Memories of a Geisha

[ioannis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ioannis

I didn't know Li Gong (spelling?)

Gong Li was the leading actress of memorable films like 紅高粱, 秦俑, 菊豆, 秋菊打官司, 大紅燈籠高高掛, 活着 and 霸王別姬. I think she was THE diva of the mainland cinema before Zhang Ziyi came along ...

I watched two more movies from Li Gong because I was not familiar with her and because I liked her so much after the Geisha movie.

So, I watched "The Emperor and the Assassin" and "Zhou Yu's train", very different movies.

The second movie gave me a picture of modern China, which is always interesting.

For the emperor movie, how realistic is the story?

Was there a king of Kin that exterminated the kingdom of Zhao and Yan in his attempt to unify all the kingdoms?

[Lu]

Yes there was (Qin shi huangdi), and his country is usually spelt Qin.

[sima99]

I just read that this movie is being banned in China. Apparantly the state of Sino-Japanese relations is the reason for it, and the idea that Chinese actresses are playing Japanese "prostitutes" is deemed to be too morally upsetting. I would have thought a film involving cultural exchanges like this would be good for relations, except amongst a few naionalist Japanese and Chinese. By banning it arent they just bringing these issues to greater attention, and perhaps more people will go and watch a pirate dvd of it anyway. This might be the strategy, looking like your doing things to prevent deterioation in relations, when you know you will stir up more trouble in the process...just a thought

[sima99]

Here is the article about it if youre interested..

Please quote selectively, and provide a link to the source. If you still need to quote the whole thing, explain why. See 4) Roddy

[deterius]

Yeah, A Chinese actress playing a japanese geisha, directed and produced by Americans..

Kinda lame if you ask me..

But sadly most americans have no clue! "Like you know! She's like asian or something!!"

[owshawng]

I don't have a problem with chinese women portraying japanese women. Neither do I care if someone from another country plays an american, or if a caucasian plays someone from a different ethnic but still caucasian heritage. I would have a problem if Reese Witherspoon or Halle Berry were cast to be a Japanese Geisha. That would be pretty silly.

Why do the movie posters show the geisha with blue eyes? Was that part of the book? I've never met/seen an asian with blue eyes before, and I thought color contacts were not created until after the book takes place. Could be wrong on this though.

I'm not going to see Geisha simply because it appears to be hollywoodized and will spread cultural ignorance. I think Geisha will be more like "Pearl Harbor" and not another "Saving Private Ryan". It appears to be full of historical/culture inaccuracies.

I'd rather spend the money buying a few good Chow yun Fat, Shu Qi, or some of Zhang Ziyi other vcds and dvds.

[skylee]

Why do the movie posters show the geisha with blue eyes? Was that part of the book? I've never met/seen an asian with blue eyes before, and I thought color contacts were not created until after the book takes place.

I feel the same. Not sure about the book, though, as I am not interested. Re asian having blue eyes, I've heard something about it and found this and this.

[selfconstruct]

So' date=' I watched "The Emperor and the Assassin" and "Zhou Yu's train", very different movies.

The second movie gave me a picture of modern China, which is always interesting.

For the emperor movie, how realistic is the story?

Was there a king of Kin that exterminated the kingdom of Zhao and Yan in his attempt to unify all the kingdoms?[/quote']

The assasination scene in that movie is famously described in the "Historical Annals" 史記 of Sima Qian 司馬遷.

If I'm not mistaken, the Emperor and the Assassin was a Japanese production.

[bhchao]

I believe that the extras used as Qin armies in Emperor and the Assassin were PLA soldiers.

[Ian_Lee]

Actually not only "Memoirs of a Geisha" is banned in Mainland, "The Brokeback Mountain" got the same fate.

I haven't watched "Memoirs" yet. But I doubt this movie can promote cultural exchange between Chinese and Japanese. According to this Korean newspaper, the movie merely aims to satisfy the westerner's fantasy (hmm....sexual) about the myth of Orient:

http://chinese.chosun.com/big5/site/data/html_dir/2006/02/02/20060202000007.html

[Eloise]

Why do the movie posters show the geisha with blue eyes? Was that part of the book? I've never met/seen an asian with blue eyes before, and I thought color contacts were not created until after the book takes place. Could be wrong on this though.

The book makes a big deal out of her having 'translucent grey' eyes (it's the thing that gets her noticed by the Chairman etc.).

[lady_dilandau]

What Kelly Hu in one of the geisha roles?

Kelly hu is sex kitten in a modern sense, i cannot image her in a kimono.