Memoirs of a Geisha
On my last Fukuoka evening of 2005 I was invited by Hannah, Elena & Lisa to join them to a screening of 'Sayuri', the long-awaited film version of the famous book 'Memoirs of a Geisha'. Indulging in some Japanese culture before heading off to Korea and Vietnam seemed appropriate, a good way to say a temporary goodbye. But if we look at the facts about this production, it's a bit hard to state what is actually so Japanese about it. Not only was the book written by an American author, but the screen version relies heavily on foreign - Hollywood- influences: directed by American Rob Marshall, produced by Steven Spielberg, filmed mostly in a Californian studio and with an all-star Asian cast that includes only a few Japanese actors. Mix all this together and you get a story that to a certain extent reinforces stereotypes of Japan as an exotic, mysterious place, some kind of Asian fantasy land. Not to say that it wasn't enjoyable to watch, because the sumptuous costumes and the stunning sets make for a real visual feast! I'm not too sure whether all viewers can appreciate this though, because the film has sparked controversy in several Asian nations. First of all the casting dealt a blow to Japanese pride as most of the leading roles are played by non-Japanese (Chinese star Ziyi Zhang , ethnic Chinese Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh and veteran actress Gong Li, also of China), with Japanese performers relegated to secondary roles. Kyoto geisha also oppose the portrayal of their profession, saying that the film's dancing looks all wrong, the kimono has been "sexed up" and that mizuage, the practice of selling a young geisha's virginity to the highest bidder, does not exist. The harshest comments, however, have come from China, where bitter feelings over Japan's 1931-45 occupation of parts of the country make the idea of Chinese playing geisha unacceptable to some. During this period thousands of Chinese women were forced into sexual slavery by Japan, prompting some people to call Ziyi Zhang "a Japanese prostitute who should be hacked to pieces for betraying her country". Well, it's obviously a highly charged topic... Western audiences will probably not notice any of this and just want to see some exotic entertainment. Good thing it's a real Hollywood movie then!
On my last Fukuoka evening of 2005 I was invited by Hannah, Elena & Lisa to join them to a screening of 'Sayuri', the long-awaited film version of the famous book 'Memoirs of a Geisha'. Indulging in some Japanese culture before heading off to Korea and Vietnam seemed appropriate, a good way to say a temporary goodbye. But if we look at the facts about this production, it's a bit hard to state what is actually so Japanese about it. Not only was the book written by an American author, but the screen version relies heavily on foreign - Hollywood- influences: directed by American Rob Marshall, produced by Steven Spielberg, filmed mostly in a Californian studio and with an all-star Asian cast that includes only a few Japanese actors. Mix all this together and you get a story that to a certain extent reinforces stereotypes of Japan as an exotic, mysterious place, some kind of Asian fantasy land. Not to say that it wasn't enjoyable to watch, because the sumptuous costumes and the stunning sets make for a real visual feast! I'm not too sure whether all viewers can appreciate this though, because the film has sparked controversy in several Asian nations. First of all the casting dealt a blow to Japanese pride as most of the leading roles are played by non-Japanese (Chinese star Ziyi Zhang , ethnic Chinese Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh and veteran actress Gong Li, also of China), with Japanese performers relegated to secondary roles. Kyoto geisha also oppose the portrayal of their profession, saying that the film's dancing looks all wrong, the kimono has been "sexed up" and that mizuage, the practice of selling a young geisha's virginity to the highest bidder, does not exist. The harshest comments, however, have come from China, where bitter feelings over Japan's 1931-45 occupation of parts of the country make the idea of Chinese playing geisha unacceptable to some. During this period thousands of Chinese women were forced into sexual slavery by Japan, prompting some people to call Ziyi Zhang "a Japanese prostitute who should be hacked to pieces for betraying her country". Well, it's obviously a highly charged topic... Western audiences will probably not notice any of this and just want to see some exotic entertainment. Good thing it's a real Hollywood movie then!
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