Memoirs of a Geisha

[happy_doughnut]

I absolutely love this book! :love:

In fact, it's my second favorite--right under The Joy-Luck Club.

Anyway, I think the movie for this book is coming out tomorrow in select cities. Is anyone going to watch it?

I think that either the producers or directors that made Chicago are doing this film, but even though I thought Chicago was a really good musical, I am very afriad that they are going to massacre this book turned film.

I am just a firm believer that, while all three entertainment mediums are great, they should not be merged or copied; each one should stay in its own realm.

The theatre nearest home isn't showing it, though, so I think I'm going to have to drive a little more if I want to see it. I think I am going to go, even if I do think it's probably going to get utterly butchered. If anything, at least it will augment my argument that books and videogames should [b]not be turned into movies.

Anyways, enough ranting: Is anyone going to see this? If so, have you previously read the book?

I think I'm going to have to go watch it alone because no one's gonna want to watch this with me. Aww. :( Heifer, will you go with me? You can buy me popcorn Wumbo-sized. :shappy:

[Pu the Owl]

I've read and heard members of Japanese cultural world expressed disappointment and said the movie is very disrespectful towards Japanese traditions and spirit. It's been described as the average Hollywood superficial misrepresentation of Asian culture. Not to mention that according to both Chinese and Japanese communities, the movie is another proof Hollywood can't tell the difference between Chinese and Japanese (they look exotic to them, and that's all they seem to be interested in).

The book was mediocre IMO.

I don't know if I'm going to watch it.

[DSgamer]

i read 4 pages of that book before i closed it and kept reading i am legend

[merylsilverburg]

I've read and heard members of Japanese cultural world expressed disappointment and said the movie is very disrespectful towards Japanese traditions and spirit. It's been described as the average Hollywood superficial misrepresentation of Asian culture.

Yeah, I heard about that too, though not from actual Japanese but mostly from Americans. Some of them said they cannot stand the mistakes made in the film, such as the hair, the lips, the kimono, and the dancing...it's not the proper or the right way of the geisha or the maiko and after seeing the trailer, I have to agree...the movie looks awful. Yet, some of the Americans argued back, saying that the book was written by an American, so what is the big deal? And to add on to the stupidity that is these people, the director Rob Marshall, goes off and states, "Geisha means "artist." It's a very theatrical profession, and it does connect to me on that level." Look man, we know you did "Chicago" but that doesn't mean every thing you're going to direct has to relate to the "theatrical" profession to "connect" to you. Plus, some of them argued that the point of a movie is to simply be a movie, not a documentary, so why is it a big deal if the hair is done wrong or the dancing is improper - these are trivial when it comes to the "beauty" and "glamour" of the film...or, in other words, I assume they're talking about the "talented" Ziyi Zhang. *spits in disgust*

I was very surprised to learn they are going to release the film in Japan (under "Sayuri" not "Memoirs of a Geisha") since I thought the film would be a disgrace for the Japanese...but I suppose they don't want to look bad by turning it down in their country...otherwise, Hollywood or the West might start going off about how "snooty" the Japanese are. :sarcasm:

Not to mention that according to both Chinese and Japanese communities, the movie is another proof Hollywood can't tell the difference between Chinese and Japanese (they look exotic to them, and that's all they seem to be interested in).

Yeah, no shit. The first thing I thought when I heard they casted Ziyi Zhang to play Sayuri was, "Oh but of course they would! After all, this "talented" and "gorgeous" little nobody does one utterly stupid film like "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" and omigawd! She's the best! She can do no wrong, she can play ALL the roles even if she's not ethnically correct! Why not?!" I don't understand what the hell is so wrong with casting actual Japanese actors/actresses to play the parts. One American's comment that I read was that because no one in the West would give a damn about the movie if they casted Japanese nobodies. Riiiight...because that Zhang was, what? In every major Hollywood movies since color was first introduced? Whatever. I have a major beef against her and her stupidity...in an interview I read of her, she said she had to speak with an "English accent" when she really meant that she had to speak "American-English." Geez, I know she doesn't know how to speak English, but at least other Asians know to say "I needed to learn how to speak English" instead of saying "English accent" which gives us the impression she's going to speak with a British accent. Can anyone truly be that dumb?

But, as much as I hate it, I do understand Hollywood's need to cast major stars (such as Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li and now, just because of "The Last Samurai", Watanabe, Ken...woo-hoo :sarcasm: ) not because Hollywood themselves are superficial idiots (which they are) but because the viewers are idiots as well. I mean, honestly...we cannot say that ONLY to Hollywood do the Chinese, Taiwanese, Cantonese, Koreans, Japanese, Malays, Filipinos, Vietnamese, Singaporeans, etc. look alike...this generalization happens among common people too...you wouldn't believe how many Americans come up to me and spew out crap like "Hey, you from China?" "Uh no, I'm Taiwanese" "Oh...well, it's still China" just because, gee, China is the only dominant Asian country that comes to their ignoramus minds. Sadly, my mother seems to want to see the movie a lot....just because there are Chinese actresses in it. *sighs*

The book was mediocre IMO.

I do like the book a lot; I read it when it was released and this was the time when I only read a little...so it became one of my favorite books. However, now that I hardly read anything, I have nothing to compare the book to, so yeah, it still remains one of my favorites. That's why I was so upset to hear they're making a movie of it.

I don't know if I'm going to watch it.

I will most likely watch it only to see how much they butchered the book.

[Infernal Mass]

I think I'm going to have to go watch it alone because no one's gonna want to watch this with me. Aww. :( Heifer, will you go with me? You can buy me popcorn Wumbo-sized. :shappy:

I will go with you, but you gotta dress as a geisha and hold the popcorn.

[Faile]

I won't be going. I hate it when hollywood tear apart books. I loved bee season, but saw the trailer for that film and wanted to cry.

[Redpyramidhead]

I did not even know this was originally a book when I saw the trailer. I still got the impression that it was another one of "those" movies that are all hyped and produced by hollywood to be another one of those multi-oscar nominee type things that everybody who's important is SUPPOSED to be talking about by the time it hits theaters. I rolled my eyes at this trailer and uttered a big "give me a break" loud enough so that people would hear. BLAH! (sorry Mena... lol)

_RED_ stuff

[Hylas]

Why couldn't they have Japanese actors and actresses for the main roles? What's so wrong with that? Being a Japanese, I'd be annoyed as well :P