Memoirs of a Geisha Movie: No Japanese Actresses

krim wrote:

Oh? Thou hath peaked my interest. Please, do go on.

bmwracer wrote:

That's piqued...

he thought you were talkin' about pills..... :rofl:

bmwracer wrote:
That's piqued... ;)

:beatyou:

:beatyou:

actually, i don't have a problem with chinese casted as japanese here in the movie. i think it might be a problem if a caucasian were casted for the role of sayuri-san. :rofl:

ok havent read all the posts and because the first few posts are ticking me off with their ignorance im going to post before reading on. from what i can see everyone's mad about not casting japanese actresses as the main characters... my classmates and i were just talking about this resently during class. hasnt it occured to anyone that makers of this movie did not choose these actresses solely on thier popularity and appeal to the Chinese and American public but because of their talent and ability to speak english. i dont mean to say that japanese cant speak english but they are a very small pool of english speaking japanese artists. the book was written by a white man so its just natural to put the movie in english first. and what are the chances that the japanese wont produce their own version of the movie in jap with jap actors. plus dont forget other factors that need to be considered before actors are considered for a part such as: do they have that certain "jene saiqua" (i dont know how to spell that), time, attitude (some actors are bitches after all) and all that crap. and steven speilburg is one of the producers you can expect anything but the best from an award winning director. so back off...if the acting and story makes up for the cultural mixup then lets just enjoy the movie.

rujen wrote:ok havent read all the posts and because the first few posts are ticking me off with their ignorance im going to post before reading on. from what i can see everyone's mad about not casting japanese actresses as the main characters... my classmates and i were just talking about this resently during class. hasnt it occured to anyone that makers of this movie did not choose these actresses solely on thier popularity and appeal to the Chinese and American public but because of their talent and ability to speak english. i dont mean to say that japanese cant speak english but they are a very small pool of english speaking japanese artists. the book was written by a white man so its just natural to put the movie in english first. and what are the chances that the japanese wont produce their own version of the movie in jap with jap actors. plus dont forget other factors that need to be considered before actors are considered for a part such as: do they have that certain "jene saiqua" (i dont know how to spell that), time, attitude (some actors are bitches after all) and all that crap. and steven speilburg is one of the producers you can expect anything but the best from an award winning director. so back off...if the acting and story makes up for the cultural mixup then lets just enjoy the movie.

you realize that it's rather ignorant for you to comment on the entire thread by just reading the first few posts.

:hehe:

krim wrote:you realize that it's rather ignorant for you to comment on the entire thread by just reading the first few posts.

:hehe:

Touche.

FYI: i wasn't trying to be a jerk by posting that last comment. :mrgreen:

krim wrote:FYI: i wasn't trying to be a jerk by posting that last comment. :mrgreen:

I realize that... A lotta people read a post or two or the last post and draw conclusions from it... Not wise.

I figured you guys would get that, but some newer people may not realize that the :mrgreen: at the end indicates no malice is intended.

:beaten:

rujen wrote:ok havent read all the posts and because the first few posts are ticking me off with their ignorance im going to post before reading on. from what i can see everyone's mad about not casting japanese actresses as the main characters... my classmates and i were just talking about this resently during class. hasnt it occured to anyone that makers of this movie did not choose these actresses solely on thier popularity and appeal to the Chinese and American public but because of their talent and ability to speak english. i dont mean to say that japanese cant speak english but they are a very small pool of english speaking japanese artists. the book was written by a white man so its just natural to put the movie in english first. and what are the chances that the japanese wont produce their own version of the movie in jap with jap actors. plus dont forget other factors that need to be considered before actors are considered for a part such as: do they have that certain "jene saiqua" (i dont know how to spell that), time, attitude (some actors are bitches after all) and all that crap. and steven speilburg is one of the producers you can expect anything but the best from an award winning director. so back off...if the acting and story makes up for the cultural mixup then lets just enjoy the movie.

i like zhang ziyi but i wasn't aware she could speak english. i thought she learnt it for this movie.

krim wrote:



you realize that it's rather ignorant for you to comment on the entire thread by just reading the first few posts.

:hehe:

that's what i'm fuggin saying.....several salient points were made and if you our going to spout off after reading 3 posts you just lost your credibility...because in addition to the joking comments made their were several serious attempts at critical commentary...

kenjilina wrote:

i like zhang ziyi but i wasn't aware she could speak english. i thought she learnt it for this movie.

EXACTLY...so what japanese actresses can't learn english either! that was a lame argument so i'm glad you pointed that out.

rujen wrote:ok havent read all the posts and because the first few posts are ticking me off with their ignorance im going to post before reading on. from what i can see everyone's mad about not casting japanese actresses as the main characters... my classmates and i were just talking about this resently during class. hasnt it occured to anyone that makers of this movie did not choose these actresses solely on thier popularity and appeal to the Chinese and American public but because of their talent and ability to speak english. i dont mean to say that japanese cant speak english but they are a very small pool of english speaking japanese artists. the book was written by a white man so its just natural to put the movie in english first. and what are the chances that the japanese wont produce their own version of the movie in jap with jap actors. plus dont forget other factors that need to be considered before actors are considered for a part such as: do they have that certain "jene saiqua" (i dont know how to spell that), time, attitude (some actors are bitches after all) and all that crap. and steven speilburg is one of the producers you can expect anything but the best from an award winning director. so back off...if the acting and story makes up for the cultural mixup then lets just enjoy the movie.

@rujen: While you are certainly entited to your opinion here are few things that bothered me about the movie Memoirs of a Geisha.

On TV recently I saw The Making of Memoirs of a Geisha. The director Rob Marshall stated when asked why he chose the non-Japanese female leads. " He chose the best actresses who could bring the characters to life." Rob Marshall also directed the movie Chicago. So he used that as an example of why he chose Queen Latifah as the prison warden in that musical. Because she brought the character to life even though it did not match up to that time period's reality. And you know what I thought when he made those statements...What a load of hooey or BS!!!! He cast those actresses because they could bring in the best box office money. Pure and simple! I am willing to bet he did not even audition talented Japanese actresses just because their names weren't 'big ' enough with the American audience. I respect Steven Spielberg, I really do, but I do not think all of his decisions are made out of gold. On this picture they could have chosen to introduce the American audience to some wonderful Japanese actresses and kept the integrity of the film and still come out ahead. Sometimes authenticity is exactly what is needed not some Hollywood verison of what they thought Japanese Geishas were. Yes I read the book but when I found out how they cast it, I decided to "vote with my pocketbook" and pass on giving them my money.

This might be the reason that The New York Times reviewed this movie the way they did:

Memoirs of a Geisha

2005 - US - Drama, Romance
Reviewed by Manohla Dargis

Type: Features
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Release Date: December 9, 2005
Rating: PG13 (for mature subject matter and some sexual content)
Running Time: 144 minutes
Starring: Youki Kudoh, Ken Watanabe, Koji Yakusho, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi
Directed by: Rob Marshall


REVIEW SUMMARY
Swathed in silk and longing (mostly for a bald guy called Oscar), the big-screen version of "Memoirs of a Geisha" arrives with good intentions firmly in place. Based on the best seller by Arthur Golden, this lavishly appointed melodrama was directed by Rob Marshall, lately of "Chicago," and features the Chinese superstars Ziyi Zhang and Gong Li, and the Malaysian transplant Michelle Yeoh, as Japanese geishas swept up in jealous rivalries during the 1930's and 40's. Mr. Marshall can't rescue the film from its embarrassing screenplay or its awkward Chinese-Japanese-Hollywood culture klatch, but "Memoirs of a Geisha" is one of those bad Hollywood films that by virtue of their production values nonetheless afford a few dividends, in this case, fabulous clothes and three eminently watchable female leads. — Manohla Dargis, The New York Times

rujen wrote:"jene saiqua" (i dont know how to spell that)

PS. I believe it is: Je ne c'est quoi.

Tu_triky wrote:

EXACTLY...so what japanese actresses can't learn english either! that was a lame argument so i'm glad you pointed that out.

so desu ne! :thumbsup:

from rottontomatoes.com

Memoirs of a Geisha


THEATRICAL RELEASE
Dec 9, 2005 NYC/LA/SF/Toronto
Dec 23, 2005 Wide

NUMBERS
Box Office: $30,633,403

CONSENSUS
Less nuanced than its source material, Memoirs of a Geisha may be a lavish production, but it still carries the simplistic air of a soap opera.

CAST & CREW
Ziyi Zhang, Ken Watanabe, Gong Li
Directed by Rob Marshall
...

SYNOPSIS
IN THEATERS DECEMBER 9, 2005 Arthur Golden's blockbuster bestseller, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, has been brilliantly brought to the big screen by Oscar-nominated director Rob Marshall (CHICAGO). The film opens in a remote Japanese fishing village in 1929, where two sisters, Chiyo and Satsu, are sold by their troubled father to people who place Chiyo in a classy geisha house known as an okiya in Gion and Satsu in a much more vulgar and dangerous district.
...

krim wrote:from rottontomatoes.com

Memoirs of a Geisha


THEATRICAL RELEASE
Dec 9, 2005 NYC/LA/SF/Toronto
Dec 23, 2005 Wide

NUMBERS
Box Office: $30,633,403

CONSENSUS
Less nuanced than its source material, Memoirs of a Geisha may be a lavish production, but it still carries the simplistic air of a soap opera.

CAST & CREW
Ziyi Zhang, Ken Watanabe, Gong Li
Directed by Rob Marshall
...

SYNOPSIS
IN THEATERS DECEMBER 9, 2005 Arthur Golden's blockbuster bestseller, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, has been brilliantly brought to the big screen by Oscar-nominated director Rob Marshall (CHICAGO). The film opens in a remote Japanese fishing village in 1929, where two sisters, Chiyo and Satsu, are sold by their troubled father to people who place Chiyo in a classy geisha house known as an okiya in Gion and Satsu in a much more vulgar and dangerous district.
...

that movie is floppin..it only made 30 million and it costs 85 million and that doesn't include marketing budget.

i was wondering why they stopped promotions.. i completely forgot the movie opened wide.

Tu_triky wrote:

that movie is floppin..it only made 30 million and it costs 85 million and that doesn't include marketing budget.

So I'm guessing a lot of people 'voted with their pocketbooks' or pockets to stay home on this one. Good for them! A lesson Hollywood needed to learn.

Enna wrote:

So I'm guessing a lot of people 'voted with their pocketbooks' or pockets to stay home on this one. Good for them! A lesson Hollywood needed to learn.

must be to a significant extent...but their release schedule was stupid too...you are going to release this film during the holidays at the same time as king kong and the chronicles of narnia....let's face it...ppl usually don't gravitate toward more cerebral films..they go for the big action pix..

dummies...good i had a feeling this movie was going to flop. they should have kept it simple, more independent film like, picked some more japanese performers, and stuck to authenticity...of course they would have less potential profit but it might have actually been applauded instead of panned.

Tu_triky wrote:

must be to a significant extent...but their release schedule was stupid too...you are going to release this film during the holidays at the same time as king kong and the chronicles of narnia....let's face it...ppl usually don't gravitate toward more cerebral films..they go for the big action pix..

dummies...good i had a feeling this movie was going to flop. they should have kept it simple, more independent film like, picked some more japanese performers, and stuck to authenticity...of course they would have less potential profit but it might have actually been applauded instead of panned.

I only hope they realize why it failed. Casting issues, and poor timing etc. My fear is they may assume movies about Japan do not sell and stop making movies that feature Japanese themes/history etc. That would be a pity.