What a beautiful film! Again, the Oscars surprise me by their zeal for political correctness instead of cinematic excellence. A film, which should have definitely got the Best Picture Oscar not even nominated and a soundtrack which is so overwhelmingly touching, which has so much of a woman's life in it, losing out to a band of persons who don't even know what music is.
The role of Sayuri has been excellently essayed by Ziyi Zhang, and the role of Sayuri as a child has been even more excellently performed. The film's simple story is so touching (I have not read the novel) and so full of love. An intelligent, rebellious girl, unhappy with her lot, finds happiness for herself in that one kind gesture of a stranger; she is inspired to improve her lot just because of that one person and in the hope of meeting him again. Amidst all the dirt surrounding her, she keeps herself astonishingly and pristinely pure for that one person, for the stranger who was the one person kind to her in her life. And Ken Watanabe, though in a brief role, suits very well to the role.
To show a different culture or a different era is a big challenge for the director, for the costume designer, for the art director, for the screenplay writer. You have to have the film pervaded by that culture, and yet you have not to overdo it. While dressing up all in Japanese costumes and making the actors behave in Japanese manners, you have to still ensure that the film does not begin to look like a fancy dress parade, which often ends up being the fate of several period or historical movies. And here, Memoirs of a Geisha scores heavily. The film is a visual treat, and yet it does not overdo it. The key to it is probably the use of low intensity lighting throuh most parts of the movie, and a brilliant colour scheme. The focus is more on Ziyi Zhang's face rather than her clothes - first there is Sayuri and then there is the geisha in her. This is what is difficult to achieve. Otherwise, she would be like all other geishas.
All the other characters in the film have played their roles to perfection, especially Sayuri's jealous rival and "Pumpkin." The music is the best that I have ever heard, and the most suitable to the storyline of the film.
The role of Sayuri has been excellently essayed by Ziyi Zhang, and the role of Sayuri as a child has been even more excellently performed. The film's simple story is so touching (I have not read the novel) and so full of love. An intelligent, rebellious girl, unhappy with her lot, finds happiness for herself in that one kind gesture of a stranger; she is inspired to improve her lot just because of that one person and in the hope of meeting him again. Amidst all the dirt surrounding her, she keeps herself astonishingly and pristinely pure for that one person, for the stranger who was the one person kind to her in her life. And Ken Watanabe, though in a brief role, suits very well to the role.
To show a different culture or a different era is a big challenge for the director, for the costume designer, for the art director, for the screenplay writer. You have to have the film pervaded by that culture, and yet you have not to overdo it. While dressing up all in Japanese costumes and making the actors behave in Japanese manners, you have to still ensure that the film does not begin to look like a fancy dress parade, which often ends up being the fate of several period or historical movies. And here, Memoirs of a Geisha scores heavily. The film is a visual treat, and yet it does not overdo it. The key to it is probably the use of low intensity lighting throuh most parts of the movie, and a brilliant colour scheme. The focus is more on Ziyi Zhang's face rather than her clothes - first there is Sayuri and then there is the geisha in her. This is what is difficult to achieve. Otherwise, she would be like all other geishas.
All the other characters in the film have played their roles to perfection, especially Sayuri's jealous rival and "Pumpkin." The music is the best that I have ever heard, and the most suitable to the storyline of the film.
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