MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA trailer (1 Viewer)

[Jefferson Morris]

Memoirs of a Geisha trailer:

http://www.movies.co.jp/sayuri/trail...ailer_500k.asx

Ziyi looking sensational (duh). I'm quite looking forward to this one, although I've never read the source novel.

I elected to start a new thread for this, rather than resurrect any of the older threads on this film (which were mostly devoted to squabbling over the casting).

--Jefferson Morris

 

[Citizen87645]

Always interesting to see the titles used overseas, in this case "Sayuri."

Gong Li is looking rather fine too, though so EEEVILLL.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

I was very impressed with Marshall's direction of Chicago. The cast is to die for, both in beauty and talent.

Easy must see,
Chuck

 

[TheLongshot]

Your link isn't working for me..

Jason

 

[Citizen87645]

Maybe try it from here: http://www.movies.co.jp/sayuri/

 

[TheLongshot]

You know what it might be. Work just redid some of the firewall stuff here and a lot of streaming stuff doesn't work anymore. (Can't listen to any of my internet radio stations here anymore. :frowning: )

I'll try it at home...

Jason

 

[Jefferson Morris]

Jason,

Try this (right click, save target as):

http://www.movies.co.jp/sayuri/trail...ailer_500k.wmv

--Jefferson Morris

 

[Ray H]

I've been waiting a while for the trailer for this one. I think it looks fine. I'm still kinda worried whether Americans will be willing to embrace the movie though.

 

[Kain_C]

Why would Americans have a hard time embracing the movie? Just curious as to why you would think that. Is it because most westerners incorrectly associate the geisha as being a prostitute?

Looks great to me. I love the imagery. And I love Michelle Yeoh and Ziyi Zhang. This film reminds me of "Raise the Red Lantern" for some reason. Maybe it's the competitive spirit of women fighting for attention. I don't know.

 

[Jace_A]

It does look great, however I'm always conscious of the fact that these are primarily Chinese not Japanese actors. Maybe it's just me, but I can certainly tell the difference just by looking at the trailer.

 

[Citizen87645]

Haha. You can probably dig up the now-locked thread about that issue.

 

[Ray H]

I wonder how the Japanese feel about this. Maybe they don't think it's so bad because it's based on an American novel and made by Americans in the first place?

 

[ThomasC]

Domestic trailer is up: http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/memoirsofageisha.html

I'd be interested in seeing it with a Japanese dub. Does anyone know if that's going to happen?

 

[Adam_S]

I dunno, it looks kinda disasterous to me, the film loses appeal as the trailer progresses, though the young girl stuff looks interesting. Zhang Ziyi is easy enough to handle, but Michelle Yeoh just doesn't work for me at all in the trailer.

And yeah it's a story that has been told before, but by people like Mizoguchi--so I guess he doesn't count.

 

[ThomasC]

After watching the trailer with sound (I first watched it at work with the sound off), I think it's going to be extremely difficult for the filmmakers to get Asian audiences to believe that they're watching a film about Japanese people. I had it engraved in my mind that I was watching a trailer for a movie about the memoirs of a Chinese geisha. The script, direction, cinematography, acting, etc., may all be spectacular but if there was an award for the absolute worst casting job ever, it would go to Memoirs of a Geisha. It's like casting a fat man to play James Bond. The only way I'll be able to remotely believe that I'm watching a movie about Japanese people is if a Japanese dub is done.

 

[Citizen87645]

I tend to agree with you Thomas, but do you really want to open up that can of worms again?

 

[ThomasC]

Just let everyone state their initial opinions on the subject and leave it at that. No debating, because debating something like this will go absolutely nowhere and resolve nothing, as evidenced in the previous thread. After the movie comes out, though, make it a free-for-all for people who have seen it.

 

[Ray H]

It definitely looks pretty.

I'm a worried though since the book was very melodramtic and the tailer looks about the same. While it was interesting to read, I was always annoyed by the main character's narration which would constantly came back to something like, "I was so embarassed I wanted to throw myself into a river and end my life! I've never known such humilation! Now the man I love will never see me as I want himto! I'm so sad! I'm crying! I'm miserable! Though little did I know that the next day would be the best day of my life!"

I read the book over the summer and read up on news about the film at the same time. I'm just gonna use this post to mention the ending since I've never had the opportunity to express my opinion of it. There was something at the end of the book that really disgusted me of the main character. The way that she so casually screws a man like a slut so that her potential suitor would back off. She couldn't have just told him how she felt? That moment from the book basically took away any sympathy I had for the character.
I was hoping that they would change this for the screen version though I guess it'd be a terrible change to make for a fan of the book.
Anyway, should be interesting to see how audiences react to this.

 

[Cassy_w]

#1, the international trailer gives away so much of the plot, it's like a mini version of the film.

#2, yes, I felt as though I was watching Memoirs of a Chinese Gheisha. I was not all that worried about this at first, but after seeing the two trailers I am terribly distracted by the casting.

 

[Sam Davatchi]

Oh my God! They talk in English!