Pardon Me, MEMOIR??

JUST LIKE A GEISHA EDUCATED in the WAYS of "ENTERTAINING MEN," MEMOIRS WAS ONLY MADE to ENTICE OSCAR VOTERS' ATTENTION...

BUT COULD IT BE BAD ENOUGH to EARN OUR ATTENTION?

It's a Perfect Example of something movie-goers see plenty of at the end of every year: A film that serves no purpose but to get the attention of Academy Members. From the Oscar-snubbed director of Best Picture winner CHICAGO, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA was supposed to finally win Rob Marshall the Little Gold Naked Man he didn't get in 2003. Instead, it's got an embarrassingly low Critics' Approval Rating at Rotten Tomatoes, and its studio may be starting to panic. SHOULD COLUMBIA/DREAMWORKS CONSIDER LETTING RAZZIE VOTERS IN FREE TO SEE IT?

I would have loved to see this movie done right. But, leave it to Hollywood. Only an industry run by MBAs and lawyers could take such a very Japanese story, and not cast a single Japanese actress in a principal role! Why? Because to the minds of Hollywood "producers," there aren't any "box office" Japanese actresses. Hell, I can think of several wonderful Japanese actresses who could have handled the roles. To many East Asians, casting Chinese and Malaysian/Chinese actresses (Zhang ZiYi, Michelle Yeoh) is the equivalent of a minstrel show using Caucasian actors in black-face. Even in the USA, we've gotten past casting white actors to play Indians, Mexicans, and East Asians. Essentially, Hollywood is saying "all Asians look alike."

Of course, I'd kill to see what Takashi Miike would have done with it.

To add to the points above about "Westernizing" something, it is stated emphatically by the Japanese that Geisha are NOT prostitutes. However, judging by what I have seen of the ad campaigns, it sure looks like they are trying for a Japanese "Pretty Woman."

I am also in agreement - why NOT cast Japanese actresses? Sure, a Japanese starlet might not be well known by "other" audiences, but why not take a chance on an unknown? After all, big stars don't start out that way. Real stars (and I don't mean a Paris Hilton) get their starts by doing small or bit parts, and keeping at it until their big break.

If I were Ziyi Zhang, I would be watching over my shoulder. Have any of the rest of you read what some Chinese are saying or threatening to do to her? Yikes!

I actuallu really like  "Memoirs" .  It was not perfect. The main geisha should have been Japanese (though I liked Ziyi Zhang despite the choppy english) and it was very different from the book. I was very surprised to see the harsh reviews, which I can understand about the acting and casting  but not about the film as a whole. I was not quite as surprised with the Golden Globe snub. Come Jan. 31  I still hope it does well with the Oscar nominations (Gong Li should be nominated for Best Supporting Actress).

This looked BORING