2pints-mate 0 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Causing some waves is it over there? Geisha film incenses Japanese/b] The Hollywood blockbuster Memoirs of a Geisha has been heavily criticised in China and Japan even before it opens. The criticism in Japan centres on director Rob Marshall's casting of Chinese actors as geisha. "We should boycott this film and send a clear message to Hollywood. Why on earth have they made a film making fun of the Japanese, when they cannot get by without us?" says one blogger. Critics point to trailers that show the demure geisha of 1930s Kyoto dancing on stage "as if they were in a Los Angeles strip show". Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Not heard a peep about that so far... Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 They call it "SAyuri" here after the lead. I do find it funny that they cast mainly Japanese but gave the lead role to a Chinese. Who cares really? Even if it was a Japanese lead, they would still find a hell of a lot to complain about. Link to post Share on other sites
Mama 0 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Sayuri, memoirs of a geisha it may not work well in Japan because it's too gaijin but the book was written by an american, so from the beginning it's a non-japanese idea, even if it deals with japanese culture I loved the book however and certaily will see the movie on screens on 12/10 Link to post Share on other sites
snobee 0 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Acting is Acting. Good acting is Good acting. It's not like "shreek horror" the first time a non native has been cast in a native role. I read a while back that come audition time the local girls came up short with the required goods and the roles went to the best available. I guess the proof will be in the viewing. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 With a Hollywood film like this, there's no shame whatsoever in local actresses not being whatever it was the director wanted. Its not as if they were looking for Machiko Kyo. I once heard a talk by the Japanese professor who translated the book into Japanese. He said Golden got pretty stroppy whenever the prof tried to correct details about actual geisha life in Kyoto. Link to post Share on other sites
nzlegend 1 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 I saw the trailer the other day and its looks pretty lame, I will be giving it a miss. A Japanese movie spoken in English?, I would rather read subtitles thanks The reason why they used 2 chinese actresses, Ziyi Zhang and Michelle Yeoh is they speak good English, are talented actresses and are well known. They couldnt find female Japanese actresses who spoke good enough English or could act well enough let alone be known enough to have name drawing factor. A sad but true indictment of Japanese actresses. Ken Watanabe stars because he speaks decent English, can act and is well known. Link to post Share on other sites
number9 0 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Japanese actresses are not marketable either. But yeah, nationality doesn't matter, that's a silly reason to dislike the movie. Last Samurai was well received here, but this.. I'm not sure. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Quote: Originally posted by snowglider: The reason why they used 2 chinese actresses, Ziyi Zhang and Michelle Yeoh is they speak good English, are talented actresses and are well known. They couldnt find female Japanese actresses who spoke good enough English or could act well enough let alone be known enough to have name drawing factor. A sad but true indictment of Japanese actresses. Ken Watanabe stars because he speaks decent English, can act and is well known. There isnt one Japanese actress who is good enough to make it in Hollywood. If they cast a Chinese woman for the role, so be it. At least you know she will do a good job with the role, not to mention Ziyi Zhang truly is an amazing actress IMHO. I really enjoy watchin her. Id like to see what Hollywood did to the book and what they changed. As far as it being done in English, who cares, its Hollywood anyways Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 They could have cast Noriko! With her amazing performance with Coolio.. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Fujiwara is pretty hot but honestly - she sucks compared with Ziyi Zhang... Link to post Share on other sites
frannyo 2 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Indo, you mean Norika, right? Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Fujiwara Norika has nothing on this woman Link to post Share on other sites
meat 0 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 She has a bit more meat. Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Hey, that's a Chinese Zasshi. Is that the one you snitched from your student? Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 nope, that one was shoooooccccckkkkkiiiiiinnngg! Whoa, really shocking Gotta say beautiful women though and it was a HK porn so right up your alley Markie! Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 If you look closely, you might see me in the background in one of the shots! Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Thatd be sweet...and Id be quite jealous... Oh, shes lovely Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Quote: Originally posted by frannyo: Indo, you mean Norika, right? Drrrr. Yep, for some reason I have been calling her noriko lately! Why, I don't know! Yama.. it was tongue n cheek! Link to post Share on other sites
cal 6 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Norika looks really good in that new ad she's in. Phoar. Link to post Share on other sites
slow 0 Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 Why he didn't make this film in Japanese and English subtitle? My friend said it was beautiful movie untill Chinese Chinese actresses open their mouths. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 Quote: Originally posted by slow: Why he didn't make this film in Japanese and English subtitle? My friend said it was beautiful movie untill Chinese Chinese actresses open their mouths. Probably because its Hollywood right? How many Americans wanna watch a movie with subtitles? Its the same in Japan, I see just as many peeps going to the screens that are in Japanese because they dont wanna read the subtitles. As for Chinese playing the role, at first I thought they really should get some Japanese actresses to do the job - too bad there arent any who are good. I find most J-talento, actors, actresses shockingly horrible and most post Kurosawa directors just as bad too. If its insulting to see a Chinese playing the role of a Japanese, what Japanese actresses could have played it as well as Ziyi Zhang? Ueto Aya? Fujiwara Norika? Kuriyama Chiaki? Kato Ai? Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 Quote: Originally posted by slow: My friend said it was beautiful movie untill Chinese Chinese actresses open their mouths. That sounds like a comment from someone who doesn't like the chinese. Americams could say the same about Aussies that have to put on US accents to play in US films.. But no one says that. Link to post Share on other sites
snobee 0 Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 Slow - i guess the main reason it was made in English was that the biggest target audience would be America and American movie goers are famous for not supporting non-English films. There are very few exceptions. So it was probably an "economic" decision by the Hollywood Studio. And of course the leading lady(ies) can't speak Japanese. I guarantee that if they were tutored for months & months in the language and the film was shot, the cries of "おかしな発音の日本語" would be deafening. I don't expect "Natural Japanese-English???" accents, but I'm hoping the speech is not woeful, so we can focus on the story and imagery. We'll just have to wait until next week. Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 Quote: Originally posted by slow: My friend said it was beautiful movie untill Chinese Chinese actresses open their mouths. That sounds like a comment from someone who doesn't like the chinese. Americams could say the same about Aussies that have to put on US accents to play in US films.. But no one says that. Link to post Share on other sites
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