What Do The Critics Say?

"Stunning to look at, Memoirs of a Geisha is worth seeing for the lush visuals alone. The accents and culture clashes may grate, but the insight into this world, where men can be brought to their knees with a single glance, is mesmerising." Louise Keller URBANCINEFILE "Cinematographer Dione Beebe ... fills the screen with lavish images that constantly amaze the senses." Larry Ratliff SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS "There’s a lot of emotion and heart." Richard Roeper EBERT & ROEPER "In the luxuriant Memoirs of a Geisha, three of the biggest and loveliest stars of Chinese cinema -- Ziyi Zhang, Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li -- sharpen their talons." Jami Bernard NEW YORK DAILY NEWS "An epic romantic period piece with deeply felt performances, beautiful costumes and exquisitely framed sets, Geisha pretty much defines the phrase "Oscar contender." Kit Bowen HOLLYWOOD.COM

"The characters that populate the story are less beautiful, especially on the inside, but Ziyi Zhang does shine, eeking out a character from the bondage of compression. The important role of Nobo, The Chairman's business partner, is more textured and satisfying in the hands of a splendid Koji Yakusho. ...the sound of the music is pure joy; violin solo work by Itzhak Perlman, cello by Yo-Yo Ma, for a John Williams score that is an enthusiastic ally to the gorgeous production design." Andrew L Urban URBANCINEFILE "Even if it's exaggerated and improbable on every level, the film still manages to grab our eye with its spectacular artistry, and our heart with its simple tale of yearning." Rich Cline SHADOWS ON THE WALL "The story is pretty simple but the film, like the book, is about the details and this is what attracts to "Memoirs of a Geisha"." Robin Clifford REELING REVIEWS "Arthur Golden's international best-seller has been moved to the bigscreen with beauty and tact in Memoirs of a Geisha." Todd McCarthy VARIETY "You have to appreciate the attention to detail and the beauty imbued into every scene by Rob Marshall and his crew." Edward Douglas COMINGSOON.NET

Geisha Speak

"... a fascinating glimpse at a lost world of women with skin of porcelain and spines of steel, and the men in their thrall." Roger Moore ORLANDO SENTINEL

Arigato gozaimasu – Thank you Konnichiwa – Hello Kampai – a Japanese toast Gei – art Geisha - a japanese woman trained to entertain men [but not as prostitues] Geisha - in Japan is pronounced "gay-sha" Geisha - commonly pronounced "gee-sha" by English speaking people Geiko - term used in the Kyoto district to describe a Geisha Geigi - term used in the Kansai region Kenban - geisha union office Hanamachi— a geisha district within a city [known as 'flower towns'] Kaburenjô – the building in a geisha district that houses its school, theatre and registry office Danna – male patron who underwrites a geisha’s expenses Maiko – Kyoto term for apprentice geisha Miyako – old capital Obi — decorative sash tied around the kimono Okâsan – head of the geisha household, addressed as 'mother' Okiya – geisha household O-nêsan – older geisha sister Shamisen – three-stringed instrument long associated with the geisha world

The Role Of A Geisha Geisha are often hired to attend parties and gatherings, traditionally at tea houses (chaya) or at traditional Japanese restaurants (ryotei). Their time is measured in incense sticks, and is called senkodai ("incense stick fee") or kyokudai ("jewel fee"). Another term used to describe fees is "ohana," or flower fees. The customer makes arrangements through the kenban, or geisha union office, which keeps each geisha's schedule and makes her appointments both for entertaining and for training. Strictly speaking, geisha are not prostitutes. Because they entertain men behind closed doors in an exclusive manner, there has been much speculation about the underpinnings of their profession. The confusion that surrounds this issue has been complicated by Japanese prostitutes who wish to co-opt the prestige of the geisha image, and by inaccurate depictions of geisha in Western popular culture. Although an individual geisha may choose to engage in sexual relations with one of her patrons outside of the context of her role as geisha, traditional and codified geisha engagements will never involve sexual activity. Occasionally, a geisha may choose to take a danna (an old fashioned word for husband), which is typically a wealthy man who has the means to support a geisha mistress. Although a geisha may fall in love with her danna, the affair is customarily contingent upon the danna's ability to financially support the geisha's lifestyle. The traditional conventions and values within such a relationship are very intricate and not well understood, even by many Japanese. Because of this, the true intimate role of the geisha remains the object of much speculation, and often misinterpretation, in Japan as well as abroad.
© 2006 - with thanks and full acknowlegement to Wikipedia Encyclopedia The Inside Story "Memoirs Of A Geisha" is a rich, sumptuois, colorful, romantic tale of one young childs journey to become a Geisha. Unfortunately, beautiful as it is, this is not a film for everyone. Like a Geisha, this is a film to be appreciated for its true self and desired for its beauty. And, like a Geisha, the film never attempts to prostitute itself. It is heartwrenching, romantic, engrossing, happy and tinged with sadness. Those who didn't like the expansive style of films such as "Crouching Tiger: Hidden Dragon", "Samsara", "Hero" and "House Of Flying Daggers" may well find they've thrown themselves into the deep end with "Memoirs Of A Geisha". Those who did appreciate the expansive style of the films I've mentioned, will relish the opportunity to enjoy another excellent piece of storytelling. For those adventurous souls who are willing to take the plunge there may be great reward for your effort. The cast is, beyond a doubt superb especially twelve year old Suzuka Ohgo who plays the child Chiyo and Ziyi Zhang ["The Road Home"] who plays the Geisha Sayuri [Chiyo grown up]. Others who appear on the big screen are Michelle Yeoh ["Tomorrow Never Dies"], Kôji Yakusho ["Shall We Dance?"], Youki Kudoh ["Mystery Train"], Gong Li ["Farewell My Concubine"] and Ken Watanabe ["Memories of Tomorrow"] to name just a few. And many of the cast members have easily recognisable faces even if you can't put a name to them instantly. The film is an adaptation of the 1997 best selling novel "Memoirs Of A Geisha" which was on The New York Times best-seller list for two years, has sold four million copies in English, and has been translated into 32 languages. But there's a twist to the story. "I couldn’t believe that a man wrote this book about the life of a woman," said actress Ziyi Zhang. "And I couldn’t believe it was an American man writing with such detail about a little-known Japanese sub-culture." Yes, it is true! "Memoirs Of A Geisha" was written by American author Arthur Golden. "Chicago" Director Rob Marshall was taken in by the story too. "This story lives in a very specific world, and yet the underlying theme of the triumph of the human spirit against all odds connects to any culture," he said. "The fact that this one child, after being taken from her home and sold into slavery, can survive and ultimately find love is deeply moving to me. Especially when that love is forbidden to her." Red Wagon Entertainment partners, Producers Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher were inspired by the "novel’s themes of hope and survival." Award winner Wick [Oscar ® for "Gladiator"], who acquired the film rights to the book after it was published, says "It was about a triumphant character in a strange and sumptuous world and it just cried out for the big screen." He recalls, "It was so captivating, I just could not put the book down. We all believed it had such vivid movie potential in terms of its roles and its visual life." But surely the books inherent characteristics would present a real challenge. "We knew that capturing the essence of her interior monologue would be a challenge," said Fisher, "but it was also an opportunity. We were recounting the reminiscences of a woman whose life took an amazing turn when she was just nine years old. Much of what she shares is first seen through the eyes of a child, which gave us freedom to tell her story as more of a fable." Just as fate plays a big part in the life of Chiyo, so it would when it came to who directed the film. Originally, three time Academy Award ® winner Steven Spielberg was in the chair. The long time friend of Lucy Fisher too was taken in by the story. "Culturally, it was one of the most fascinating stories I had ever encountered," the Academy Award ® winning director of "Saving Private Ryan" and the Directors Guild of America Lifetime Achievement Award recipient said. "I was very moved by the love story, by the rivalry between Sayuri and Hatsumomo, and by the test of friendship between the Chairman and Nobu. I thought audiences all over the world would be fascinated because it’s not just culturally significant as legend or history from Japan. It’s relevant to people in every country. It was certainly relevant to me." With a huge workload a reluctant Spielberg vacated the directors chair but agreed to stay on as a Producer. There was in fact, no shortage of candidates for the job of director. They were lining up left, right and centre. Fisher and Wick didn't have to look too far. They knew who their director would be after they saw an advance screening of "Chicago". "Transforming a beloved work of art from one medium to another is a huge challenge, but Rob had absolute clarity about his path through the novel. The look and feel of the film would reflect that it is a memory piece told years later," Wick says. "An impression of a time and place experienced at a young age rather than a literal recreation. We could almost see the movie as he talked about it." Author Arthur Golden was also happy that Rob Marshall was interested in directing the film. "I was madly in love with Chicago," he said. "It was a better version of the play that I had loved. So when I heard that Rob was interested in directing the movie of my novel, I was thrilled!" "I knew that the drama of these characters combined with the allure and exoticism of their world would allow us to achieve something unique and compelling," Marshall said. "And while I knew I would veer from tradition when it was necessary to serve my vision of the story, I needed to thoroughly understand the reality first." Marshall kept author Golden in the loop at all times. "Rob said to me very early on, 'I want to make a movie you love'. We spent many hours talking about how the story is put together and ways to make things better for the film," Golden recalls. "He sent me every draft of the screenplay." Marshall also took ten key members of the production team on tour in Japan. They "visited museums and shrines, toured a kimono factory, attended a sumo match, rode in rickshaws, scouted the coast of the Sea of Japan, attended spring festival dances and watched an apprentice geisha [maiko] apply her makeup and dress." One thing they did discover was that "Japan’s hanamachi, or geisha districts, had changed greatly since the period during which the film occurs." Marshall says "Even in the beautiful ancient cities, we could not find an area of businesses that was untouched by modern elements." And don't believe all that hogwash about the film cast being all Chinese. In fact "Five of the film’s key roles were cast with some of Japan’s top actors." They are Ken Watanabe, Koji Yakusho, Kaori Momoi, Youki Kudoh and of course a protégé of Ken Watanabe's, young Suzuka Ohgo. Cast & Crew Bytes "MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA" stars .......
2000 Toronto Film Critics Association & 2001 Independent Spirit Award winner Ziyi Zhang ["Crouching Tiger: Hidden Dragon", "Rush Hour 2", "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers"]; Golden Rooster Award and New York Film Critics Circle Award winner Gong Li ["Temptress Moon", "Chinese Box", "The Emperor and the Assassin", "2046" and "Eros"]; Zoe Weizenbaum ["Missing in America" and "Twelve and Holding"]; Blue Ribbon Award winner Youki Kudoh ["Typhoon Club", "Picture Bride", "Heaven's Burning" and "Snow Falling on Cedars"]; Golden Globe Award ® winner Ken Watanabe ["Welcome Back, Mr McDonald", "T.R.Y.", "The Last Samurai" and "Batman Begins"]; Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa ["The Phantom", "Snow Falling on Cedars", "Elektra" and "True Love & Mimosa Tea"]; Kenneth Tsang ["The Master Swordsman", "The Monkey King", "Die Another Day" and "Butterfly"]; Randall Duk Kim ["The Replacement Killers", "The Thin Red Line", "Anna and the King" and "The Matrix Reloaded"]; Togo Igawa ["Eyes Wide Shut", "Topsy-Turvy", "Code 46" and "The Last Samurai"]; Mako ["Blood For Blood", "Seven Years in Tibet", "The Bird People in China", "Pearl Harbor" and "Bulletproof Monk"]; Takayo Fischer ["Internal Affairs", "Pacific Heights", "Strawberry Fields" and "War of the Worlds"]; 2001 Showest International Star of the Year Michelle Yeoh ["Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "The Soong Sisters", "The Touch" and "Silver Hawk"] and introducing Suzuka Ohgo ["Year One in the North"] as the young girl Chiyo.
"MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA" was .......
directed by Directors Guild Award and Outer Critics Circle Award winner Rob Marshall ["Chicago"]; screenplay by Robin Swicord ["The Red Coat", "Little Women", "Matilda" and "Practical Magic"]; original story by Arthur Golden ["Memoirs Of A Geisha"]; costume design by Academy Award ® winner Colleen Atwood ["Sleepy Hollow", "The Mexican", "Big Fish" and "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events"]; production design by Academy Award ® winner John Myhre ["Airborne", "X-Men", "Ali" and "The Haunted Mansion"]; edited by TWO time Academy ®, A.C.E. and BAFTA awards winner Pietro Scalia A.C.E ["Good Will Hunting", "Gladiator", "Hannibal", "Black Hawk Down" and "Masked and Anonymous"]; cinematography by BAFTA award winner Dion Beebe ["Crush", "The Goddess of 1967", "Charlotte Gray", "Chicago" and "Collateral"]; original music by FIVE time Academy Award ®winner, BAFTA, EMMY Grammy winner and 2006 Golden Globe winner John Williams ["Catch Me If You Can", "The Terminal", "War of the Worlds" and "Munich"] produced by Crystal Award from Women in Film and Premiere Magazine Icon Award winner Lucy Fisher ["Peter Pan", "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!", "Bewitched" and "Jarhead"], Three time Academy Award ® winner Steven Spielberg ["Shrek", "Artificial Intelligence: AI", "The Terminal" and "The Legend of Zorro"] and Academy Award ® and 2002 NATO ShoWest Producer of the Year winner Douglas Wick [Stuart Little I, II & III", "Girl, Interrupted", "Gladiator", "Hollow Man" and "Jarhead"]. What It's All About

"It oozes importance, is heavy with worthiness and lies there, waiting to be appreciated for the beautiful thing it is." ... Mick LaSalle SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

In a remote Japanese fishing village a father with an ailling wife has made a heartwrenching decision. He will sell his two daughters Chiyo and Satsu to a Geisha House in the city of Gion. Little does he know what the future has in store for the young girls. On their arrival the girls are seperated. Chiyo, the prettiest child is accepted into the Okiya, but her older sister Satsu is sent to a low class area where she will be forced to work as a prostitute. Chiyo joins Pumpkin as a maid to the desirable Geisha Hatsumomo. Hatsumomo takes an instant dislike to the young newcomer, deriding the child as one who smells of fish. Later Hatsumomo conspires against her and Chiyo is beaten. In an effort to rid herself of the child Hatsumomo tells Chiyo of the whereabouts of her sister Satsu. The sisters meet and arrange to escape together. The next night Chiyo climbs the roof of the House and sets out across the rooftops toward the bridge where she will meet Satsu. Chiyo never makes it. A fall sees her back with Matsumomo and Pumpkin. Later, while out walking she meets a stranger who is accompanied by two beautiful Geishas, one of whom is Mameha. In a few years, when she is grown up, these two people, Mameha and the kind stranger known as 'The Chairman' will have a great influence upon her life as a Geisha. The Verdict "She wowed audiences in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "Hero" and "House Of Flying Daggers" and now Ziyi Zhang is set to do it again in this sumptuous, beautifully shot film, "Memoirs Of A Geisha". This is one for those who love their films filled with haunting images and big, romantic storylines. The cast is superb, the settings are at times exquistite, the story is fascinating and the music, which won the 2006 Golden Globe, is gorgeous. Connoisseur's will, like a dry soil in a rain-storm, soak in every delicious moment of the film. Includes a stellar performance by twelve year old Suzuka Ohgo as Chiyo. Highly recommeded." Who's Who?

Suzuka Ohgo Ziyi Zhang Li Gong Zoe Weizenbaum Youki Kudoh Ken Watanabe Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa Kenneth Tsang Randall Duk Kim Togo Igawa Mako Kôji Yakusho Samantha Futerman Elizabeth Sung Thomas Ikeda Tsai Chin Kaori Momoi Kotoko Kawamura Karl Yune Eugenia Yuan Michelle Yeoh Takayo Fischer Fumi Akutagawa Steve Terada Nobuyuki Matsuhisa Faith Shin Brannon Bates Ted Levine Paul Adelstein

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Young Chiyo Sayuri [Chiyo the Geisha] Hatsumomo Young Pumpkin Pumpkin Chairman The Baron The General Dr Crab Tanaka Sakamoto Nobu Satsu Sakamoto's Wife Mr Bekku Auntie Mother Granny Koichi Korin Mameha Tanizato Teahouse Owner Yukimoto Teahouse Matron Boy on Bike Kimono Artist Little Kiko Military Police Officer Colonel Derricks Lt Hutchins

Run Time 145 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2006 - Columbia Pictures - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected © 2006 - Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved