english...i don't like too much. but since they book is written in a way where sayuri is dictating her life tale as she is in NYC telling it...i guess it's not a HORRIBLE thing that the movie was in english. plus. i'd rather it be in english than japanese (since i don't understand japanese)...that and since most of the main characters can't speak japanese, there's no point LOL. mostly. ppl would rather watch something in bad english, than in subtitles =) anyhow. i can't wait for the movie to come out!

It's a white American man writing a book about a woman in Japan. I'm sure the author spent a lot of time researching to write this book, but since he can't suddenly change himself to have the mindset of a Japanese woman who is from a completely different culture, there are bound to be slight biases on certain views, portrayals, etc.

I was speaking with one of my Japanese friends about this during class one time, and she told me that the way the author portray's a geisha isn't completely accurate since being a geisha is not simply about selling your virginity. There is some deeper meaning to the profession.

I liked most of the book until the end. Towards the end, the main character irked me more and more. The things she did, ugh. And it just made me angry because it felt like the author ended the book happily for the sake of having that happy ending.

I look forward to the movie though. It should be enjoyable at the least.


since it's a fictional novel. it's not a big deal if a "white guy" is writing it. and as far as the author portraying a geisha and how she's not just about selling your virginity. Golden also makes it clear that it is NOT about that and that they usually do NOT sell their bodies but only their time and their presence...ok i just spent 10 minutes looking thru my book for a quote that supports my arguement but i got lazy LOL..but i can get back to you on that if it's that important =)

[jayfanaticgirl]

What did you guys think of Memoirs of a Geisha? I haven't read it but if it's worth the time, maybe I should. Did you know there's going to be a movie? I think it's coming out next year & it's starring Zhang Ziyi (crouching tiger hidden dragon, hero/ying xiong, rush hour 2) as Sayuri, Ken Watanabe (the last samurai, batman begins) as The Chairman, Michelle Yeoh (crouching tiger hidden dragon, tomorrow never dies, hua mulan) as Mameha, Gong Li (farewell my concubine) as Hatsumono, Yoki Kudoh as Pumpkin, (directed by Rob Marshall, produced by Steven Spielberg). Do you think the movie will be good, especially with these highly-acclaimed actors, or bad because the book will be better? (I'm probably going to start reading it & watch the movie when it comes out.) =) ... Ok just wondering what you guys thought. :wink2:

p.s. Movie info from Movies.com & Imdb.com

yes I've read it.. although I was a bit young to read it :rolleyes: hehe. but Anyway, it was amazing. I thought it was one of the best books ever written! It was Aurthur Golden's debut novel AND it was written by a man! I couldn't believe it!

You definetly HAVE to read it. It's seriously really good!
I've heard about the movie for quite some time. I saw the movie trailer and it looks good! I can't believe it's gonna be in english! That'll kinda ruin some things though. I am a HUGE fan of Zhang Ziyi and Gongli and Also Michelle! I can't wait

Anyway, Memoirs of a Geisha is definately worth reading

[powerlessangel]

i agree with FSutan.......

honestly, i was really excited about the movie because the book was awesome.......and even though the casting of chinese actresses as the main lead caused me to have some doubt about the movie, i decided not to put down the movie since the book was great...

the trailer spoils it all.......The story somehow becomes ' american geisha'......you can see from the trailer itself that huge amount of money have been invested to create realism.....yet they overlooked the fact that language itself can create or destroy realism.....how can an story centered around kyoto....and japanese speaking geishas be transformed to american speaking geishas on screen....it amazes me that steven spielberg is behind this movie.......he of all should have known what is missing....it even amazes me that a fantastic author had allowed such changes to take place

but then again hollywood have always been stealing ideas and making it their own......and of course, here they have created an american speaking geisha based ( suprisingly) in kyoto......so as to cater to the english speaking audience.....

and one thing, i dislike the poster of this movie.....i was expecting something more...artisitc and .....i don't know.....something more special, i guess.....the poster seems to potrays nothing of geishas....it just seems to scream ' zhang --whatever her surname is'......which is sad...but then again, this is hollywood, focusing on the cast instead of meangingful and strong messages...and again......i do not think she should have been casted as the main lead, sayuri.....for she has neither the demure geisha look nor does she look like japanese......it sucks that factors like these spoils an movie.......but i wil watch this movie just for the sake of finding out what else they changed about the book

[evelyim123]

i haven't read the book but i will try and read it before the movie comes out. I'm looking forward to watching the movie too. I won't judge teh actors and actresses now because i haven't seen their performance yet. So i'd like to see their work before i'd judge it.

[DeMoNAsH]

People usually get dissappointed when they watch the movie after reading the book since the movie just cant cover all the details. Its quite a nice book to read, relieved me of my boredom in the army.

[JayFan08]

i haven't read the book..or seen the movie (obviously...) so im totally clueless to what its about. but i heard some people were disappointed that a chinese actress was chosen instead of japanese..so thats how i heard about the film...
but i do want to see it..as for reading the book..maybe. ^^

[darkangeldori00]

I heard it was a really relaly good book. I think it was one of my summer reading books but I cant really remember. I might end up reading it. I still have no idea what its about but my friend says that it is really relaly good.

[lovingjay]

Just finished reading the book. It was better than I thought it would be....I actually liked it.

Can't wait until the movie comes out.

[esther]

Read the book very long ago. about 1 or 2 yrs ago. Didnt know that a movie is on the way! But Zhang Zi yi???? I dont think it is a good choice. Just feel that she doesnt give me the "geisha" feel. Hmmm..

To those who havent read it, please do. It is :thumbsup:.. You wont regret! :laughing:

[msytified]

I'm in the midst of reading the book now..haven't finished it yet but will soon. I'm at the part where she tackles that ugly Jap sumo wrestler named Nobu. Anyways, when i started reading it, I was quite bored. Only managed a few pages because I was interested when she started becoming a geisha, which was a few chapters down the line. But now i'm quite engrossed in it. Its a very good book to read.

About the actresses for the movie, I think its a very good pick. I like Gong Li, she's an ultra classy actress. I'm sure she'll give a sterling performance in the show. As for Zhang Ziyi, although the media always reports her as acting some sort of a diva and being obnoxious, I always loved her acting. Seen her in Hero, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and The House of the Flying Daggers. Nice.....

[mango frappuccino]

I've read the book a long time ago and I consider it as one of the best books I ever read! Really worth reading, gives you a deep perspective of the Geisha world. I saw the movie trailer awhile ago and the move seems to be great too! Can't wait until it comes out! ^-^

[vanillae123]

I just realised something about the movie. We all know that Michelle Yeoh is too old to play Sayuri right?
But I need to check on something.
If I'm not mistaken, it is stated in the book that Mameha is a few year younger than Hatsumomo.
Am I correct? Guys?

[janjin]

i just noticed this thread and the book is one of my favorites. I just saw the preview last week. Honestly though, i dont think michelle yeoh should be casted as mameha. when i envisioned mameha, its totally different. they did a good job with hatsumomo. and they mightve been able to pull it off it if originally had stuck with steven spielberg.

[kaye21]

the book is worth reading...A different POV (point of view) for an asian cultural icon=>geishas...long been fascinated with them...have yet to read the book written by the geisha portrayed by arthur golden...i think there was some suing going on about the book not being accurate enough etc...there was even an american who pursued the geisha way of life and has written a book about it....

about the movie, the casting is okay...props to ken watanabe for being cast as the chairman...chinese actresses for japanese characters???, well it is a hollywood production so, for them every asian looks the same!...probably they were banking (money) on the celebrity status of zhang ziyi, michelle yeoh and gong li....
for the nobu character, a more meaner looking guy should have been cast...
john lone would have been great for the chairman or even as nobu, but with prosthetic make-up for the nobu's facial scars...

hatsumumo should be about the same age as mameha san, its says so in the book...

any recommended japanese actors for the geisha roles? kyoko fukada? namie amuro?

[w4t3r_lily]

Oh i love the book. I've already read it like 3 or 4 years ago back when i'm still in highschool. Now i'm looking forward to watch the movie. I'm still surprised that they cast Zang Zi Yi and not Japanese stars or something. But i think he can be a great sayuri. And there is Gong Li too :excited: She is pretty. :D

[kamui]

Oh i love the book. I've already read it like 3 or 4 years ago back when i'm still in highschool. Now i'm looking forward to watch the movie. I'm still surprised that they cast Zang Zi Yi and not Japanese stars or something. But i think he can be a great sayuri. And there is Gong Li too :excited: She is pretty. :D
hm i probably thought the same thing as you (as in they should have casted japanese actors/actresses) but think about it this way (And i read this somewhere else): would you have rather casted an Irish person as Jack in Titanic instead of Leo Dicaprio? Just coz they aren't the same ethnicity, doesnt mean it should make a huge difference in the general scheme of things. if ziyi is a good actress (and the other chinese ppl as well) then i'm sure that she can pull it off and make the movie a success.

besides, if they dont win any kind of best actress/actor awards, at least we know the cinematography will be kick-butt :excited:

[appleface]

so is zi yi gonna speak japanese in the actual movie???

i agree zi yi is HECK a talented artist... but it woul'dve be more appropriate if it is played by japanese artist itself

[ankh]

I haven't read this book before though I've wanted to read it for a long time.

Anyway about the movie, I'm not too happy about casting Chinese actresses as Japanese. I know they're good actresses but this is just yet another Hollywood stereotype: that all Asians are the same. But Asians are not a homogenous ethnicity and if Hollywood's gonna keep doing that, it'll send out a wrong message to the international market.

My friend's downloaded the trailer and she says they're gonna be speaking english in the movie. It takes a little getting used to, hearing english in a Japanese cultural setting.

[clemeee]

I haven't read the book yet, but I want to read it soon..
and the movie sounds really interesting, i'm probably going to go see it when it comes out.

[junnleenfaah]

i'm really excited for the movie to come out now. i havent read the book, but i plan on buying it sometime soon to read it. i heard it's gunna be an awesome movie [time magazine expects for it to be an oscar nominee film] but it does bother me how the main characters arent even played by japanese people. but then again, there arent any really popular, good japanese actors/actresses that can do an american movie..

[xgemeauxx]

I stayed up late last night just so that I could finish the book..and all I have to say is "Wow". The ending just ties everything up and is very satisfying. The ending made the book that much better. I highly recommend that people read the book before watching the movie because Arthur Golden's (author) words are descriptive and poetic. Very good book.
As for the movie, I've heard a lot of criticisms about Chinese actresses in a Japanese based film. I think that we would just have to watch the movie and let the actresses prove themselves. After all, the book was written by an American writer. At least they didn't put American (white) actresses as Geisha! And no one really ever complains when an American actor play an English role right? Anyway, Zhang Ziyi, Gong Li, and Michelle Yeoh are all very beautiful and very capable actresses, we should criticize after we've seen the movie. At least the movie had a big budget, so you know the setting and costumes are going to be beautiful.

[xiaoli]

Anyway about the movie, I'm not too happy about casting Chinese actresses as Japanese. I know they're good actresses but this is just yet another Hollywood stereotype: that all Asians are the same. But Asians are not a homogenous ethnicity and if Hollywood's gonna keep doing that, it'll send out a wrong message to the international market.

ARGH what is the big deal?

If an actress looks the part, suits the part and can act the part, WHAT is the problem? Why does her nationality or ethnicity matter? I don't think it's necessary for Asians to get all indignant over something so silly. Renee Zellweger is American and she played a British woman as Bridget Jones. Nicole Kidman is Australian and she played a British woman as Virginia Woolf (The Hours, Best Actress Oscar btw). Does anyone care? In Hollywood, Americans and Europeans and whatnot are always taking on each other's roles, why do Asians have to be soo nationalistic?

HOWEVER, I can understand why Japanese people mightn't be too happy about it NOT for the reason ankh mentioned but because Memoirs is supposedly representational of Japanese culture. That's more of a pride issue IMO. Anyway, (1) it's a fiction book, Sayuri is not even real. It's not like she's a prominent iconic figure in Japanese history, she's MADE UP. (2) The book is written by a white man. If you're going to get all huffed up about a Chinese playing a Japanese in the movie, first you should complain about an American writing about a Japanese in the book.

Anyway, I just finished reading the book a few days ago. I've been meaning to for the longest time, but only got round to it since the movie's coming out soon! I've only seen some screencaps but Gong Li looks AMAZING, as beautiful as Hatsumomo should be. On the other hand, I agree that Michelle looks too old to play Mameha.. she looks almost like Sayuri's mother >.<

[ankh]

An article I stumbled upon while surfing for related stuff.

Hollywood geisha raise eyebrows in Asia
Mon Nov 28, 2005 11:43 AM GMT

By Isabel Reynolds

TOKYO (Reuters) - A dream team of movie stars from China and Japan gathered in Tokyo on Monday to promote "Memoirs of a Geisha," the first big-budget Hollywood romance to feature an almost entirely Asian cast.

But a day ahead of the world premiere, some in Japan were wondering why homegrown talent was shut out of the leading roles in a film that celebrates Japan's unique culture.

Harsher comments have come from China, where bitter feelings over Japan's 1931-45 occupation of parts of the country make the idea of Chinese playing geisha unacceptable to some.

Based on a best-selling novel, backed by Steven Spielberg and directed by Rob Marshall of the multiple Oscar-winning "Chicago", "Memoirs" has generated enormous media interest.

The cast adds up to Asia's A-list, with China's Ziyi Zhang starring as Sayuri, a poor fisherman's daughter who transforms herself into a legend of Kyoto's mysterious entertainment world in the 1930s.

The two other leading roles are played by Gong Li, also of China, and ethnic Chinese Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh, with Japanese performers relegated to secondary roles.

"Memoirs," reported to have cost its makers $85 million, can ill afford to alienate moviegoers in Japan, the second biggest market for Hollywood films.

But some have already expressed anger at what they see as a cavalier attitude to the subtleties of traditional costume and dance in a movie largely shot on a specially built set in California.

"According to this film, 'geisha' dance in a bizarre fashion, as if they were in a Los Angeles strip show," one Japanese film fan complained on a Web log, or blog, adding that the lights and special effects were more reminiscent of modern Las Vegas than old Kyoto.

"We should boycott this film and send a clear message to Hollywood. Why on earth have they made a film making fun of the Japanese, when they cannot get by without us?" the blog continued.

Chinese bloggers were outraged.

"She's sold her soul and betrayed her country. Hacking her to death would not be good enough," China's state media quoted one blogger as saying of Zhang.

Dressed in an off-white cocktail dress with her hair piled high, Zhang told a packed news conference she saw the film as a step forward for Asian actors.

"I am really grateful to Rob Marshall for giving us this incredible chance to show the whole world Asian actors' ability," she said on Monday. "We can do so much more than people think."

ARTISTIC IMPRESSION

In Kyoto, the centre of Japan's traditional arts, the reaction was more circumspect, in keeping with the western Japanese city's customary discretion.

"It's a Hollywood movie. It's just entertainment, so what can we do?" said an official at the Kyoto Traditional Musical Art Foundation, which promotes the music, dance and other arts of old Japan. "Hollywood has always done things like ignoring history."

"Complaining about it will just focus attention on it, so we plan to ignore it," he added, saying that the foundation had turned down requests to take part in promotional events connected with the premiere.

Director Marshall has long emphasised that he was not trying to create an accurate picture of the Japan of the 1930s and that he felt he had chosen the best actors for each role, regardless of nationality.

"The challenge for me was to bring that world to life. For me, it is an artistic impression of that world," he said on Monday.

And some Japanese who saw the preview were pleasantly surprised.

"It was strange, but not in a bad way," said one magazine writer, who declined to be identified. "I think because they are foreigners they have been able to create a vision of Japanese beauty that we could not, because we would be trying to recreate reality," she added.

Japan has a record of accepting Hollywood versions of itself without complaint. Industry reports said "The Last Samurai" (2003), starring Tom Cruise and set in 19th century Japan, grossed more in Japan than in the United States.

"Memoirs of a Geisha" caused controversy in Japan long before it became a movie.

Mineko Iwasaki, the main inspiration for Arthur Golden's book, sued the author for failing to maintain her privacy, after he described such practices as "mizuage" or the selling of a young geisha's virginity to the highest bidder, which she has been reported as saying does not exist.

It's interesting to see very mixed reviews from both the Japanese and the Chinese.
And it's clear that the negative feelings arise from national pride. For the chinese, they've been very cautious about dealing with anything post-WWII.

xiaoli: Yes Memoirs is very representative of Japanese culture because the subject involves geisha. I don't think you can put down the cultural value of the book just because the main protagonist Sayuri is made up by Arthur Golden. For the Japanese, they cherish and value anything in the Yamato period (Old-Japan/Pre-Meiji) which explains how samurais, yazukas and geishas are so iconic of the Japanese culture.

And when I mention about the issue of Hollywood lumping Asians into one category, I don't mean that it is entirely wrong for them to cast other nationalities as the main cast since the 3 main actresses are indeed recognised and worthy cast. But you have to take heed that Hollywood is a very influential media and IMO, many Americans and Europeans bear the concept that Asians are a homogenous ethnicity - a very wrong stereotype. Just as how Jet Li is always cast as the Kungfu guy, Lucy Liu as a 'Dragon Lady' in Ally Mcbeal and the kimono clad O Ren Ishii in Kill Bill. In fact not all Asians bear this same culture. What about Malaysians, Singaporeans, Thais, Viets, Cambodians etc? Asian is a very diverse culture but that is not what is being perceived in Hollywood.

I've never read the book myself so I can't complain about it.
Though reports have indicated that there were a lot of controversy generated regarding Arthur Golden writing Geishas as somewhat like prostitutes. Is that true, for people who have read it?

[scarletwillow]

One day, I will write and direct a movie called "White Dancer Girl", pass it off as an artistic, enriching experience, and cast Russians to play the immigrant Irish in the movie. Spielberg will LOVE it.

[countess]

viickyma: i agree with you here. i believe that they cast zhang ziyi and the 2 other chinese actresses because they suited the role more than others. Apparently there weren't any prominent Japanese actresses who fit the part and be able to dance as well.

And yes, Golden did do quite a good job, i just finished reading the book 3 days ago. Golden even studied art history, specialising in Japanese art at Harvard and he also talked to some geisha's of the period.

Hopefully the movie will portray the characters as they were in the book. I am definitely looking forward to the movie!

[salty]

what i feel abt casting the chinese actors to be the geisha were rather inapproriate.. i dun mean they dun suit the cast or role. is just that it definitely will cause sum disapprovals from those trad japanese...

oh well, this could also be the gimmick the director used.. obviously, ppl will definitely think abt the chi being geishas, n medias will start cookin up some stories.. hence, even before the show starts, the popularity already shot up even without much advertising... dun u guys agree?

[midori]

I really don't see what the big deal is with Zhang Ziyi being cast as the main character for Memoirs. Isn't she an actress anyways? Oh, and if people don't know, there's this movie by Spielburg directed over 10 years ago, called Schindler's List. Maybe you heard of it. Ralph Fiennes, BRITISH plays a german commander. And yet, not much dispute over that? SO what is the big deal with Zhang Ziyi playing a Geisha? Maybe it's just that Asians generally have more pride towards thier ethnicity?

[kewlpiggy88]

well, i know ppl in china are mad that zhang ziyi played a japanese character, especially for her first work made under a hollywood director. there are serious political issues in asia; china-japan are well, not exactly friends. also no offense, but zhang ziyi doesn't look japanese at all.

[cookiebandit]

it doesnt matter that she doesnt look japanese or not. the thing is that the director thought she was the best choice. of course he would have thought about casting a japanese for the role, but he did say that he couldnt find the right person. there were some japanese women who could have gotten the role, but they didnt know english. Zhang ziyi was willing to go through all that work. can't we jusy enjoy the all the hard work she (and everyone else) put through? its a movie! its entertainment! cut the whole relations crap already!

and itss rather true about asians being very proud of their ethnicity. i go to a mostly white scool and a friend asks me if i was chinese. so i said i chinese/vietnamese. and he said that asians are so protective of who they are. he told me he had some other friend and he asked him if he was chinese and the guy says "NO! IM KOREAN!". my friend's italian, so he said if someone thought he was spanish or something, he wasnt going to yell that he's italian.

[Hazel]

I went to the sneak-peek premiere of "Memoirs of a Geisha" last night and I was a little bit disappointed with the movie. I read the book at least 2-3 years ago and when I found out that the movie based on the book was going to be release soon I was really excited because "Memoirs of a Geisha" was my all time favorite and most treasured book.

The visuals were astonishing and the colors were rich and vibrant. Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi were both very good in their roles. But the person who capture my attention the most was Gong Li’s role as Hatsumomo, it seem like she had a pretty good time playing the villainous. She is definitely someone who shines in just about any role you put her in.

Anyhow, one the main reason that makes this film a little bit disappointing was, Rob Marshall in casting, the way he did, ended up with a cast that sounded like Asians trying to speak English, with a variety of accents and speak intonation. It would have been better to have either a cast of native Japanese speakers or to have actors who spoke English more clearly. There were numerous of parts in the movie where I didn’t somewhat understand what they was saying.

It seem like the more you know about the culture and understand the world of geishas this film would of been a huge disappointment. I think Rob Marshall did a great job on directing this film, but he spent way too much time trying to make this film such a masterpiece. That the characters in the film didn't capture the characters in the book well enough. And might I say, this film was truly westernized. Overall, if you're a fan of the book don't miss out this film. I think it's a great film to go see during the holiday season with your boy/girlfriend.

I went home after the movie with "Memoirs of a Geisha" based chopsticks, lipstick cases, and fans. A few people from "The Tea Smith" (www.TheTeaSmith.com) gave out samples of their flavored green tea "Cherry Blossom". It was enjoyable night! :-)

[lotusSan]

Hi everyone! Wow a Memoirs of a Geisha thread. I just finished reading the book. I found the story to be interesting, but a bit long. I enjoyed the first half of the book more than the last half. I got impatient and skimmed through the end. I really wanted to watch the movie last weekend, but unfortunately it wasn't out yet. But I sense that the movie will be disappointing because the movie-version of a book tends to be not as good as the book itself.

[_mxsh]

Having read the book, I thought the movie was pretty good!

I didn't really mind the characters being cast Chinese, since asian is asian, and in Hollywood, we need all the rep we can get!

I also have to give Ziyi credit... do you realize how hard it must be for someone who just started learning English in 2001, who most likely still has a Chinese accent, to act in a JAPANESE accented English?

Major props there.

[cookiebandit]

i watched the movie yesterday!!! however i cant compare it to the book cuz i never read it b4, but i think i'm going to. it was a pretty cool movie, not your average princess love story, afterall, it IS memoirs of a geisha. I really like the dissing between sayuri and hatsumomo.......very SNAP!

[aznjayhunter]

i saw it last friday. it was sooooooooooooo good........and zhang zi yi is so pretty. shes such a good actor. did u kno that she was nominated for the best actress in this universal movie award thing? its like jan. 16 or something. wow. CHINESE PEOPLE ARE GOING GLOBALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!

[wackycashew]

wow... ziyi got nominated for best actress? :excited: that's awesome! i'm always so proud of asians who have achieved such global success. :D i still have to find time to watch this movie. i love ziyi, gong li, AND michelle yeoh!! :happy:

[junnleenfaah]

yeahh, she got a nomination for best actress for the golden globes. i think the movie is also nominated for best original score or something like that. i promised i'd read the book before watching the movie, so i've got a lot of reading to do this winter break! usually the movies arent as good as the book, but i'll hafta wait and find out..

is it just me or does it seem like zhang zi yi is the only asian actress that people can find to play a female asian role? i sorta wish that casts for asian movies would have a little more variety than JUST zhang ziyi. i dont completely love her; i think she's a decent actress, but i feel as if there's gotta be more actresses than just her. however, i do give her major props for learning english for the movie AND even more props for learning english PLUS the japanese accent. that's definitely talent.

[MademoiselleCOCO]

I'm really excited to see this movie. I think I'm seeing it with my mom tomorrow or Friday...it looks so amazing!! The whole Japanese thing looks so pretty and the background scenes look so beautiful!

I think Zhang Ziyi is good for the part, but yea, I do agree with Junn that we should get more Asian female actresses into the global scene. I mean, she's good and all, but we need more. Aha, I'm starting to act now. It takes a long time and lots of paitence and it's so hard to make it big. That's why I'm happy for Ziyi =)

[Sting]

just caught the movie and the movie kickass. although ziyi & michelle's english weren't that good, i can see the improvement. i'll rate the movie 4/5. In case you're wondering how i got to see the movie, i saw it at the premier. :)

[snow_drops]

I can't wait for this movie to show in HK. I saw the trailer and it looked so good. Can't wait to watch Zhang Ziyi performing in those dancing scenes. The book was really good, so I'm having high expectations for this film.

[ene]

I read the book a long time ago and really liked it so am eagerly awaiting its release. I just hope it doesn't disappointment. There's been too many instances where the movie remake falls short of the book due to time constraints, etc.

I feel the same about Zhang Ziyi too. I mean, she's a good actress, very pretty and all but is Hollywood so starved for Asian actresses that they just keep recasting the same faces over and over again ? :rolleyes:

[.sweetT.]

I've read the book twice already. I highly recommend reading the novel but not the movie. Of course movies have to skip a lot of things but I just didn't like the male lead--the Chairman.

It is one of those typical romance movies. Basically, she went through a lot of difficulties just to be with him at the end..that makes the movie sad. However, the ending is a happy one.

[SimpleBlackHumor89]

i just started readin the book last week. i'm at the part where sayuri is becomin an apprentice geisha. my sister already finished it, she said the ending was really good.

i'm probably not gon watch the movie in the theatres but i will definitely get it when it comes out on dvd.

zhan zi yi is real pretty, espeically in the movie with her blue/gray eyes

[junnleenfaah]

i just started readin the book last week. i'm at the part where sayuri is becomin an apprentice geisha. my sister already finished it, she said the ending was really good.
i'm probably not gon watch the movie in the theatres but i will definitely get it when it comes out on dvd.
zhan zi yi is real pretty, espeically in the movie with her blue/gray eyes

haha, i'm at the same place as you! man, if hatsumomo ever talked to me like she does to sayuri/chiyo.. i'd probably smack her or something like that. haha.

[xgemeauxx]

I've finally gotten to watch this movie! I've been waiting and at first I thought the it was released on the 9th.. but when i found out the nat'l release was on the 23rd i got upset, because i would be too busy to watch it.
The movie was really really good, i thought the acting done by the actresses were really good... some parts were hard to understand though.. because they didn't speak too clearly. The director did a great job and the cinematography was just beautiful.. I've actually been to one of the settings in the movie! the scene w/ the american ppl and there's a bridge and stuff.. that's the Huntington Library Gardens in Pasadena, Los Angeles. I got teary eyed at a lot of the parts though.. but never fully cried till the end! :cry: It was funny to hear the audience's reactions to when the chairman saw sayuri and that american colonel, because I've read the book and knew what was going to happen..:D the audience gasped.. hahaha
I think the book is better but the movie made me love the story even more!

[countess]

hehe, everyone is reading/re-reading the book! It doesnt come out in Aus until the 19th of Jan...sigh. But i will def go and see it- especially since uve recommended it, iam glad that the actresses did a good job, or else they would have gotten more crap from their critics. But just a question, what language is it in?

[htc10]

Just watched the movie yesterday, haven't read the book yet. I thought the actors/actresses all did an excellent job, especially Gong Li and little Sayuri. I did get a bit confused by all the Japanese names though, being Chinese myself:shy: I definitely want to read the book now to see the differences between the two. All in all, a great movie!

[xgemeauxx]

But just a question, what language is it in?

They all speak in english, but some phrases in Japanese.. like oneesan means sister, okaasan=mother, arigato=thank you, hai=yes and then all they're names were in japanese.

I was just wondering, what do you guys think of michelle yeoh's look as mameha? I thought she shouldve dyed her hair black... because her hair didn't strike me as very geisha-like... but i thought gong li and zhang ziyi were very beautiful in the movie.

[Viv]

Ugh. I'm reading the book currently and I actually planned to watch the movie after i read it. but ITS JUST SO LONG. T_T;; i'm only at the part where she starts working in the okisan and finds out that hatsumono knows where her sister is - but yes okay, I watched the movie today ._.;; I JUST COULDNT HELP IT!

In terms of art, I think the movie was terrific. Very artsy and the artors were chosen nicely. But in terms of everything else, it SUCKED. -_-;; i mean, for any random caucasian to watch that movie, they would be SO confused. T_T and what's with the random japanese here and there? It make me lose track of what was going on and etc.

I understood it because I knew who the characters were and what not. But all in all - I enjoyed it. :) Even though her debut dance to sell her virginity was a little.. disturbing. <<;;

Now to.. continue reading. T_T;;

[htc10]

They all speak in english, but some phrases in Japanese.. like oneesan means sister, okaasan=mother, arigato=thank you, hai=yes and then all they're names were in japanese.
I was just wondering, what do you guys think of michelle yeoh's look as mameha? I thought she shouldve dyed her hair black... because her hair didn't strike me as very geisha-like... but i thought gong li and zhang ziyi were very beautiful in the movie.

Yeah I thought her hair should have been black to suit the 'geisha' look...but she did come off as someone very wise and caring. I thought she was very well cast!

[midori]

I finally watched it for the first time today, and I can see why it would be confusing for any caucasian person or anyone else for that matter, who doesn't understand Asian or Japanese culture. I thought the director did a fine job with the movie, it was visually stunning, but it was a bit on the dull side. I also thought Michelle Yeoh should have had her hair black and there wasn't any scenes of her actually performing as a geisha. I think they should also go more indepth into explaining how being a Geisha has lost all its "beauty" after World War 2, like how a commoner can put on make up and call herself a Geisha. Overall, I think I like the book a little better than the movie ^^;;

[junnleenfaah]

aaahhhh i wanna see the movie so bad )= i'm on chapter 27 now in the book. i wanted to finish it before winter break was over so i could watch the movie before school started, but obviously that's not happening =/ i'm loving this book so much. the way golden use imagery and vivid verbs.. it's stunning.

ItsZbEeHdIswUnAzNgRl, learn to type correct english (= or is your "i" key permanently locked down? read the forum rules:
http://www.jay-chou.net/forums/showthread.php?t=152

[Jingle]

I just watched the movie this past weekend. I thought the movie was a bit long though! I think some of the scenes really dragged on and I would've liked more emphasis on the relationship between Zhi Yi and the Chairman. Too bad they didn't emphasize on that too much. I could not believe Gong Li's character - totally wanted to bash her face everytime she was mean! But, I guess you have to have a "bad guy" in all movies...heehee. I thought the movie overall wasn't too bad, but I have heard that the book is way better - I think I'll be getting to that soon so I can make a direct comparison. I also thought that they totally overdid Zhi Yi with the major make up. The huge performance she did was so ghostly (in my opinion)- her face was as white as a sheet of paper!! And her lips were so red too....totally reminded me of The Ring!!!! Hahaha.... Anyways, it's worth it to see if you like artsy movies and appreciate these sorts of "artsy" type movies.

[jbalibean]

I just saw the movie the other night and I actually enjoyed it, even though I dislike Zhang Ziyi, I didn't think she did bad. I liked how all the characters attempted Japanese accents in an effort to make it more realistic. I was disappointed with the ending b/c it just sort of tapered off without resolving all that it should have:dry:

Ifer ~ keep reading, the ending does not disappoint!!:D

Jingle ~ I highly recommend reading the book, it's much more satisfying than the movie, and it will help you to understand the movie more. I also hated Gong Li's character but it was accurate to the character in the book. yeah, I found the big performance a bit hilarious, with Zhang Ziyi sliding and falling around in those massive platforms!:laughing:

[Chun Li]

I want to watch it, but just because I like the clothing. Zi Yi is really pretty, and getting prettier all the time. She's over all the magazines in China even though Chinese people here don't have a good opinion of her.

[jbalibean]

Chun Li ~ That's what my friend said as well, so we watched it and then critiqued the clothing afterward:D Needless to say, she wants to buy a kimono now! :laughing: I don't like her because of what she said a while back about Taiwan and Hong Kong:chair: It was strange because today I saw her on the cover of "Good Housekeeping":glug:

[junnleenfaah]

zhang zi yi on the cover of good housekeeping? what the heck. now that's a new one..

*sigh* almost done with the book!!

[kewlpiggy88]

jbalibean: what did she say?

i thought little chiyo was SOO cute. she had flawless skin and was just coooooooo cute. but then she grew up into ziyi and it just didn't connect for me. i expected sayuri to have...i dunno, a softer face or something.

[Chun Li]

Chun Li ~ That's what my friend said as well, so we watched it and then critiqued the clothing afterward:D Needless to say, she wants to buy a kimono now! :laughing: I don't like her because of what she said a while back about Taiwan and Hong Kong:chair: It was strange because today I saw her on the cover of "Good Housekeeping":glug:


What did she say about Taiwan and Hong Kong, that little two-bit whore?

[nycgirls]

JC net lost my post again! Oh no...
I was saying that I like the cinamatography, sets, and the costumes, and actings by Michelle Yeoh. Ziyi was okay, and I was amazed by her English skills... she improved a lot within a short range of time!

After all I am quite against Golden's idea of breaking the rules when he interviewed with the geisha, and also adding non-existing sex competition spews... totally degrading geishas. The screenplay weren't too balanced, as seen in little time spent on telling how Sayuri became the greatest geisha in Japan during that time.

At last, I am debugging some rumors: Many HK and TW magazine called Ziyi was provocative throughout the whole movie (specifically called for the bath house scene) Truth: NOTHING. IT WAS NOTHING. Nothing even come close to a mild rating of R, and I think it was just the thought of sex that got this movie a R rating than actually the real movie itself. Screw you stupid paparazzi in hk and tw and some in chn... you guys have no sex life and probably don't even know how it should be!!

[shiroyume]

i saw it the other night,,
it was truly a diappoointment! i meant. the costume, setting. and casting were all generally done well.. btu i really did enjoy the book a lot more than the movie..
it just felt like there was something missing..
i believe that they placed too much emphasis on the intro, and the ending.. and chopped too much of hte middle..? like the transformation of chiyo/sayuri, and the overcoming of hatsumomo part..?
.i find that they left the audience to assume a lot.. or draw their own conclusions as to what happens to the characters, either that or they assumed that the audience has read th e book, and knows what happens to the characters ..?
i dont know.. it was somewhat dissapointing><"

[totallyforever5]

from what i heard it's pretty interesting Zhan Zhi Ying really looks pretty i mean awfully pretty!!!:D drool drool

[junnleenfaah]

i finished the book! i must say, it was completely awesome to read. i havent read a good book in a long time.

man.. so many negative comments about the movie =/ ah well, i'm still gunna watch it. i'm curious to see how well [or rather, how bad] it turns out to really be.

[dude000]

well i have watched the movie yesterday afternoon and i gotta say, the movie is awesome and very powerful, its powerful because of how the story of sayuri and what she goes through just to become a geisha. shes pretty hot in the film

[junnleenfaah]

i think i said earlier that zhang ziyi was nominated for an academy.. and i was wrong. haha. she was nominated for a golden globe. but she lost to felicity huffman. sorta sad. but whatever. i dont really like zhang zi yi anyway =P

BUT! john williams won a golden globe for best original score!! and i think he completely deserved it cuz the OST is AMAZING. i know someobody posted up a link for it in the downloads forum, but now i cant seem to find it =/

[midori]

I thought someone did post up a link? o_0 oh wells, I have a couple of songs from John Williams in Memoirs and Harry Potter ^___^

[ene]

Saw the film a couple of days back. Quite enjoyed it too. Thankfully, they kept pretty close to the book which I enjoyed a lot. But I didn't think that Michelle Yeoh (Mameha) was very convincing as a Japanese though. She looked too...un-Jap !

I also thought that Chairman falling in love with Sayuri is rather wrong since he's so much older :rolleyes: But that just my opinion. Ha.

[midori]

Lol, yes soooo much younger. And they've met when Sayuri was only 8.. what's funny is that he looks almost exactly the same XD amazing huh? like dick clark XD

[roche]

i convinced myself that i shouldn't watch the movie if i loved the book.....
too many movies have butchered books that i loved
*thinks charlie and the chocolate factory and the harry potter movies*
(i gotta say that the HP movies were okay, they just weren't as good as the books)

so right now i'm still sticking to my resolution, though i feel really tempted to watch the movie just to see how it was.
i heard gong li was really vicious as hatsumono and she completely stole the scene away from zhang zi yi....
that'll be something to see!

[wackycashew]

i have to do an assignment where i have to read a recent work of adolescent literature. i'm really interested in reading this book before watching the movie. judging by the ages of a lot of you here, i think this book will qualify for "adolescent literature", right? :D could someone let me know if this is one of the books that you and your peers have found popular (if you are in high school)? i just rather read this than harry potter, let's say. :tongue:

[aznjayhunter]

i have to do an assignment where i have to read a recent work of adolescent literature. i'm really interested in reading this book before watching the movie. judging by the ages of a lot of you here, i think this book will qualify for "adolescent literature", right? :D could someone let me know if this is one of the books that you and your peers have found popular (if you are in high school)? i just rather read this than harry potter, let's say. :tongue:

hmmmm......i dont think my classmates or my older sisters classmates read this book......i mean they'd watch the movie, but i dont think they read the book. i think the movie overshadowed the book, and many people didnt even kno it was a book. so......i dont kno.

[junnleenfaah]

lisa, a lot of my friends and i [as well as other random people at my school that i overheard talking about the book] have read the book, and we all loved it. it's a great book if you like artsy stuff and much imagery & details [which i do love, hehe]. so if you're into that, i highly recommend it (=

what aznjayhunter said is true about the movie overshadowing the book. but by now, most people know that it was originally a book. and a lot of bookstores are actually selling out of the novel because the movie gave the book so much promotion.

[wackycashew]

thanks so much for your input, aznjayhunter & ifer. i'll probably be picking up a copy of the book. i can see how the movie has overshadowed the book since it was recently released. i'll check with my instructor and see what he thinks, just in case. thanks again! :happy:

[icetears-]

oohhh.
i forgot to check this page for ages & this thread is a wonderful surprise ebcause i recently finished the book!
whoosh & it really hooked me on it`s every word.

yeha but i do have some questions because i`m a little confused, and my standard of english isn`t very high, yeah. so i was hoping if someone could tell me whether is the story fictional or non-fictional.

because the *translator`s note states that he actually knew nittasayuri, but in the *acknowledgements section, it states that the character of sayuri is completely invented =\

yeah so i`m a little confused >.<

[aznjayhunter]

oohhh.
i forgot to check this page for ages & this thread is a wonderful surprise ebcause i recently finished the book!
whoosh & it really hooked me on it`s every word.
yeha but i do have some questions because i`m a little confused, and my standard of english isn`t very high, yeah. so i was hoping if someone could tell me whether is the story fictional or non-fictional.
because the *translator`s note states that he actually knew nittasayuri, but in the *acknowledgements section, it states that the character of sayuri is completely invented =\
yeah so i`m a little confused >.<

its definitly a fiction. cuz i checked. it says: arthur golden, knopf, fiction.

[midori]

Hm, I was wondering, is Memoirs of a Geisha, historically correct?

[junnleenfaah]

i believe it is, midori. because in the translator's note, he said he took some stories from sayuri and it was incorporated into the book.

icetears- golden sure does make the story so well that it seems believeable, doesnt he (= but some parts of the story came from a real geisha's life, if i'm not mistaken.

[icetears-]

aye thanks! oh but THERE is such a person called nitta sayuri, right? as in, the late nitta sayuri?

\\ edited //

aye sorry but i`m still a little confused. because the translator said that nittasayuri is the first geisha to document her saga completely.

=\
is there like a book that fully documents the real nitta sayuri`s life? like perhaps, the book glittering jewels of Japan?

=X
sorry i`m quite slow >.<

[Chun Li]

I really like the clothing in this film. I read the book but I can't take it seriously cuz it's written by a white guy about a Japanese culture, and he wasn't born in that country or even speaks that language. So, discredited. But, I do like the outfits in the movie.

[icetears-]

I read the book but I can't take it seriously cuz it's written by a white guy about a Japanese culture, and he wasn't born in that country or even speaks that language. So, discredited.


aye? but i thought he speaks & writes Japanese?

[midori]

I really like the clothing in this film. I read the book but I can't take it seriously cuz it's written by a white guy about a Japanese culture, and he wasn't born in that country or even speaks that language. So, discredited. But, I do like the outfits in the movie.

Eh. I don't think you should let his ethnicity stop you from reading the book. Memoirs of A Geisha has won several awards, and he has study Japanese culture and everything before he wrote the book.

[amdawn]

the book is fiction though it may have used interviews with geishas to get it authentically correct as possible. it would be hard for golding to write it from scratch without doing some research to get a better understanding of his subjects before writing a book about it. i

so was the movie worth watching from an asian viewpoint? i heard a radio clip of it and cringed because i had difficulty understanding what i was hearing. here are chinese people trying to speak english and then accent at the same time to be japanese. uugh?!

[junnleenfaah]

icetears- yeah, i'm pretty sure there was a real nitta sayuri but did indeed pass away sometime ago. as for a book about her life, i'm not sure about that.

chun li- i agree with midori. i dont think his race determines how well he knows the culture. because from reading about his background and his research that he did for this book, it seemed like it was pretty intense research that he did and i'm sure he's got a pretty well-rounded knowledge about their culture.

[t3mptr3ss]

I really like the clothing in this film. I read the book but I can't take it seriously cuz it's written by a white guy about a Japanese culture, and he wasn't born in that country or even speaks that language. So, discredited. But, I do like the outfits in the movie.
hi i totally disagree with u on that...it is not discreditting the book or the movie... He has thought about the whole idea..and if u didnt read the book thoroughly it actually states there that he ha met Sayuri Nitta in real life and are friends before she passed away...al so Golwin has studied the Japanese lanuage and culture he majored in that also japanese arts...also he can speak the language.
:angel: This is my FAVOURITE movie..it is a love story that touched me so much...and i give so much credit and acknowledgement to the author Goldwin for the awesome book and his great artistic writng skills...i was really transported back in time .. into an era i can only imagine, where Geisha's exist's with its exotic backgrounds...the blossoming of the cherry tree's and the annual even of moon viewing...how can u not love the book or the movie..it was brilliant powerful and captivating...i guess only people who wana understand and appreciates complex stories can fully appreciate what they were trying to achieve and capture in the movie...though i liked the book better in the story part because it explains so much more and describes the characters individuality more..with more clarity and u can relate to them more...and also if u read the book first...u will feel like u are having an DE JA VOU when watching the movie because you already read it in the book with more details...when i was watching it i cant help but look for the little things and some details or events thats meant to happend at a particular moment..but it didnt...they had to shorten things i guess...but it doesnt mean the movie is not equally great ..in fact it explain alot too for me and it kinda made things more real for me... so yeah i love this movie ...

i definately loved the ending .. she got the man .. and the man got his Geisha ! and they lived happy... even though he never married her for he had a family already...she was satisfied with what she had because all she ever wanted was the Chairman and his Love..so she got that and thats all good... Also Sayuri Nitta ended up living in New York 'till she died...she lived in Luxury mind u ... so she was content... she resided where Paris Hilton grew up the Waldorff Astoria Hotel..like hello only rich people live there...hahaha ok thats it for now..

thank u ... t3mptr3ss:wave:

aye thanks! oh but THERE is such a person called nitta sayuri, right? as in, the late nitta sayuri?
\\ edited //
aye sorry but i`m still a little confused. because the translator said that nittasayuri is the first geisha to document her saga completely.
=\
is there like a book that fully documents the real nitta sayuri`s life? like perhaps, the book glittering jewels of Japan?
=X
sorry i`m quite slow >.<

Hi to answer or help make it clearer for u ... im happy to explain since i love this movie and book so much..hehehe ahermmm anyhow There is a Real Sayuri Nitta her name is Sayuri when she was full Geisha but Chiyo was her child name anyhow she is real and she was a living woman/Geisha who was the only who actually talked about her life as a Geisha ... there were a few talks and disagreements as to why she wanted to tell .. and there was those who didnt want her to tell becoz of how Geisha's are not meant to reveal the secret world of the Geisha's ... but she felt that she had to share her life and express her feelings and thought about her life...and i am glad she did share it to us becoz its such a lovely story .. even with all the trouble she had endured in her life... Also there is a Book that documents her life.. its Memoirs of a Geisha..thats the book...they have changed some of the names of the people in there for privacy purpose but most are the same... and that book you mentioned "Glittering Jewels of Japan" thats got nothing to do with Sayuri .. actually those books are different i think..it tells more about the juicy side of things i think...hmmm but i kno for sure that she has nothing to do with that or her story is not part of that... ok

t3mptr3ss

[junnleenfaah]

just an fyi to everybody, the author's last name is GOLDEN. not all the other variations some of yall are coming up with =P

t3mpstr3ss, i agree with you, i love all the imagery golden used. when i read the book, i imagined myself just sitting there like on a stone bench or something under a cherry blossom tree, and watching suyuri and the chairman interact w. each other (=

but although memoirs of a geisha sorta portrays the real sayuri's story, it's not like her actual biography or anything cuz the story is still fiction. i think golden made this novel for the stories of geisha as a WHOLE. although many of the stories from the novel come from sayuri, it's still a fictional novel, so it's not her official document/biography of her life.

and icetears never said that "glittering jewels of japan" was the story of sayuri. she was suggesting if there was a book like it =P

[tenshi_dew]

Memoirs of a Geisha is one of my favourite books, and when I recently watched the movie, I was amazed at all the beautiful scenes and images portrayed in the movie. I especially love all the dancing scenes, they were so incredibly captivating. And all the music really captured the essence of Memoirs of a Geisha.

Although most of the actors were not Japanese, the acting was nonetheless brilliant. And I think they casted the young Chiyo extremely well; her acting skills are amazing and she looks exactly like Zhang Ziyi.

[panda_shine]

I just watched Memoirs of Geisha this weekend after hearing so many reviews about it and it was so popular.

I haven't read the book yet so I can't really do any comparison, but I really enjoyed the movie! Like some of you mentioned, I love the setting and everything. It just seemed so real. Did they shoot it in an older part of Japan or was the setting all re-made for the movie?

I loved little Chiyo too (so cute and pretty!) and she does look like Zhang Zi Yi. I thought Zhang Zi Yi looked naturally beautiful in this series though I was never a fan of her. I thought what happened in the end was quite teary too but I am glad they got together too. It was nice to know that Chairman recognized way before.

At first I thought Zhang Zi Yi and Gong Li was the same person lol.. especially the scene after Hatsumomo torned all of Sayuri's poster.. and they were sitting side by side eating dinner. I thought they looked really similar.

[midori]

I think the movie was filmed somewhere in California, not Japan. Lol, Chiyo is so cute! haha, her blue eyes are nice.

[junnleenfaah]

Did they shoot it in an older part of Japan or was the setting all re-made for the movie?

i read here (http://www.darkhorizons.com/news05/geisha.php) that it was shot in culver city, ca. but i think it says that there were also some shots in japan as well? and then i thought i read somewhere that a few scenes were actually done in china too.

[cinsin]

I saw the movie yesterday and I have to say I think I ruined it by reading the book because the movie was missing so many parts.

You could never tell that Chiyo aged from when she had her mizuage till the world war. It all merged together too sudden. She went from being 15-34 in a matter of two scenes.

There also wasn't much character development, you could never really tell how Chiyo felt or any of the characters as a matter of fact.

But the kimonos were really beautiful and Zhang Zi Yi of course looks stunning as always. Michelle Yeoh also looked suprisingly pretty ^^

I think my favourite part was when they were viewing the cherry blossoms at the Barrons estate. The cherry blossoms looked beatiful as a backdrop.

[icetears-]

t3mptr3ss;

gosh thanks so much! sorry, because my standard of english isn`t all that good, i got very confused with the two parts. yeah thanks for clearing my confusion! =D

- gosh i`m so in love with nittasayuri x)

[cookielmy]

I just watched this movie yesterday. I don't really find it fantastic but is something very new.
The setting of the movie is very gloomy and depressing :oops: I should've read the book before watching this movie..

I love their beautiful kimono-s :love:
But there's one thing I'm confused.. between Gong Li and Zhang Zi Yi, I totally can't tell who is who. Both of them look like twins! >.< Don't you guys think so?

And I dislike Hatsumono's character, so b*tchy. I pity Nitta Sayuri though, sold her mizuage to a person she doesn't like and going through so many bad times. But luckily it ends a happy ending :)

[panda_shine]

Thanks junnleenfaah for the link! :happy:

Cookiemy: Yeah I thought Gong Li and Zhang Zi Yi looked like twins at one point too!! I was thinking is Zhang Zi Yi playing two roles? LOL I didn't really like Hatsumono either but again, I guess she has a reason to hate Sayuri.

I went out and bought the book today! I didn't know how long it would take to be on the waitlist at the library and I just couldn't wait to start reading it! I am half way through Chapter 3 and so far I really liked it. The movie really skipped basically a lot of stuff in Chapter 1-3. I can't wait to finish it!

[kasic_fantasy]

i watched the movie last sat and its simply beautiful :happy:

i didnt really like Hatsumomo's character but then one thing i must say is that Gong Li really protray out that bitchy slutty attitude. not that Gong Li is one of that kind but her acting skills is super impressive. the emotions and hatred she put in herself was really beyond words to describe. of all the actresses in the movie... i think she was the best...she brought the character to life :D

but anyway. was kindda depressing life of a geisha but in the end sayuri got to be with the man she loved. one line striked me though...a geisha is only half a wife of a man after the night falls....

out of 5 starz i rate it 4 :-) and oh yes...the kimonos are really very nice!!!:excited: :D

[junnleenfaah]

I went out and bought the book today! I didn't know how long it would take to be on the waitlist at the library and I just couldn't wait to start reading it! I am half way through Chapter 3 and so far I really liked it. The movie really skipped basically a lot of stuff in Chapter 1-3. I can't wait to finish it!

i can assure you it only gets better as the chapters pass by :D i had such a hard time putting the book down, that even my mom got mad at me [and she usually thinks i dont read enough, hahaha]

[Grudge_Boy]

The book has always been a favourite of mine so I had pretty high expectations for the movie.
It was so so for me although my dad loved it simply because he fancies Zhang Ziyi. :dry: I couldnt understand most of what she was saying but otherwise it was a good movie. The directing, costumes and settings were really beautiful.
I dont understand why people made such a big deal of Chinese actresses playing Japanese characters when British actors can act American parts without criticism. Well thats just my thoughts...:angel:

[karyn531]

My library didn't have the book too so I read it at school when my friends brought it. I read the first 5 chapters on the 1st day in between lessons, and the next 5 chapters the next day. There's still so much I haven't read. Too bad I couldn't borrow it home because I know if I do, I'll never do my homework. :laughing:

I want to buy the book too! But the thing is, even though the movie is nice, the story is a lot different than the one in the book. Many important details are missing :oops: I suppose it's hard to shoot some scenes in the book, so they went and change it, but it ruined the beautiful storylines. Especially the dialogs.

Funny I never realised the existence of this book before the movie came out.

[Ricochet]

I read "Memoirs of a Geisha" ages ago for an English school project and thought it provided quite an eye-opening perspective on the secretive life of a geisha - it got and is still getting raving reviews.
If you take out the fictional history parts of Sayuri's life, you supposedly are to get convincing 'meat' portions of evidencial history about what it was to be a geisha in that era.
Having recently delved deeper into what the book states and comparing it with what modern day and surviving geisha's testaments, the book is clearly based on more fiction than fact (if it wasn't it would be boring).
Geisha's scorned their portrayal in the book and are also frowning at the movie.

After reading reviews of the movie in the newspaper (the geisha fan dance being compared to a tacky L.A stripper's dance) I decided to go and see if it was as bad as the reviewers have said it was.

The movie BOMBED out totally for me !

So the movie is pretty and has beautiful cinematography and the costuming was surperb. It also had some big name actors who are good at the trade to draw in the crowds too and locations filled with colour to be in awe of. If I watched the movie purely for these things well then I guess I would have given it a 9/10. But I wasn't.
Geisha's who saw the movie commentated the makeup was not white enough, the hair was apparently dreadfully and incorrectly done (poor Zhang ZiYi - she would be in tears her hair was done up in the traditional manner!).

It is true that the movie plot had been manipulated to provide a less than 3 hours length, that key parts of the story had been dropped to cater for a more western audience, that there were not a lot of Japanese actors in the movie and that the movie was done in English rather than Japanese.
Some of the above things errked me. The dialogue was completely lacking - I'm not sure if the script writers are at fault or whether the actors just didn't fully understand the meanings of the words they were saying, but I just didnt buy it. If the film had been done in mandarin I'm sure 'Sayuri' would have been more convincing in her performances of despair, admiration, longing and guilt.

The movie really did not live up to the book. The pace of the movie was more dreary than that of the book. Quite sad. I'm glad I read the book before I saw the movie though - to fully understand what I was missing out on - although I do regret spending my well-earned $$ on the ticket. Oh well, the next thing I'm looking forward to is The Da Vinci Code.

[simple_love]

There were a lot of controvery about her playing a "Japanese" character cuz she is Chinese and it is kinda degrading, but I think she played the role very well and her english is improving! I also loved michelle, she is also a great actress to watch! However; the movie was just alright, not something I would watch again cuz I thought it would be so much better.

[chrissie_jay]

yup yup..i watched it on 20th jan..
quite nice but very long..around 2 n 1/2 hours rite?:wacko:
but i like mameha very much..:rolleyes:

[xiao^pink]

my friends said those who read the book , will think that the movie is ok.
but for those who didnt read the book before, will think that the movie is very good!
cause normally, book will describe better than movies!

[pinkfireworks]

I read the book a few weeks ago, because everyone was talking about it. :tongue: I really liked the story, really different from other reads. I watched the movie last night... and for some reason, many times when there are attempts to make a movie as good as the book, it fails. I found the movie a far cry from the book, it jumped around and made no sense to people who hadn't read the book. Maybe the movie wasn't that bad, I just didn't like it because I'd read the book. I felt there was so much depth missing.

I thought the girl who played Hatsumomo was really good!

[junnleenfaah]

ricochet- you have good points, and i understand why there would be controversies. but they have to think about this: this is a HOLLYWOOD movie. hollywood movies are hardly ever correct when it's based on true events. and in all honesty, if they did make it more historically true.. it probably wouldnt be as good =/

[Ricochet]

junnleenfaah - yeah, nearly every "Hollywood" movie which has had its script adapted from a book has been disappointing. Guess if you haven't read the book and went to see the movie you'd have a better review of it.

[Chun Li]

ricochet- you have good points, and i understand why there would be controversies. but they have to think about this: this is a HOLLYWOOD movie. hollywood movies are hardly ever correct when it's based on true events. and in all honesty, if they did make it more historically true.. it probably wouldnt be as good =/

The point is people don't understand "HOLLYWOOD MOVIES" means "ITS NOT TRUE."

[karyn531]

The point is people don't understand "HOLLYWOOD MOVIES" means "ITS NOT TRUE."

I agree. I've finally watched the movie! :excited: I am late, as usual, but the movie actually gave me a head-splitting headache

I'm so bad. Fine, the movie is very nice, 'original' and illuminating, but there are certain points I am not happy with. I know that Sayuri ended up as an old woman in a penthouse. But the movie finished off with Sayuri and that Chairman guy in an embrace. No doubt Hollywood had the profound ended it wished for, but what about the rest of her life? :tongue:

Furthurmore, I saw that from the time Sayuri was a little girl brooding at the bridge, to the time she was the most sought-after geisha, years and years later, how come that Chairman still looks the same? :wacko:

Okay, maybe I need to read the book. The story's incomplete without it! :happy:

[junnleenfaah]

chun li- isn't that what i said :?

karyn- i really think you should read the book. it's completely worth it (=

[cs_omigosh]

I really liked this movie. It's so beautifully filmed! The little girl acting as Sayuri is so cute. Anyway, I am happy that it's a happy ending.

I heard that the movie is not as good as the book. I have friends who have read the book before watching the movie and they did not enjoy the movie as much as I did (cos I have not read the book yet.)

I guess it's sort of similar to watching Harry Potter movies after reading the books (the movies are usually not as good as the originals =P)

[asianboy]

Movie was okay but the fact they use mainly chinese actress in a japanese theme movie, was kinda weird...that just threw off the whole movie for me.

[wackycashew]

i finally picked up the book at indigo and finished the first 2 chapters so far. :happy: things are off to a good start. it's refreshing to read a novel cuz i've been reading so many textbooks and journals for the past few years. :tongue: and it's also intriguing to read the narrative from the first-person perspective. i really like the vivid descriptions of the scenery so far. :D

[mliza]

by watching the movie, i couldn't figure out how the book became well-loved by a lot of people. the story was ok. some scenes were shot beautifully, but for some reason, they didn't give off this "old japan" feel. they looked too modern, like that scene at the end.

obviously, i should've just read the book... :D

[zhoudaoyan]

Geisha!!
Apparently the author got sued by the Geisha after the book was published because he didn't ask for her permission before he wrote it.
and she won.

[kasic_fantasy]

Geisha!!
Apparently the author got sued by the Geisha after the book was published because he didn't ask for her permission before he wrote it.
and she won.
wait the geisha u are referring to here is Nitta Sayuri right? i thought she had passed away?:?

[crusty-applepie]

I looked up news on the Memoirs of a Geisha lawsuit between the Geisha and ARthur Golden. Apparently, the Geisha in question is Mineko Iwasaki, a former geisha who granted Golden an interview for his book in 1992. I didn't see any articles that talk about the outcome of the lawsuit, so I can't tell if she won the case or not. Also, I saw no mention of a Nitta Sayuri. From what I understand Sayuri is a character based on Mineko Iwasaki, although from what I gather, a lot of the events in Sayuri's life didn't necessarily happen to Mineko. I keep wondering where the idea of Sayuri having grey eyes came from.

You can read for yourselves. Im attaching the article I've just read in The Japan Times Online, so you guys won't have to sign up to read it. For those who have user accounts at The Japan Times Online, click this link (http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20010501k3.html).

'Memoirs of a Geisha' muse vents spleen at author
Inspiration for global best-selling novel sues Arthur Golden for betraying her identity
By GARY TEGLER

KYOTO -- Arthur Golden's "Memoirs of a Geisha" sold over 4 million copies and lingered on the New York Times best seller list for 58 weeks. The story of a country girl sold into virtual slavery who rises to become one of Japan's most celebrated geisha captivated the world.


Former geisha Mineko Iwasaki is suing the author of "Memoirs of a Geisha."

The fact that a male American writer could so intimately elucidate a traditionally closed and secretive society was considered a major literary feat. How, many asked at the time, could this be? The answer can be found in the book's dedication. "To Mineko, thank you for everything."

Mineko is Mineko Iwasaki, a highly successful former geisha, or "geiko," who ended her 23-year career in 1980 to marry and raise a family.

Breaking with long tradition, she agreed to be interviewed by Golden, who spent two weeks at her Kyoto home in 1992. Her only stipulation was that she and her family not be identified.

Mineko filed suit last Wednesday in a New York court, claiming Golden's use of her name constituted breach of contract and wrongly linked her with episodes in the book that she calls inaccurate and defamatory.

She first raised objections to the mention of her name, and that of her husband, shortly after receiving galley proofs of the book in English, a language she does not read.

"I complained and asked him what he thought he was doing," she recalled. "I demanded that he take my name out. But he said that he felt personally obliged to acknowledge me. 'I've made you famous,' he told me. I told him that it didn't matter how he felt, I was bothered."

According to Mineko, photos she supplied Golden of her kimonos and other private possessions began appearing in promotional articles for the book without her consent. She was mentioned prominently in interviews Golden gave to the media in which he said Mineko had been sold by her parents to a geisha house and her virginity had been auctioned off for the sum of 100 million yen, things she said are patently false. But in the public's mind, the link between the book's main character and her had been established.

It wasn't until the 1999 publication of the Japanese translation, titled "Sayuri," that she began to consider legal recourse. What most readers perceived to be an informed and sensitive portrayal of a world she had known from the age of 6 appeared to her a lurid depiction of geisha as scheming prostitutes. She also found many inaccuracies.

"Everything is wrong," she said. "In the book, a geisha was beaten with a hanger and crippled. There is a very strict rule that 'maiko' (apprentice geisha) and geisha should never be beaten. We are precious goods and the livelihood of the 'okiya' (geisha houses) depends on us."

Born in 1949, Mineko was the youngest in a family of 11 kids. Her father was a respected kimono designer with close ties to the geisha world.

Two of her older sisters had trained as geisha and she was "recruited" at age 6. She lived in an okiya in Gion Kobu, the highest level of geisha society, where she trained in the arts of music and dance.

She became highly skilled, but the talent that made her one of Kyoto's top geisha was her ability to entertain customers with witty and intelligent conversation.

"The system under which geisha operate was established in 1873 and has not changed since then," Mineko said. "Although some geisha quarters did engage in prostitution, most did not, and the perception that all geisha sleep with their clients is absolutely false. We are proud, accomplished women who have absolute rights over our own bodies."

After her formal rise to geiko status in 1970, she worked to change aspects of the system that she felt were unfair.

"When I was a maiko, many pictures were taken of me, but no one told me how these images were going to be used, either in posters or publications. This was an invasion of my privacy and I protested many times to the Gion office. I also tried to explain that without a high school diploma, it is difficult for geisha to get any kind of teaching license. I wanted them to consider these things and institute a system for royalties."

After the book's publication, pressure began to mount against Mineko from within the geisha societies to make some form of atonement for assisting Golden, despite having already retired.

"Someone suggested I commit ritual suicide in front of Ichiriki (Kyoto's most famous tea house)," she said. "I felt very threatened, and it was particularly bad just after the book was published. Things have settled down now but I still must occasionally accompany my husband's clients to tea houses. It can be quite uncomfortable."

For his part, Golden has said in interviews, and in the book's dedication, that Mineko was not the model for Sayuri. Nor did he approach the book as a novice. He has a masters degree in Japanese history from Columbia University, New York, and worked in Tokyo, where he says the ideas for the book first occurred to him.

In her suit, which also cites Golden's publishers Random House and Alfred P. Knopf, Mineko is seeking a portion of the $ 10 million generated by sales of the book to be determined by the court. Golden has admitted that after interviewing Mineko, his perception of geisha changed and he decided to completely rewrite an 800-page manuscript. In this regard, the suit says that "Golden and Iwasaki are coauthors, in and to the taped conversations which form the basis of the book."

Random House spokesman Stewart Applebaum said the suit is "totally baseless and without merit," and should it proceed to court, "we will defend our author vigorously and successfully."

In the only interview Golden has given since the suit was filed, he said he was sad and confused to see this come to the point that it has.

Originally, Mineko thought only of asking for a formal apology from Golden and for her name to be taken out of all editions of the novel, but finally felt she had little choice.

"If I don't sue, Arthur will have gotten away with insulting traditional Japanese culture. It is not only rude to me, but to all women. I don't want even a single copy to contain our names," she said. "We thought of asking that the books all be collected. It is not a matter of money. It is our honor."

Mineko recently completed a book about her life, something she had considered doing even before meeting Golden, but had put aside as she felt his book might reach a wider audience. Slated for publication in June, she hopes that the book, tentatively titled "My Say," will clarify many misunderstandings about geisha and geiko that persist even in Japan.

The Japan Times: May 1, 2001

[kaye21]

hey CA
thanks for posting the article....

anyways the issue, i think has been settled out of court....

geisha, arent supposed to exactly tell their story...its sort of taboo...its because of the tradition of mystery and secrecy....i think up to now only certain geisha get to marry and do stuff...

but mineko published her own book...as a sort of rebuttal to Arthur Golden's "fiction"....there's also a book by an American Geisha...i think Karen is her name...

about the movie...it was a bit polished...very hollywood...liked the cinematography...of course they couldn't shoot the entire movie in kyoto...or in "Gion"...

the ending is well-executed...Ken Watanabe is The CHAIRMAN

Gong Li as Hatsumomo was excellent...i read somewhere that she and Zhang Ziyi are really sort of rivals...because of both were "discovered" by Zhang Yi Mou...

[junnleenfaah]

gah, i'm confused with this whole lawsuit thing. from what i understand reading the translator's note, he interviewed nitta sayuri. but the thing i'm confused about with the translator's note is that this translator guy, jakob haaruis, i dont know if his interview with nitta sayuri is where golden got his inspiration/story line from.

and from what i read in the acknowledgments, golden never said he used mineko iwasaki's story. he said that he just interviewed her and asked what the life of a geisha was like, not necessarily just her life as a geisha.

[kaye21]

Congratulations to the cinematographer of Memoirs of A geisha...

[wackycashew]

i just finished the book last night!! :excited: what an amazing journey! i love the vivid details and descriptions of the emotions of chiyo/sayuri as well as the sceneries, beautiful kimonos, facial expressions or movements, just everything. :happy: i'm so happy that things ended on a positive note overall. :D next up will be the movie for me. :-)

[liwei_jay]

Wow..
i finally watched the movie..
i knw abit slow.. but finally have the time to watch my DVD.. LOL..
the movie is quite good.. i like all the colourful kimonos too..
very very vivid.. >.< at least to me.. :P
hmmm.. it kinda make sense to me.. who finally knw what is a geisha..
:blush:
oh ya.. the sceneries are really really nice..
makes me wanna go and stay in the place too.. :)
mmm... just suprised that they actually look for Chinese to act as the geishas..
why not find Japanese?? o.O
then i thought.. maybe it's because they refuse to do it??
haha.. silly me.. ask and answer myself.. LOL..

[panda_shine]

crusty-applepie: Thanks for sharing the information about the lawsuit. I assume it would be settled too because the date said 2001? and the movie came out last year? I guess if the lawsuit did turned out bad, the movie would not have been made? Hmm, I think in a way, if I was in Mineko Iwasaki's or in any geisha's shoes, I might have been offended (if certain facts were not true). I am interested in reading her biography, "My Say" to know more about the "real" life of a geisha.

[junnleenfaah]

i FINALLY saw the movie and WOW, i'm SO dissapointed. it totally sucked compared to the book )= i mean, i guess there were a few good parts. but yeah.. it didnt live up to my expectations. the book was wayyyyy better. what dissapointment..

[bebyjaystaa]

i read the book right when the movie came out..which was a while ago..but i haven`t even watched the movie yet. i heard it was really good & i`m so axious to watch it. :happy: even though you guys all say it sucks compared to the book. isnt it always like this with movies & books. hahah :happy:

[Irina]

I have watched twice the movie in the cinema and I have to say I enjoyed really a lot,also I hope read a book,because some of my pals read it already and they say its worth to read because the book is quite different from the movie.^^I have also wondered about Geisha's life in Japan,especially there clothes stile.

[Rurouni[X]]

I seen the Movie..
Its pretty good.
Lol i love it how they explain to her "Secs"..
When the eel enters a womens Cave lol..
wtf^^
Anway i recoment people see it.
REally good Movie.
Havnt read the Book..
Its kinda weird though..
Isnt Geisha like Prostitute? Just a bit more civilised
^^"

[junnleenfaah]

']
Isnt Geisha like Prostitute? Just a bit more civilised
^^"

geishas are entertainers, not prostitutes. because as you saw in the movie, they have to learn how to dance, play an instrument, have conversation. it's not just sex. and i think they're not really suppose to have sex unless it's with their dhana. or selling their mizuage.

[crusty-applepie]

I finished reading the book and i agree with most people, that everything in the book really does sound nicer than the movie. but then again, i think what's nice about hte book is that we can let our imaginations run wild in trying to picture the scenes, whereas the movie is just one person's imagination of what the scenes were. Am still satisfied with the movie, and think it was really great. The book was very moving but would have hoped that hte story ended where the movie did. I felt so sad when I got to the end of the book. It wasn't exactly my ideal ending, at all.

[lucyana]

i could die reading novel..haha..but i like the movie..they show all the conspiracies between geishas
nice movie overall

[xanimeotakux]

i watched the movie first, and i thought they did a pretty good job. that is, until i began hearing the horrible things about zhang zi yi, the difference from the book, and well, the horrible acting. =.=

i read the book a few months after, and i honestly liked it. my half japanese teacher told me that it was very different from the old japanese culture though. i was suprised, since the author did so much to interview geishas, etc.

but i really liked it. the movie and book. even if it wasn't an all true life story of sayuri, the author did a real good job making it seem good.