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List Price: $19.94 | | Label: Sony Pictures
Salesrank: 6570
Released: March 28, 2006 |
| Our Price: $5.25 |
| Used Price: $1.92 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
A Cinderella story set in a mysterious and exotic world, this stunning romantic epic shows how a house servant blossoms, against all odds, to become the most captivating geisha of her day.
"... a visually stunning adaptation of Arthur Golden's best-selling novel." (Barry Caine, OAKLAND TRIBUNE) The director of Chicago, Rob Marshall, transports us into a mysterious and exotic world that casts a potent spell. A Cinderella story like no other, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA stars Ziyi Zhang, Ken Watanabe, Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li. "Gorgeously photographed, meticulously directed and hypnotically acted. MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA is luxurious, ethereal and intoxicating. It will leave you breathless." (Rex Reed, NEW YORK OBSERVER)
Description of Memoirs of a Geisha (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition):
Chicago director Rob Marshall's pretty but empty (or pretty empty) film has all the elements of an Oscar® contender: solid adaptation (from Arthur Golden's bestseller), beautiful locale, good acting, lush cinematography. But there's something missing at the heart, which leaves the viewer sucked in, then left completely detached from what's going on.
It's hard to find fault with the fascinating story, which traces a young girl's determination to free herself from the imprisonment of scullery maid to geisha, then from the imprisonment of geisha to a woman allowed to love. Chiyo (Suzuka Ohgo), a young girl with curious blue eyes, is sold to a geisha house and doomed to pay off her debt as a cleaning girl until a stranger named The Chairman (Ken Watanabe) shows her kindness. She is inspired to work hard and become a geisha in order to be near the Chairman, with whom she has fallen in love. An experienced geisha (Michelle Yeoh) chooses to adopt her as an apprentice and to use as a pawn against her rival, the wicked, legendary Hatsumomo (Gong Li). Chiyo (played as an older woman by Ziyi Zhang), now renamed Sayuri, becomes the talk of the town, but as her path crosses again and again with the Chairman's, she finds the closer she gets to him the further away he seems. Her newfound "freedom" turns out to be trapping, as men are allowed to bid on everything from her time to her virginity.
Some controversy swirled around casting Chinese actresses in the three main Japanese roles, but Zhang, Yeoh and Gong in particular ably prove they're the best for the part. It's admirable that all the actors attempted to speak Japanese-accented English, but some of the dialogue will still prove difficult to understand; perhaps it contributes to some of the emotion feeling stilted. Geisha has all the ingredients of a sweeping, heartbreaking epic and follows the recipe to a T, but in the end it's all dressed up with no place to go.--Ellen A. Kim
Memoirs of a Geisha (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition) Reviews:
Faithful to the book 
2009-10-01 - Read the book (twice actually) and was impressed with the rich wonderful descriptions of the environment and characters. An introduction to the pre-WWII Japanese culture.
I also have to comment that I thought the movie was faithful to the book. I specially enjoyed Ziyi Zhang's performance as Sayuri.
Why not use Japanese lady actresses? 
2009-09-16 - I am very disappointed that they made this movie just like most American movie that not really study the real cultures, and honor the couture that they are try to show. First of these entire Chinese lady actresses are not really walk and act like Japanese lady. I am an Asian and I can tell the deferent of Chinese and Japanese lady. There is no way that they are the same. This is just like the movie Anna and the King that can't show and made in Thailand because the story is so far off the true. If you want to see how the Japanese lady is walk, talk, and carry them self watch The Last Samurai, you will see one there. This is very insult to Japanese lady to use all Chinese actresses while there are so many good Japanese actresses to pick from.
Spectacular
2009-09-14 - "Geisha" is a spectacular movie, a visual feast, a genuine work of art. The acting was marvelous, especially the child, Suzuka Ohgo, who was sold into servitude by her desperate father, and Michelle Yeoh, the aging geisha. I have given this movie to friends as gifts, as everyone can appreciate its beauty.
Stunning visuals
2009-09-04 - While a few significant details in the movie are different from the book, this is still a stunning movie, filled with rich details and visuals. The changes from the book don't detract from the quality - anyone who has seen enough book-to-movie adaptations know that movies will never be exactly the same as their printed versions.
As long as you don't expect the plot of the movie to follow the book exactly, you will not be disappointed. The movie does remain faithful to the spirit of the book, and that is really what matters. 4.5/5 stars.
A movie that actually follows the book!
2009-08-23 - I was very impressed with this movie because it actually followed the book although it did leave out a few key parts for times sake. Very good movie if you enjoyed the book. Really clues you in to the life of a Geisha.
