qilver wrote:

damn fine, she looks hot.

lol. yeah, that is a nice pic.

You guys, don't you think it would have been great if she was casted as Sayuri in Rob Marshall's movie version of Memoirs of a Geisha? I personally think Kou would be an awesome Sayuri - and I'm not just saying this because I like her. Kou has got these amazing pair of eyes that can mesmerize me..also, she has this aura of inner strength beneath her delicate exterior....

shanghai_honey wrote:

You guys, don't you think it would have been great if she was casted as Sayuri in Rob Marshall's movie version of Memoirs of a Geisha? I personally think Kou would be an awesome Sayuri - and I'm not just saying this because I like her. Kou has got these amazing pair of eyes that can mesmerize me..also, she has this aura of inner strength beneath her delicate exterior....

i personally think they should have at least cast a japanese actress in the role given the character portrayed is a uniquely japanese one, that of a geisha. but language was apparently an issue. you know hollywood, almost always fucks things up and bends truths and realities to accommodate their often, maligned, decisions.

Tu_triky wrote:

i personally think they should have at least cast a japanese actress in the role given the character portrayed is a uniquely japanese one, that of a geisha. but language was apparently an issue. you know hollywood, almost always fucks things up and bends truths and realities to accommodate their often, maligned, decisions.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I just hope I won't cringe too much seeing the "Hollywoodized" version of japanese culture in the movie, and specifically, how they portray the peculiar world of geishas. I heard that the movie has fucked up on a lot of details already re: costumes, hairpiece, make-up, dance moves, yadda yadda. That shows a distinct lack of interest on the part of the director to make the movie more authentic, even if the leads are played by non-japanese asians. What's new eh?

shanghai_honey wrote:

Yeah, I know what you mean. I just hope I won't cringe too much seeing the "Hollywoodized" version of japanese culture in the movie, and specifically, how they portray the peculiar world of geishas. I heard that the movie has fucked up on a lot of details already re: costumes, hairpiece, make-up, dance moves, yadda yadda. That shows a distinct lack of interest on the part of the director to make the movie more authentic, even if the leads are played by non-japanese asians. What's new eh?

historical and cultural inaccuracies are sure to abound just like with any movie coming out of hollywood, i.e last samurai, u-571, etc etc....hopeful it will at least be entertaining....

i like kou.....
when i watch <BR>.i dislike her...
after i watch magazine ,some news about her...
i also dislike her......
when i watch <LOve Quetien>....i feel she is so cool....
but not really like her.....


after i watch Good Luck....
i very very like her....at the time....i feel she is beautiful...


in the movie <crying out in the center of the world>,
i think she is a very very best artist.....
if the movie did't hav her perform......
i will did't go to buy it....she also sing the song of drama..<crying out...>
very nice song....i like her voice....she can sing well....


i also watch the drama.<Dr.Koto>,<Orange Days>,<Go!>
she is my idol....i love her.....
wish her all the best....
>_<

Tu_triky wrote:

historical and cultural inaccuracies are sure to abound just like with any movie coming out of hollywood, i.e last samurai, u-571, etc etc....hopeful it will at least be entertaining....

Me too. There's some people I'm looking forward to seeing, such as Ken Watanabe. At least they made the right decision to cast him as the chairman!

By the way, I just saw that it's your birthday today on the main page. Well, happy birthday!

I still want Kou as Shimamoto from Murakami's "South of the border, west of the sun", just... someone needs to film it. I was always sure she'd be perfect for that role, then I saw her in "Sekai no Chuushin de, Ai wo Sakebu", and since then I'm 200% sure she'd be THE perfect Shimamoto... *rants and rambles*

Kou as geisha? Hell yes... that way we'd see her in a kimono again (which is... a very rare thing anyway)

saw Kou on the cover of a beauty mag today at Sanseido bookstore, forgot the name of the mag, but she looked nice...

shanghai_honey wrote:

Me too. There's some people I'm looking forward to seeing, such as Ken Watanabe. At least they made the right decision to cast him as the chairman! By the way, I just saw that it's your birthday today on the main page. Well, happy birthday!

thank you...

Toranaga wrote:

Kou as geisha? Hell yes... that way we'd see her in a kimono again (which is... a very rare thing anyway)

nice caps....

Toranaga wrote:

I still want Kou as Shimamoto from Murakami's "South of the border, west of the sun", just... someone needs to film it. I was always sure she'd be perfect for that role, then I saw her in "Sekai no Chuushin de, Ai wo Sakebu", and since then I'm 200% sure she'd be THE perfect Shimamoto... *rants and rambles* Kou as geisha? Hell yes... that way we'd see her in a kimono again (which is... a very rare thing anyway)

Nice caps ~ which drama/movie are they from?

So you think Kou should play Shimamoto? Is "South of the Border, West of the Sun" one of your favorite books? I have not read the book yet, but since you mentioned it I searched for the summary of it. It seems like a very melancholic story and I don't know if I want to see Kou play another limp person. But otherwise, yeah....I agree that she has the mysteriousness and allure to play Shimamoto.

Found an old but interesting article about the role Kou played in helping to make "Cry out Love in the Center of the World" a successful book. She's got the power!

===============================================


http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117908198?categoryid=1278&cs=1&s=h&p=0


Posted: Sun., Jul. 25, 2004, 6:00am PT


Auds love local romance
'Crying' a hit on the bookshelves and now in theaters

By LUKAS SCHWARZACHER

TOKYO -- True love, death, nostalgia and a good cry are stronger audience draws in Japan these days than action, special effects and $200 million tentpole budgets.
The trend has been brewing for some time, but proof came with the May 8 release of "Crying Out for Love From the Center of the World." Produced for a mere $3.5 million, to date it has racked up some $70 million at the local box office.

Known by its acronym "Sekachu," the bestseller-based film has surpassed "Troy" and "The Day After Tomorrow" to land in fourth place among Japan's top 10 this year, and it's playing on fewer than half the screens. And it's still going strong, even with "Spider-Man 2" trying hard to rebound from its disappointing opening earlier this month.

"Nobody among the production partners expected this," says Daisuke Ooka, producer at the film department of Tokyo Broadcasting (TBS), which co-produced with Hakuhodo DY Media Partners (HDY), distribdistrib Toho and publisher Shogakukan.

When Shogakukan came out with the original novel in late 2001, it planned a print run of only 8,000 copies. The sentimental story of a high school boy losing his love to leukemia didn't promise to become a bestseller.

But then Japan's superstar of the moment, "Battle Royale" thesp Kou Shibasaki, read the book in one go, cried all night and wrote an article about her experience in a popular woman's magazine. The book started to fly off the shelves, with a Shibasaki-penned recommendation adorning each volume.

Meanwhile, HDY had secured the film rights and started to scout partners to produce the pic, which wasn't too difficult after the book hit the bestseller list. And marketing costs would be low, due to the book's high awareness.

The book has sold more than 3 million copies so far and landed in seventh place on Japan's all-time bestseller list.

"Instead of following the original, the script added a crucial component," Ooka says. The film's story toggles between the present, when the male protagonist is supposed to marry his loving fiancee (played by Shibasaki), and those idealized high school days. He cannot overcome the loss of his high school love. When he tries to solve his problems by revisiting the past, tragedy ensues.

"The 'Sekachu' phenomenon will change Japan's film world," says a production executive in Tokyo. "It's the best case so far for more local films and less imports, especially from Hollywood. Just look at the profit margin!"

A wave of newfound optimism is gripping the local film industry, even though "Sekachu" could be a fluke.

Attempts to repeat the success are under way. Shooting of "I'll Be With You" started July 21, with the "Sekachu" production partners behind the project. The story: A widowed and slightly retarded father and his son whose birth resulted in the mother's death encounter a woman years later who they think is their wife and mother. "It's a different story but has the same ingredients," Ooka says.

The tragedy couldn't skip the small screen, either. TBS has launched a drama series of the same name, which has landed in second place in the ratings of all TV dramas.

Meanwhile, "Sekachu" is starting its international rollout. Toho Intl. recently sold it to distrib Dong A in Korea after a ferocious bidding war "for what we know to be the highest price ever paid by Korea for a Japanese film," according to Toho Intl. director Masaharu Ina. "Other Asian territories are very interested, too."

Hollywood is taking note, as well. "We're organizing screenings (in Hollywood)," says HDY execexec Hirofumi Fujisaki. "There's a lot of interest in a potential remake."

Date in print: Mon., Jul. 26, 2004, Weekly

I want an English print of it and I can't seem to find one... I have one in Korean, but I can't read Korean for crying out loud!

No idea where the caps are from, I stumbled over them one day.

The limping part with Shimamoto wouldn't be the problem, since she has a surgery to have it removed. But Kou would be lovely for the alluring part, when she drags the main character with her *snicker*

Anyway...

Good Luck, episode one...

What, Shimamoto drags the main character with her? You mean literally? Haha...that I want to see.....Kou is tiny but strong.

Oohh, Good Luck!! Just finished watching it yesterday. Good and entertaining drama. I think Kimura Tayuka matches up with Kou quite nicely. If they act in another dorama or movie together, their chemistry will go up another notch, I'll bet. Why doesn't Kimura act in movies I wonder. I've only seen his doramas, which are always highly rated.

shanghai_honey wrote:

What, Shimamoto drags the main character with her? You mean literally? Haha...that I want to see.....Kou is tiny but strong. Oohh, Good Luck!! Just finished watching it yesterday. Good and entertaining drama. I think Kimura Tayuka matches up with Kou quite nicely. If they act in another dorama or movie together, their chemistry will go up another notch, I'll bet. Why doesn't Kimura act in movies I wonder. I've only seen his doramas, which are always highly rated.

he acts in the critically acclaimed chinese move "2046" with Zhyang Zhyi...and Shibasaki and Kimura also act together in the dorama "Million Stars Falling from the Sky" but it is a very dark drama....

Yep, Millions Stars Falling from The Sky is on my list of dramas to watch soon. Although Kou plays a supporting role in this one, I heard her performance was a standout. Kimura paired with Faye Wong in 2046, thank god it's not Zhang Zhi Yi. I like Faye Wong. She's flamboyant and stylish, and so is Kou.

shanghai_honey wrote:

Yep, Millions Stars Falling from The Sky is on my list of dramas to watch soon. Although Kou plays a supporting role in this one, I heard her performance was a standout. Kimura paired with Faye Wong in 2046, thank god it's not Zhang Zhi Yi. I like Faye Wong. She's flamboyant and stylish, and so is Kou.

well Kou's role is supporting but's you do see her character a fair bit...
you're right Zhyang is the female lead in the film and F. Wong is the supporting actress, just as Kimura is the supporting actor.

For Epson's Dreamio (it's misspelled in the filename ):

http://s31.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2DXI64RMBK8NB0SD13XGZAZ0W4

dochira wrote:

For Epson's Dreamio (it's misspelled in the filename ): http://s31.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2DXI64RMBK8NB0SD13XGZAZ0W4

thx doch.
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