Well, I saw this trailer on a site and I thought it looked awesome!!! So umm who else seen the trailer of even seen the movie? Its pretty awesome!!!

Well, it's probably because I live in America but I've never seen these trailers. It sounds interesting though... I want to know more about it.

This movie is a must-see. I haven't read the book yet though, but I would like to (own it as well). I still think they should have casted a Japanese woman for the lead role, but Zhang Zi Yi is beautiful, so having a Chinese actress play a geisha is my only qualm.

Well heres the awesome trailer^^
http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_picture...geisha/trailer/

I just love that picture of Ziyi Zhang.

My Quicktime plug-in or whatever's weird and won't seem to let me see it...

Are her eyes really blue?

No, it's the magic of colored contacts.

Michelle Yuan (I think that's her last name) is Chinese as well (playing as Zhang Ziyi's elder). The whole cast is basically Chinese... except for the male lead. That's the only downside.

But the movie still looks powerful.

I'm soo looking forward to see this movie!!
Ziyi Zhang is beautiful, and I'm reserving my opinion on Chinese casts till I see the movie.

Though I've never read the book, I came across the trailer the other day....the whole thing looks visually amazing if nothing else. I'm semi-familiar with the story-line...but, from what I have seen, I think that "Memoirs" is going on my "must-see" list

I cannot begin to tell you how much I want to see this film. It has been my favourite book for many years and I heard it was becoming a movie about 2 years ago then nothing became of it.

Although I read in an article the Japanese were not happy that they chose Chinese actors. It was like the west were saying all asians look the same so it doesn't matter where they are from. The arguement was the people they did pick were perfect for the part.

Anyhow it is an extremely emotive book and gives you amazing pictures of the Geisha world. It really drew me into learning more about them and into Japanese culture and so eventually anime too. I have a lot to thank this book for.

Especially my name

I actually just saw the trailer a few minutes ago. It looks very interesting. I remember studying geishas last year so I want to see what else I can learn Good to know everyone is positive about this movie.

Hmmm... I think I'll watch this movie. When I was at the movie theatre a few days ago, I saw a poster for it and I remembered people talking about it on this forum. You guys are a good influence on me.

i dont get why all the leads are chinese except ken watanabe (the 2nd last samurai). from the reviews ive read, the movie actually does seem to suffer from a lack of authenticity

source: rottentomatoes.com

This suffers from the same problem Selena suffered:

Why are two Puerto Ricans representing the leads who are Mexicans?

So we can get to see JayLo in polyester dress??

Seriously, I don't know the story behind the casting selections of this movie, but I'm glad Ken Watanabe is in it!! I liked him in "The Last Samurai."

And, I saw "House of Flying Daggers" and Ziyi Zhang was amazing as the blind girl/lady, so I'm interested to see how she plays Chiyo.

Tho, I'm not so sure about Michelle Yeoh. I liked her in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," but I also thought that movie was oberrated... Anyway, I have to wait till I see her in the movie before I make further comment.

Michelle Yeoh roles don't catch me much... but this one looks promising. Then again I only seen her in CTHD and Taichi movies.

Her name is Zhang Ziyi, NOT Ziyi Zhang. I'm amazed that people who are hell-bent on keeping Lastnames first for anime characters can't do the same for Chinese people...

Back to topic, why oh why are her eyes blue in the poster? They hadn't invented coloured contacts back then, and the only Japanese people to have blue eyes were children of the Rashamen or women who slept with foreigners. Technicality aside though, she looks damned beautiful.

I wonder who's playing Dr. Crab though. He was one freaky ass doctor in the book XD

She has grey eyes in the book, so I guess they are trying to have that. Its what makes her stand out.

Hmm, I remember that she had weird eyes, but didn't remember it was grey...*neds to buy another copy of the book*

Maybe because the official movie site (in English) is listing all the casts that way??
Hopefully, she's called in the way proper to her own custom in Chinese language, just as Ken Watanabe becoming Watanabe Ken in Japanese.
I'm ok being flexible according to each culture and customs, so as English way is ok for me as well.

BTW, this remind me... if 50 cent goes on tour in Asia, I wonder if any older adults would try to call him cent 50 !!

Ok, please resume the on topic discussions.

Don't quote me on that....but doesn't someone say 'They are the colour of crushed worms?' Hatsumono I think.

Just as soon as I saw the commercial, I was AMAZED...seeing a
Chinese actress as a geisha really made me interested in the film..i'm hoping to see it..
(like i will.. )...anyways what is it about??...what's the topic???...Does anyone know??..

its about a girl who is taken at a young age to be a geisha (japanese white-face-paint-female entertainers), and she goes through lots of challenges to become one of the most sought-after geishas around, but she falls in love with __________, which is a problem

yeah that a really bad description but i was trying to keep it spoiler free. someone who liked the book more than me can fill in the rest of the details.

ps your avatar freaks me out

oh, really???...hmmm....sounds very interesting...^^soooorrry if my avatar
freaks anyone out!!..i think it's pretty cool..and funny...^^

actually, I LOVE your avatar ^^ its so pretty....i'm such a roy fangirl ....and ed and denny look pretty cute there


been searching on wikipedia for information on geishas...i think it really was stupid of them to cast chinese actors and actresses for a movie so heavily based on japanese culture...but then again, these actors and actresses ARE pretty talented...

^^ I'm being optimistic, untill I watch the movie myself. I tend to think good Chinese actors can portray Japanese characters. But again, I think there are many Japanese actors who could have portrayed those Japanese characters very well...
I'm glad Kaori Momoi is in it, tho.

oooh, i read the book last year, and now i have to see the movie!!

this movie is so contraversial and it seems that it is also good. i hope it does really welll in the box office,casue im doing a project on it. and the more they advertize it the easier the project will be for me. the movie is awsome ...

...EVERYONE SHOULD GO SEE IT CASUE ITS INTERESTING TO WATCH.

I recently saw the movie and instantly loved it^^ As well as the book.

i think that the book was better than the movie since a lot a things in the movie went unexplained. i do realize that they were trying to focus on the love story though. the thing that bothered me the most about the movie was the fact that the three main characters were all chinese.

btw... the garden scene was filmed about 10mins from where i live at a place called hakone gardens =P

Wow, that garden in the movie is beautiful!!

So, I watched the movie finally, and sadly, I have to agree with penguin|tired about the casting. I was hoping otherwise, but yeah....

Not that I didn't like the movie.
Actually, I loved the movie, and I'd like to watch it again.
It's a beautifully shot movie, and the love story angle is nicely played, and I liked it.
But, it has that "story based in the exotic country made into a Hollywood movie" feel to it.

And, yes, well known Chinese actresses playing the parts did not help, IMO.
Although I liked Michelle Yeoh in many Chinese movies, I didn't care much for her as Mameha. She was simply not believable as Geisha to me..
Ziyi Zhang is beautiful in the movie, and I really liked her, but her dancing...
I don't know what to say... it's so Western dancing, and does not look like she is doing Japanese "Mai" dancing (and, I'm not even talking about the "Hirome" dance she performed.)
(Same goes for Michelle Yeoh and her dancing also..)
But, they looked very beautiful doing it.

And, the costumes... Sayori was "Maiko" untill she got "Uchiage," and Mameha was "Geiko," and authentic Geisha, such as they were, were supposed to be dressed with very strict traditional dress codes accordingly, from the hair style, to the kind of shoes they wear, how their belts are tied, and the colors of the costumes they wear, and so on and on.
But, in the movie, they aren't followed as such, and that kind of takes away the authenticity of the movie as the story of Geisha.

Nonetheless, it's a beautiful movie, and I enjoyed this one as the Hollywood type adaptation of the story based on the book... (Yes, I love the book very much.)

Same here (on the actor's), but they were still very good actors, you know?

Determined as I was to see this film opening night it was not to be. Now I have to wait until I find a good time to go, and since I'm now back at Uni that will not be easy. I am glad to find that I have ead mostly good things about this film; being my favourite book it has much to live up to in my eyes

Who else laughed when she did that dance scene, running back and forth, with the stupid falling snow and light effects?

Good actors? I did not get a japanese vibe from them, especially with a chinese-american accent. And it was really awkward when they spoke english to americans...and that bath scene was pointless...I could go on, but I'll just say that it was not worth my eleven bucks.

Oh and it's good to note that I heard the author was sued for portraying Geisha life in the wrong way. Go westernized, mainstream, japanese culture. Preformers have turned into whores.

Was he now? Thats interesting, but I read the Liza Dalby book too all those years ago to attain fact. Whether even that is or not could be argued as she is a western geisha.

Western geisha?

Well if I remember correctly, she is a westerner who has been accepted as a Geisha, she also wrote 'The Tale of Murasaki'.

Liza Dalby

I loved the movie and the book I would read and the watch it so many times.

i watched the movie before i read the book... dont' know if that's a good thing or bad thing. I have started to read the novel... and it seems like the novel is better than the movie. This movie didn't turn out that good to me because the story lacked action

If action's what you want, you're looking at the wrong place.

gahz... i went overseas n i totally missed the show...

I have about another month until I can buy it on DVD, but I will do so even though I haven't seen it. I am apprehensive but excited all the same.

As one review stated it, "A two and a half hour fashion show."

... I guess that says it, but it sure is one nice fashion show to look at.

The movie.. was so crappy compared to the book. They did a poor job with the characters, and made everything look too easy. I have to agree with thieves, what was up with that dance scene? Suddenly everybody likes her because she goes all crazy 'dancing'?

The author apparently was sued because he broke an agreement with Mineko Iwaski.

I thought is was an ok movie, and everyone knows that the books are always way better than the movies. There just isn't enough time for a movie to explain and go into as much detail as in a novel.

i like that movie a lot, was interesting see how someone can hold a hope for so much time

I loved this movie too, though that one dance with the snow and super high heels scared me. The scenery was beautiful.

I've read the book long ago and now I've seen the movie. Both are erotically magical.
I worship for Sayuri.

Oh silly me, I forgot to post but our thread reviver reminded me this was here.

I'm mixed emotionally about the film, but I think the fact that its Oscar Nominations were for make up and setting say it all. Visually it was stunning, but my heart still belongs to the book and always will. And I do still think it was wrong to pick the cast based on the fact they are known in the West. You can't tell me there are no Japanese actors who could speak English.

Stll, brought my mother to tears at the end...bless.

I finally saw the movie. I like it, I never read the book but the movie is great.