Memoirs of a Geisha
Memoirs of a Geisha Written by Pink Rabbit and Andromeda "In 1929 an impoverished nine-year-old named Chiyo from a fishing village is sold to a geisha house in Kyoto's Gion district and subjected to cruel treatment from the owners and the head geisha Hatsumomo. Her stunning beauty attracts the vindictive jealousy of Hatsumomo, until she is rescued by and taken under the wing of Hatsumomo's bitter rival, Mameha. Under Mameha's mentorship, Chiyo becomes the geisha named Sayuri, trained in all the artistic and social skills a geisha must master in order to survive in her society. As a renowned geisha she enters a society of wealth, privilege, and political intrigue. As World War II looms Japan and the geisha's world are forever changed by the onslaught of history." Pink Rabbit: Every time, before I go to see a movie I go to yahoo, read the summary, read critic reviews, and of course look up times. Also every time, or so nearly every time that I can’t recall the times that were different, I find that I totally disagree with the critic’s opinion of the movie. Where they see a masterpiece like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon I saw not much more than a story screaming, “Help, I suck!” And then again when they saw mediocre like in Pirates of the Caribbean I saw not much short of awesome, though it did have its script flaws. In the views of Memoirs of a Geisha I find one of those rare times that the critics have actually defined it well. Most put it properly when said “Beautiful bore.” While the movie didn’t entirely bore one to sleeping, you’d almost have thought you had fallen asleep and missed something with the way it continually skipped around. In comparison to the book its like the movie went straight for all the weaker points of the story and severely hurting the stronger ones. For example, in the book it was when Mameha came to the okiya to pay her respect for Grandmother’s death that she discovers Chiyo, noting to her servant about Chiyo’s extraordinary eyes, making it more complicated for one to see that it was the Chairman that had sponsored Mameha to take Chiyo “under her wing.” I know a movie is cut for time but, hey, that wouldn’t have taken much time in alteration to the way they did it, which was Chiyo sneaks into a tea house after delivering a shamisen to get a look at what she’s now having to miss out on when the Chairman steps out and notices her before she makes a complete escape. This method wouldn’t have bothered me so much if a) that hadn’t made the Chairman’s efforts obvious and b) how did he know who she was and where she lived by only catching a glimpse of her? Another thing that would have helped is if they’d have cut the whole fire scene. That didn’t even happen to their okiya. In the book, Hatsumomo was just banished from the okiya and of course, she made a bit of a scene but nothing more. What got me most, even if it was a beautiful scene, was when Chiyo, now named Sayuri, is on a mountain top, wearing a beautiful blue kimono, reaches under her layers of clothing, pulls out the Chairman’s handkerchief and releases it into the wind. When I saw this I was like “Okay…no, no, no, and uh oh yeah NO!” In the book she ALWAYS kept that handkerchief. It motivated her to do so many things. It was what kept her going all the way, and in the end she shows it to the Chairman. In my opinion making a far more romantic story. That right there is a whole chunk of time they could have cut right there, just completely cut it out because it shouldn’t have been there. Then they would have had more time for the important parts. However, I’m not saying the movie was bad. It was, as the Sayuri in the book would have said, as exotic on the eyes as a vintage wine or special chocolate is to the taste buds. How they were able to catch such beautiful scenes in Japan still astounds me. Even though the kimonos were nothing like the ones Sayuri described in the book, it didn’t make me wish to own them any less. At the very least if you see the movie without having read the book it does indeed open your mind to the Geisha world. It peals a bit of that stereotype away that “Geisha are nothing more than prostitutes”. Though in my own opinion short from doing your own research, it would take reading the book to really understand the Geisha world. Unless you’re dying to see the movie, I advise waiting till HBO or Showtime gets a hold of it. Andromeda: I never pay attention to what the critics say. I always find myself disagreeing with them anyway, so why bother reading what they have to say. I also have never read the book. Reading the book before the movie always ruins the movie. I read Jurassic Park, Sphere, Congo, and Sahara all before the movies were made and I was disappointed with the movies. In fact, they were good, or even great movies. After listening to my friend, Bunny-chan, I’m glad I never picked the book up before now. The movie was beautiful. You couldn’t help but to feel Chiyo’s pain when she and her sister were sold by her father to a stranger and taken to the city, passed from one person to another to end up being separated from the only family she had left. Chiyo becomes nothing more than a servant to a very spoiled woman who happens to be one of the most sought after Geisha’s in the city. Her fate though is better, in my opinion, than that of her sister’s. I loved watching Chiyo’s life unfold, even if it was sad at times. The sadness made the happier moments so much better. Of course, when she ran into the Chairman as a child, the first thing I thought was, “Child Molester!” But it was because of him that she found her desire to become a Geisha. Her crush for this older man was the motivation she needed. Of course that spoiled Geisha Hatsumomo makes it very difficult for Chiyo to achieve this. I truly enjoyed the scenery of the Japan before World War II that was created. It looked so real and was so beautiful, from the Geisha’s to the cherry trees. It was also interesting to see the change that Japan made in the movie after World War II was fought and lost by the Japanese. Everything had changed and any Japanese woman who painted their face could be called a Geisha. Only those true to the ways of the Geisha did not lower themselves to the common whores that flaunted their assets to the American Service Men. The Love story between Chiyo and the chairman was amazing. Little hints of the Chairman’s desire could be seen when he looked at the young woman who had blossomed from the child he had first met. Chiyo’s love could always be seen when she looked just a little too long at the Chairman, or took from hiding the handkerchief he had given to her. Unfortunately, Geisha’s aren’t allowed to love. There are also plenty of laughs during this movie. One of which I found the best was when Chiyo is asked if she knows about the eel and the cave. Appearantly it's their version of sex education and quite funny to listen to. This may come off as being a chic flick, but guys, believe me, this is a movie that you’ll enjoy as well. Why do I say believe me? Because I don’t like chic flicks. Love, hate, passion, regret, guilt. A lot of emotions run deep in this movie. It can’t be missed.
Memoirs of a Geisha Written by Pink Rabbit and Andromeda "In 1929 an impoverished nine-year-old named Chiyo from a fishing village is sold to a geisha house in Kyoto's Gion district and subjected to cruel treatment from the owners and the head geisha Hatsumomo. Her stunning beauty attracts the vindictive jealousy of Hatsumomo, until she is rescued by and taken under the wing of Hatsumomo's bitter rival, Mameha. Under Mameha's mentorship, Chiyo becomes the geisha named Sayuri, trained in all the artistic and social skills a geisha must master in order to survive in her society. As a renowned geisha she enters a society of wealth, privilege, and political intrigue. As World War II looms Japan and the geisha's world are forever changed by the onslaught of history." Pink Rabbit: Every time, before I go to see a movie I go to yahoo, read the summary, read critic reviews, and of course look up times. Also every time, or so nearly every time that I can’t recall the times that were different, I find that I totally disagree with the critic’s opinion of the movie. Where they see a masterpiece like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon I saw not much more than a story screaming, “Help, I suck!” And then again when they saw mediocre like in Pirates of the Caribbean I saw not much short of awesome, though it did have its script flaws. In the views of Memoirs of a Geisha I find one of those rare times that the critics have actually defined it well. Most put it properly when said “Beautiful bore.” While the movie didn’t entirely bore one to sleeping, you’d almost have thought you had fallen asleep and missed something with the way it continually skipped around. In comparison to the book its like the movie went straight for all the weaker points of the story and severely hurting the stronger ones. For example, in the book it was when Mameha came to the okiya to pay her respect for Grandmother’s death that she discovers Chiyo, noting to her servant about Chiyo’s extraordinary eyes, making it more complicated for one to see that it was the Chairman that had sponsored Mameha to take Chiyo “under her wing.” I know a movie is cut for time but, hey, that wouldn’t have taken much time in alteration to the way they did it, which was Chiyo sneaks into a tea house after delivering a shamisen to get a look at what she’s now having to miss out on when the Chairman steps out and notices her before she makes a complete escape. This method wouldn’t have bothered me so much if a) that hadn’t made the Chairman’s efforts obvious and b) how did he know who she was and where she lived by only catching a glimpse of her? Another thing that would have helped is if they’d have cut the whole fire scene. That didn’t even happen to their okiya. In the book, Hatsumomo was just banished from the okiya and of course, she made a bit of a scene but nothing more. What got me most, even if it was a beautiful scene, was when Chiyo, now named Sayuri, is on a mountain top, wearing a beautiful blue kimono, reaches under her layers of clothing, pulls out the Chairman’s handkerchief and releases it into the wind. When I saw this I was like “Okay…no, no, no, and uh oh yeah NO!” In the book she ALWAYS kept that handkerchief. It motivated her to do so many things. It was what kept her going all the way, and in the end she shows it to the Chairman. In my opinion making a far more romantic story. That right there is a whole chunk of time they could have cut right there, just completely cut it out because it shouldn’t have been there. Then they would have had more time for the important parts. However, I’m not saying the movie was bad. It was, as the Sayuri in the book would have said, as exotic on the eyes as a vintage wine or special chocolate is to the taste buds. How they were able to catch such beautiful scenes in Japan still astounds me. Even though the kimonos were nothing like the ones Sayuri described in the book, it didn’t make me wish to own them any less. At the very least if you see the movie without having read the book it does indeed open your mind to the Geisha world. It peals a bit of that stereotype away that “Geisha are nothing more than prostitutes”. Though in my own opinion short from doing your own research, it would take reading the book to really understand the Geisha world. Unless you’re dying to see the movie, I advise waiting till HBO or Showtime gets a hold of it. Andromeda: I never pay attention to what the critics say. I always find myself disagreeing with them anyway, so why bother reading what they have to say. I also have never read the book. Reading the book before the movie always ruins the movie. I read Jurassic Park, Sphere, Congo, and Sahara all before the movies were made and I was disappointed with the movies. In fact, they were good, or even great movies. After listening to my friend, Bunny-chan, I’m glad I never picked the book up before now. The movie was beautiful. You couldn’t help but to feel Chiyo’s pain when she and her sister were sold by her father to a stranger and taken to the city, passed from one person to another to end up being separated from the only family she had left. Chiyo becomes nothing more than a servant to a very spoiled woman who happens to be one of the most sought after Geisha’s in the city. Her fate though is better, in my opinion, than that of her sister’s. I loved watching Chiyo’s life unfold, even if it was sad at times. The sadness made the happier moments so much better. Of course, when she ran into the Chairman as a child, the first thing I thought was, “Child Molester!” But it was because of him that she found her desire to become a Geisha. Her crush for this older man was the motivation she needed. Of course that spoiled Geisha Hatsumomo makes it very difficult for Chiyo to achieve this. I truly enjoyed the scenery of the Japan before World War II that was created. It looked so real and was so beautiful, from the Geisha’s to the cherry trees. It was also interesting to see the change that Japan made in the movie after World War II was fought and lost by the Japanese. Everything had changed and any Japanese woman who painted their face could be called a Geisha. Only those true to the ways of the Geisha did not lower themselves to the common whores that flaunted their assets to the American Service Men. The Love story between Chiyo and the chairman was amazing. Little hints of the Chairman’s desire could be seen when he looked at the young woman who had blossomed from the child he had first met. Chiyo’s love could always be seen when she looked just a little too long at the Chairman, or took from hiding the handkerchief he had given to her. Unfortunately, Geisha’s aren’t allowed to love. There are also plenty of laughs during this movie. One of which I found the best was when Chiyo is asked if she knows about the eel and the cave. Appearantly it's their version of sex education and quite funny to listen to. This may come off as being a chic flick, but guys, believe me, this is a movie that you’ll enjoy as well. Why do I say believe me? Because I don’t like chic flicks. Love, hate, passion, regret, guilt. A lot of emotions run deep in this movie. It can’t be missed.