Memoirs of a Geisha

Published on December 28, 2005 By Tova7 In Entertainment

I went to see King Kong the day after Christmas. I know, I know. It had terrible reviews. So what? I wanted something epic, something with killer cinematography, something violent and loud and something that was fairly mindless.

I looked up the show times on Fandango and headed out to the local theater.

As usual Fandango had all the times wrong. I could wait there for two hours for Kong, or pick from the mediocre lineup showing right then. I chose Memoirs of a Geisha. Here is the trailer. Link

I lived a couple years in Asia, several months of those in Japan. But I never strayed too far from my American friends and culture. I thought Geisha were whores frankly and really didn’t want to see it on big screen. But nothing else looked even half entertaining, sorry Jennifer Anniston and Steve Martin.

So I bought my ticket and headed into the theater. When the film started I was one of 10 people in the theater, just the way I like it.

Geisha means “artist.” These women train to be walking art. Everything they do from applying makeup, pouring tea and flapping their fans is an art form. They give their lives to this “profession” and never marry. They sell their virginity to the highest bidder, but after that at least from what I saw through the movie, they are not for sale. Unless of course they want to be.

They are not mistresses, and not wives. They are the women men call to entertain them at a tea house with business associates because most Japanese men would not dishonor their family by having a mistress in public. (At least pre-WWII.)

So the movie was ok. I didn’t hate it. But I won’t be renting it when it comes out. Probably would be considered a chick flick and I heard a couple women say reading the book before seeing the movie really added to it.

Of course they had to throw in American G.I.’s whoring with the women, being drunk and obnoxious; which paraded on a background of hard living, despair, and quiet dignity seemed almost evil and heathenish. (If that’s even a word.)

Of course the movie didn’t cover the fact these young soldiers were celebrating the end of a vicious war. But it wasn’t about America.

All in all, I’d say, wait for the rental.

Comments

Dr Guy

on Dec 28, 2005

Will do! Thanks for an excellent review!

Silver_and_Jade_Tears

on Dec 28, 2005

The women that said that reading the book adds to it were correct. I read the book after I saw the trailer for the movie back in September. The book was very good, and far from a chick-flick.

Also, Geisha's were for sale, even after they sold their virginity, but it was similar to a marriage, where the man (the Dainya) paid for everything, clothing, schooling, medical, etc, and this "relationship" usually lasted for many years. They weren't allowed to choose who their lovers were, especially if they wanted to be respected as Geisha, and not whores. (If you recall near the beginning of the movie, Hatsumomo had a male lover, and when "Mother" found out, she, and the whole house, were punished severly.)

The book explains a lot of what the movie just vaguely implied. I highly recommend the book, even if you don't love the movie.

Tova7

on Dec 29, 2005

The book was very good, and far from a chick-flick.

The main reason I classify it as a chick flick is because there was only one man in the theater out of all 10 of us. That is usually a good way to tell if men think its a chick flick.

I never really bought into her "love" for the chairman. I thought it was childish and she needed to get over it. So at the end when they end up together, I was like, Whoopee. And the woman behind me said, "Oh who cares, I have to pee!" So I don't think the movie did a good job making the audience feel for that couple.

I actually think the movie would have been better if she forgot her childish love of the chairman and accepted the disfigured war veteran as her man. The man HATED Geisha, and I think they could have played the scene at the sumo match even better by making her smarter and more articulate than they did. To have him REALLY pursue her and work for her love....and at the end have her accept him, then grow to love him.

To me that is better than, little girl crush turns into big girl crush, turns into a match. BORING. Maybe with more development of the chairman I woulda felt his angst, mostly I just yawned.

Trudygolightly

on Jan 04, 2006

awesome review! now I wanna go see it!

foreverserenity

on Jan 05, 2006

Thanks for the review Tonya, I'll definately wait for the dvd. And I think I'll look up the book at the library, if I have time to read it! I saw the making of the movie Geisha and enjoyed it. I also love the two actresses who played the main characters.

Shovelheat

on Jan 05, 2006

The book was better.

but then the book is always better, isn't it? Like Jurassic Park, Terms of Endearment, Contact, Lonesome Dove, etc...

Just my opinion!

Tova7

on Jan 06, 2006

The book was better

Glad to hear that...its pretty much what everyone is saying.

The acting was very good I thought....

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!