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Memoirs Of A Geisha

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Memoirs Of A Geisha - 21/12/2005 12:08:18 PM   
Empire Admin

 

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disagree with empire review - 13/1/2006 8:36:59 PM   
nariyamaa

 

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Firstly, why does it matter that Chinese actors are playing Japanese roles. Isn’t the art of acting pretending to be someone else to tell a story? If the reviewer minds so much about having realism – why stop at Japanese actors, why not use real geishas.

As for skipping over the war, it was a perfectly acceptable choice for the director. If you watch the film you will realise that Sayuri’s time spent during the war would not make for the most interesting of scenes.

The film tells the viewer a story that may not be too familiar in the western world (especially if you have not read the book). I think the clue is in the title “Memoirs of a Geisha", its about Sayuri’s time spent leading up to becoming and a Geisha. “Memoirs” is visually stunning and
has a story that will be significantly different from most, if not all other films out this year.

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Post #: 2
re: - 15/1/2006 2:13:35 AM   
Teatime

 

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I saw memoirs tonight and thought it was wonderful. Honestly, why does this get 3* and King Kong gets 5? King Kong was entertaining but certainly flawed! They seemed to bump off a star for unnecessary criticism. I suggest that everyone who was excited about this stay excited about this and make up their own minds.

Is the reviewer under the impression that actors only play characters of their own nationality?

< Message edited by Teatime -- 15/1/2006 2:14:55 AM >

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RE: Memoirs Of A Geisha - 15/1/2006 1:23:14 PM   
Jackie


Posts: 1496
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From: Before the Bomb
 Saw this last night - I really enjoyed it, but as a Chinese girl watching Chinese actresses playing Japanese parts, there is a bit more controversy there than you might expect. I'm going to sum it up as quickly as possible, because I want to get on to the review part of my, er, review, but basically for a film like this to be made, even though based on a fictional book, it exposes a secret part of Japanese life which shouldn't be. Many of the events are based on true events, even if they have been exaggerated to a point, but mainly it's something that has been thrown into the spotlight for people to look at, critique and question.

Now as for Chinese actresses, well, quite simply, Chinese actresses are not Japanese. They don't even look Japanese. They look Chinese. What's more, Zhang Ziyi already has a lot of controversy surrounding her, particularly in Hong Kong, because there is still this huge difference between mainland China and Hong Kong China - people from Hong Kong look down on those from mainland China because they're a bit more 'country bumpkin'. The Hong Kong tabloids rip it out of Zhang Ziyi for her lifestyle, her boyfriends, the way she conducts herself, and so for her to then go and star in a film as a Japanese geisha, they see it as a betrayal to their country. Not only that, but actresses like Gong Li and Michelle Yeoh, also Chinese, are betraying China by playing Japanese women. It may sound unusual to you, but it's a sense of pride and a sense of loyalty to your country.

Just as a Korean woman wouldn't play the part of a Japanese woman, a Chinese woman shouldn't play the part of a Japanese woman either.

Now, on to my actual review. The first thing that blew me away was the absolutely beautiful cinematography. The Japanese gardens were simply gorgeous, and even if you didn't understand anything that was going on you could just stare at the beautiful shots of cherry blossom, water and mountains.

The film itself was really lovely, and for someone who hasn't actually read the book, I found the story really carried the film. It was a wonderful surprise for me really - when I heard the film was 140-something minutes I paled a bit, thinking 'a film that long can't keep an audience's attention' but every moment had a new twist and turn, each shot beautiful.

My only regret is that the film wasn't made in Japanese with English subtitles, but with three Chinese actresses who don't speak Japanese, it would've been difficult.

Highly recommended - a really beautiful film.

****

Jackie.


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RE: Memoirs Of A Geisha - 15/1/2006 2:04:02 PM   
IMFienne


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Jackie

Now as for Chinese actresses, well, quite simply, Chinese actresses are not Japanese. They don't even look Japanese. They look Chinese.


I can't comment on the movie as I haven't seen it yet but I'd like to mention something about what you said.  I'm HK Chinese and I've come across quite a few Chinese people who can be mistaken for a Japanese or Korean.  The same goes for Japanese women.  So I don't think it really matters that Chinese actresses are playing a part of a Japanese geisha.  Gong Li and Zi Yi can probably pass off being a Japanese lookswise more than Michelle though.  Hell I've mostly been mistaken for a Japanese and Korean often! 

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RE: Memoirs Of A Geisha - 15/1/2006 2:10:28 PM   
Groovy Mule

 

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This was a film I had been looking forward to for some time but I left the cinema feeling rather underwhelmed.  Good performances from Zhang Ziyi, Ken Watanabe and Michelle Yeoh and an excellent, scene-stealing performance from Gong Li are coupled with picturesque cinematography.  However, the first half of the film has about as much zip as a duffle coat.  It is really slow - the second half of the film picks up but something was missing - I felt unfulfilled by the execution of the film as a whole.

7/10 - based predominantly on some fine acting.

The Empire star rating is quite fair but I don't think the review is too fair - this film features some great acting from all involved and nationality shouldn't matter - the review gives the impression that only 3 stars were given because of the nationality  of the actresses involved - I don't remember the same points being made when Anthony Hopkins (Welsh) played Nixon, an important figure in America's modern history.

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RE: Memoirs Of A Geisha - 15/1/2006 4:34:04 PM   
Jackie


Posts: 1496
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From: Before the Bomb
quote:

ORIGINAL: IMFienne

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jackie

Now as for Chinese actresses, well, quite simply, Chinese actresses are not Japanese. They don't even look Japanese. They look Chinese.


I can't comment on the movie as I haven't seen it yet but I'd like to mention something about what you said.  I'm HK Chinese and I've come across quite a few Chinese people who can be mistaken for a Japanese or Korean.  The same goes for Japanese women.  So I don't think it really matters that Chinese actresses are playing a part of a Japanese geisha.  Gong Li and Zi Yi can probably pass off being a Japanese lookswise more than Michelle though.  Hell I've mostly been mistaken for a Japanese and Korean often! 


Differences of opinion, I guess - I'm HK Chinese too and I don't think they looked Japanese. Gong Li can probably pass for Japanese, but not Zhang Ziyi or Michelle Yeoh. People who mistake Chinese people for Japanese/Korean (and this has happened to me too, so I can comment on this) are people who don't actually know the difference between Japanese, Korean and Chinese.

It actually really annoys me when someone mistakes me for Japanese/Korean/Filipina, not because I'm exactly offended, but because it displays an ignorance of culture. I am proud of the fact I'm Chinese, and for someone to come up to me and say 'KONICHIWA!' it's just stoopid. I went into a shop to buy some material recently and the shopkeeper addressed me as 'Japanese baby'. No. Not Japanese. Now go away.

Anyway, back on topic, I recommend the film - have a watch of it

Jackie.


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Post #: 7
RE: Memoirs Of A Geisha - 16/1/2006 3:36:17 PM   
blanche

 

Posts: 225
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Groovy Mule

The Empire star rating is quite fair but I don't think the review is too fair - this film features some great acting from all involved and nationality shouldn't matter - the review gives the impression that only 3 stars were given because of the nationality  of the actresses involved - I don't remember the same points being made when Anthony Hopkins (Welsh) played Nixon, an important figure in America's modern history.


I agree with all of this, most of the reviews I've read seem to focus a) on the fact that non-Japanese actresses play Japanese roles, and b) the reviewers object to the 'elevated-prostitute' role of the geisha. Both seem unfair, a recent entirely unrelated BBC4 documentary about geiko (geisha) confirmed that the roles conveyed in the film were pretty accurate for the era - maybe that's not pleasant, but hey, don't shoot the messenger.

That said, I thought this was a solid studio adaptation but not a spectacular one. Beautifully shot, adequately acted, and certainly entertaining, I still felt that it was missing something and 3 stars seems a fair rating. Some aspects I did think improved on the book; for example, the character of Hatsumomo I found to be much more sympathetic and rounded in the film, although this was largely due to the talent of Gong Li.

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Post #: 8
RE: Memoirs Of A Geisha - 16/1/2006 3:57:21 PM   
galvatron

 

Posts: 692
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I thought this was an excellent film around a 8 out of 10 in my books, to give it 3 stars is a bit off the mark IMO.

As for casting Chinese actors/actresses as Japanese characters I don't see any problem with this what soever, as Rob Marshal said was Queen Latiph the right ethnicity for her role in Chicago - was she hell but she fulfilled the role. Its part of an actors job to portray other people from other walks of life and the actors fulfill this criteria.

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Post #: 9
Hit and Miss - 18/1/2006 7:07:43 PM   
qualidad

 

Posts: 133
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Memoirs is a film with distinct highs and lows. Interspersed with some good performances is some of the worst acting I've seen for some time, sometimes to the point of caricature. In addition, the script and in particular the dialogue, really struggles to tell the story without literally telling the story. A voiceover is easily forgiven for those of us that have read the book but some of the narrative scenes are clunky at best.

On the other hand, the highs are impressive. Ken Watanabe and Zhang both give strong performances as does Michelle Yeoh while the struggle of being a geisha was nicely captured.

I'm not a big fan of Rob Marshall and what should have been the highlight of the film, the dance, was shockingly choreographed. For something that should have been classy and sophisticated, from a director who specialises in dance, it was a real disappointment.

Not a bad film but not a great one either, which it certainly could have been. In the right hands, it could have been something special. A braver studio, deciding to go with Japanese language and a director with a better understanding of actors may have produced something exceptional.

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Post #: 10
Extremely disapointing. - 18/1/2006 8:56:29 PM   
hallben3000

 

Posts: 16
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From: Ipswich
 Well this film to the say the least was a big let down for me.

Ill be honest, the reason i was there in the first place was that i was dragged along by my fiance, but that doesnt mean i had a negative picture in mind before i saw it. I follow one simple rule, ill watch any film once, no exception or preconceptions.

But before i get into the negative lets look at the wildly talked about positve. It is a stunningly beautiful and amazingly well shot movie. Some scenes really jump out at me as perfect. The colour and technical achievement of the cinematography is excemplerary.

On the negative, the film is slow, dull, ponderous, badly paced, badly acted (for the most part) and bland. The story is so flimsy it barely exisits, the acting so by numbers that it was more of a necesity than part of the film. I confes i havnt read the book and hadnt really heard of it. I will add that my fiance has and loved the movie, perhaps that helps. For me as a pure movie experience it was a let down. There are many more negative points that i could go over, but it comes down to me just not feeling the movie or being able to get into it in the slightest.

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RE: Extremely disapointing. - 20/1/2006 2:30:09 PM   
se7en45


Posts: 20
Joined: 20/1/2006
 
It took over a decade for Arthur Golden to research and write about the secretive world of Japanese Geisha and there was no way a theatrical film could bring that level of detail to play. Still, this adaptation is miles ahead of Polanski's limp, pedestrian and pathetic Oliver Twist. This is an apt comparison since both films explore Dickensian ideals using melodrama as the vehicle to extrapolate their views.

The film is set in the 1920's and is about how two tiny fisher sisters are sold by their poor parents to a geisha house. Once they arrive in the city, the elder girl is deemed too plain and is sold off to a common whorehouse in the derelict district whilst the younger, Sayuri, is retained as a servant in the high-class geisha house. The tale then follows the trials and tribulations as the younger sister grows up and becomes a rival of the leading geisha Hatsumomo. This rivalry will last for many years and create a division that will result in heartache and tragedy. The exploitation of young women is very disturbing and extremely harrowing (when the bidding starts for Sayuri's virginity your blood will freeze). The script dares to peep into the world of shadows and closed doors of the geisha.

The movie has an absolutely ravishing palette and every scene is stunningly lit. The 2:35 scope is wonderfully majestic and evokes the floating world of the artist. From the opening scenes of the ocean and the windswept coastline to the candlelit interiors of the geisha houses to the cherry blossom in the countryside, all these vibrant vistas are visualized in the most seductive manner possible. There are many scenes where the interior of the houses are only witnessed though holes or cracks in the door. All these pools of wet darkness are superbly photographed and are very atmospheric indeed. If there is any justice at all then this film should sweep the Oscars in the cinematography and art design sections.

The fashion department have pulled out all the stops to weave clothes that capture the imagination and send spasms down the spine. The kimonos that the geisha girls wear look lush and rigid, their colours bleed off the screen and their fine stitching is a work of art in itself. This exquisite detail is incredible.

The music by John Williams, with Itzhak Perlman on violin and Yo-Yo Ma on cello, is emotionally gripping and has an epic charge to it that is beautifully married to the visuals. The main theme recurs in many different and subtle variations and when the film reaches the poignant climax it grabs your throat and leaves you aching. The end title theme is well worth staying behind for as the film ends and the audience leaves the theatre. Even now the epilogue music gives me goose-pimples.

Now, much has been written about how Chinese actors were cast into the major Japanese roles. Many have felt that this was a travesty and tried to generate a boycott of the film. This is a grave injustice because the three main ladies are well cast and their roles are fleshed out with amazing performances. Zhang Yiyi, Gong Li and Michelle Yeoh all have what it takes to bring life to their parts. Every tiny glance, subtle movement or twitch of the lips are caught by director Rob Marshall's team of committed professionals.

The female roles are all well written and are three dimensional human beings. The men, on the other hand, are rather clichéd and are mostly portrayed as weak or manipulative deviants. The only one who generates our sympathy is the Chairman, played by Ken Watanabe, but his role as the romantic interest of Sayuri is drastically underwritten. It is as if the film has been shorn of a whole subtext to bring the running time to a cinema friendly 145 minutes. This is a shame because there are some interesting male characters that should have been given more breathing room to realize their characters more fully.

However, despite these misgivings, the film is well worth trekking out to see on a large screen. This audio / visual feast is a rare treat and should not be missed. Another crucial note is that unlike Polanski's plodding and turgid version of Oliver Twist, which turns you off the source material, this film adaptation of Memoirs of a Geisha inspires you to snatch up the book for an immediate read.

Recommended.

< Message edited by se7en45 -- 20/1/2006 2:44:05 PM >

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RE: Extremely disapointing. - 20/1/2006 2:46:24 PM   
Companero


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 Hey Se7en45 - welcome aboard mate, good to 'see' you

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RE: Extremely disapointing. - 20/1/2006 2:52:24 PM   
riversbend


Posts: 1886
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From: a goddamn bitch of an unsatisfactory situation
 I haven't seen this, but have been reading about the casting controversy.  Initially I thought it was similar to Irish playing English or Australian playing Israli, but am interested to hear from Chinese people on the subject.  Perhaps it isn't.  Though perhaps there is a huge contingent of Isralis out there furious at the casting of Munich and I just didn't know.  Would be interested to hear what Japanese people think of this...

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RE: Extremely disapointing. - 20/1/2006 3:02:33 PM   
Companero


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From: London Violenta, UK
Israeli's aside, there's no problem with English, American, Australian, Irish, etc, playing one another, as these nationalities are all Caucasian and look the same. Japanese, Korean and Chinese look distinctly different and that's the reason for the controversy – it just goes to prove the ignorance of the film’s makers as they obviously think that people from the Far East all look the same.
 
They deserve the flak, IMO.

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Post #: 15
RE: Extremely disapointing. - 20/1/2006 3:03:32 PM   
se7en45


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Thanks Compo!

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RE: Extremely disapointing. - 20/1/2006 3:05:52 PM   
se7en45


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Hi, I'm still learning the ropes here...

Cheers!

quote:

ORIGINAL: Companero

Hey Se7en45 - welcome aboard mate, good to 'see' you

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RE: Extremely disapointing. - 20/1/2006 3:10:53 PM   
Companero


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 Yeah, this site's a bit fiddly compared to others but it's easy to get the hang of, mate.

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RE: Extremely disapointing. - 20/1/2006 3:18:58 PM   
se7en45


Posts: 20
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Companero

Yeah, this site's a bit fiddly compared to others but it's easy to get the hang of, mate.


I was trying to upload an avatar image but can't find any way of doing so. Any ideas? I went over to my Control Panel but there's no link for adding avatars.

Your iamge of Franco Nero looks alarmingly like Lord Lucan! 

< Message edited by se7en45 -- 20/1/2006 3:22:16 PM >

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RE: Extremely disapointing. - 20/1/2006 3:28:13 PM   
Companero


Posts: 626
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From: London Violenta, UK
quote:

ORIGINAL: se7en45

Your iamge of Franco Nero looks alarmingly like Lord Lucan! 


Whatever...
 
To add an avatar, Click on ‘My Empire’ in the top, left-hand corner, then the ‘My Details’ section that’s in the middle of the page, between ‘My Profile’ and ‘My Blogs’ and take it from there – this page allows you to do all manner of things, mate.

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Post #: 20
Thank You - 20/1/2006 3:56:45 PM   
se7en45


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Cheers again Compo!

I recently saw Franco Nero in HITCH-HIKE.

Pure class...

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Post #: 21
RE: Thank You - 20/1/2006 4:27:03 PM   
Companero


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 No probs - nice pic, Se7en. Hitch-Hike is pure class - and my love for the film doesn't have anything to do with the fact that Corinne Clery gets naked

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Post #: 22
Memoirs of a Girl - 24/1/2006 11:35:16 AM   
Jessica_ca_ca_ca


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I'm a huge fan of Arthur Golden's novel - one of my favourites, in fact - but I was rather disappointed in its adaptation. Although you receive all the majestic nature of the era, you feel there is something fundamentally lacking. I'm not sure why, but I left wanting more. Perhaps the intrinsic detail Golden made flourish in the novel could only just hit the big screen in its smallest form. The book was written in such a way, that it should have been a screenwriters easiest job to create. Instead, you have a plot that is lacking and rather uneventful. The only thing that made it worth the watch was the exquisite acting from our beloved stars and the colourful portrayal of a geisha's life.

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Post #: 23
RE: Memoirs of a Geisha - 27/1/2006 7:18:50 PM   
darkcloud


Posts: 425
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: The Old Kingdom
 The film begins at a frantic pace, it feels somewhat rushed really but it kind of becomes clear why - the first 15-20 minutes or so are a bit ropey really. The early scenes in the Geisha house are quite poor really, not least in the acting department. The young Chiyo is really cute though, and its hard to criticise kids of that age for their acting abilities. Must say I didn't really like Gong Li as Hatsumomo throughout, she is an accomplished actress but for me she didn't fit (perhaps it was 3 for 2 on Chinese actresses?)
Things really pick up when we first meet the chairman, and subsequently Zhang Ziyi takes over as the young geisha in training. The training is really well portrayed, interspersed with scenes of Sayuri preparing for her debut.
Zhang Ziyi's performance as Sayuri is the real highlight of the film, her beauty is undeniable, but once again she has shown she is an equally fine actress, following up another great performance in 2046, with her first English-language role. The best parts of the film are definitely when Sayuri is onscreen, Michelle Yeoh also supports well as her "sister" Mameha, and Ken Watanabe as the Chairman and Yakusho Koji as Nobu are also impressive.
Its also a beautiful film, from rain-drenched to cherry blossom locations, kimono, dance... its a feast for the eyes. Yet Sayuri was even more beautiful onscreen, small wonder that she was so celebrated.
As an adaptation of the excellent book, I think its more than successful. For my part I think it would have been interesting to see what the film would have been like with a Japanese language script, it may have caused problems given the Chinese actresses and American director, but it wouldn't have been impossible by any means. Zhang for one recently made a film in Japan, and has played roles in Cantonese and now English, so why not Japanese? This may also have helped the young actresses in the early stages of the film to perform better.
Regarding the preponderance of Chinese actresses - it is a pity that Japanese actresses could not be found for any of the major roles, or rather, a pity they were not sought. That said, I think Zhang Ziyi is the perfect Sayuri, regardless of her nationality, she has the beauty, the presence and above all the talent to portray her every feeling and move. Michelle Yeoh also did well as her mentor, I'm not sure if Gong Li looks the most Japanese, but for me she gave the worst performance.
Overall its a flawed film, certainly, and not a classic, its probably as good an adaptation of the book in English that I could expect really, and after once it actually gets going, its a gripping and moving experience.
3.5/5

< Message edited by darkcloud -- 27/1/2006 7:25:08 PM >

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Post #: 24
RE: Memoirs Of A Geisha - 30/1/2006 3:26:48 PM   
shifty_powers


Posts: 1461
Joined: 30/11/2005
Saw this last night.

Really wasn't impressed to be honest.

Whilst, as has been mentioned before, it was beautifully shot and there were some fine performances in there, Yeoh, Zhang andWatanabe, it really didn't grab me!

The Set really didn't convince me, although the location shots were amazing. I thought the last part of the movie, at the start and after the war, seemed rushed and almost a different film.
Some of the jerky camera work really irratated me as well!


2.5/5

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Post #: 25
RE: Memoirs of a Geisha - 30/1/2006 9:09:44 PM   
Sugar Kowalczyk


Posts: 4311
Joined: 17/1/2006
I really enjoyed this film the visuals are breathtaking and the story was beautifully told if a 10 mintues or so too long, there are a things which i think could have been better and that is that there was not enough emotional screen presence as I was about to blub when ZZ (can't spell her name OK) was crying but then the camera cut straight onto something else.  

The one thing i can't understand though is that I never noticed that they were Chinese as I spent so much time concentrating on the story and trying to hear what they were saying ( i found it quite difficult was it just me?)

Best Scene: when she is dancing in the "snow"

Overall i give this film **** out of ***** 

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Post #: 26
RE: Extremely disapointing. - 30/1/2006 10:37:33 PM   
IMFienne


Posts: 1115
Joined: 4/10/2005
From: Land of Nod
quote:

ORIGINAL: riversbend

I haven't seen this, but have been reading about the casting controversy.  Initially I thought it was similar to Irish playing English or Australian playing Israli, but am interested to hear from Chinese people on the subject.  Perhaps it isn't.  Though perhaps there is a huge contingent of Isralis out there furious at the casting of Munich and I just didn't know.  Would be interested to hear what Japanese people think of this...


I haven't seen it either but as a Chinese I don't see what the big deal is with Chinese actors portraying Japanese characters.  The chosen actresses could pass off as Japanese with the exception of Michelle Yeoh I suppose as she's Malaysian Chinese.  The main reason for the controversy is the subject of geishas as if it can only be understood and played out by Japanese actors, not the fact that Chinese do not look Japanese.  I bet if another movie based in Japan but with a different theme used Chinese actors instead it wouldn't even raise any problems.
I've seen plenty of Hong Kong movies that use Japanese actresses to portray Chinese women, it goes both ways but alot of people don't know about it because they're not Hollywood movies.
At the end of the day the film wants to generate profit and they need well-known actresses to bring in viewers.  It so happens there were no Japanese actresses who could fulfil the roles although they didn't have any trouble with the male actors. 
My husband is Japanese and when he heard about the Chinese casting  he wasn't bothered either. 



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Post #: 27
Fine entertainment - 30/1/2006 11:09:19 PM   
directorscut


Posts: 9877
Joined: 30/9/2005
Minor spoilers herein.

Flawed and far from greatness Memoirs of a Geisha is still fine Hollywood entertainment that coasts along on its fantastic cast, sublime visuals and wonderfully evocative score. In fact, the only thing to really distract from my enjoyment of the film was the adaptation. Had I gone into this film without having read the book I'm sure I would have been totally absorbed inside the wonderful world created by the film, rather than constantly reminding myself “that was much better/more significant in the book”.

My main problem with the film is that it is far too rushed. This is one of the few films of recent years I can recall that could actually be improved by having a bulkier runtime. One of the book's main strengths is the meticulous detail of geisha life described. Apart from the basics almost all of this is excised from the film. There is little to no time spent on the importance of their customs, training and purpose. It's made clear that they are entertainers (and made even more clear that they are not prostitutes) but to what extent? Why is the company of geisha so desired? Having read the book and done other research I could fill in the gaps myself, but what of those totally ignorant to the culture hoping to get a bit of education on the topic from the film? I imagine they will be either disappointed or blissfully unaware. Hopefully the questions left unanswered in the film will inspire people to research more about the culture.

Also, many scenes of narrative and character importance also feel underdeveloped and are not given the stature or attention needed. The film just hits the notes required to tell the story and while there's nothing especially wrong with that – it is the difference between a good film and a great film. This could have been a great film if it was allowed more time to breath.

The story has also been sanitised to make it more feel-good. Gone is the book's masterful, melancholic passing of time. Sayuri's peasant village is virtually missing from the film – an omission that in my eyes lessens her journey. The cruel character of granny is nearly completely cut. Sayuri's main obstacle in becoming a geisha - the cunning, wise but flawed and self-destructive Hatsumomo, is reduced to merely a physical treat. In fact had it not been for Gong Li's sublime performance I doubt Hatsumomo would even register as a character in the film. World War II has been completely glossed over and is there only to bring in the Americans, which is probably the most tragic part of the story – seeing this beautiful city and culture raped and abused by dimwitted hicks.

As you can see many of the story's sub plots have been jettisoned or significantly reduced to make way for Sayuri's quest of getting close to The Chairman, which has been pushed to the main plot of the film, and that is not entirely a bad thing as this part is perhaps the best realised of the film. Ken Watanabe has charisma and charm to spare and his acts of kindness towards Sayuri radiates throughout the entire film. However without Sayuri's hardships as groundwork the ending evokes “awww” rather than tears and elation.

But regardless of sloppy storytelling the film somehow works and much of this has to do with the excellent cast. It may take time to get to grips with the accents of people who are not speaking their native language but genuine human emotion crosses language barriers. Zhang Ziyi is a true film star. The camera loves her and she responds by giving a immaculate performance. The only note missing from her interpretation is the immense wit of Sayuri. Zhang's line readings are too slow to convey it. The aforementioned Gong Li and Ken Watanbe are equally as good and the rest of the supporting cast are very well cast. My only real disappointment with the cast is Michelle Yeoh who, although gives a very good performance, is not the triumph as Mameha I had imagined. I put this down to the script or direction. The Sayuri/Mameha relationship is another victim rushed screen time and is pretty much truncated to serve only as exposition and to get Sayuri on her way. When Sayuri becomes a full geisha Mameha is pretty much forgotten for the rest of the film.

Despite all the gripes I have with the film I still heartily recommend it for anyone who wants an enjoyable time at the cinema presented by some of the finest actors in the world and production teams in Hollywood. The gorgeous cinematography and production design are worth the visit to the big screen alone. It isn't Lawrence of Arabia, but it is head and shoulders above a lot of the tripe currently playing in theatres. As I write this piece Big Momma's House 2 has opened in the US to the sum of $28 million and I'm sure compared to that Memoirs of a Geisha is Lawrence of Arabia, Gone with the Wind and Citizen Kane wrapped up together in a gigantic bowl of fine cinematic cuisine.

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 28
RE: Memoirs Of A Geisha - 31/1/2006 1:09:25 PM   
Manny


Posts: 176
Joined: 2/10/2005
quote:

ORIGINAL: shifty_powers

Saw this last night.

Really wasn't impressed to be honest.

Whilst, as has been mentioned before, it was beautifully shot and there were some fine performances in there, Yeoh, Zhang andWatanabe, it really didn't grab me!

The Set really didn't convince me, although the location shots were amazing. I thought the last part of the movie, at the start and after the war, seemed rushed and almost a different film.
Some of the jerky camera work really irratated me as well!


2.5/5


Have to agree, the film didn't grab me, there was no soul

2.5/5


_____________________________

"Babylon fives a big pile of ..."

The winky faced smily is the mark of a moron ;)

(in reply to shifty_powers)
Post #: 29
Chinese Geisha? - 3/2/2006 1:53:48 PM   
omarx

 

Posts: 150
Joined: 7/10/2005
From: Somewhere that's neither here nor there
 Disaponting hollywood fare....all looks and no sunbstance, or a really respectfull look into a culture so rich, it needs more than this off handed treatment. The fact the directors chose a chinese heroine, is offensive, as it confirms the saying...all far easten women look the same? ignorant and bigotted

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 30
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