Memoirs of a Geisha
Feb. 5th, 2006 11:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
anysiaIt was a different time,and a different world
Surprisingly, the movie was a good adaptation of the book.
Many people in the 'modern world' will take umbrage at this review, but hey, as I said "Different time and a different world".
Two sisters, mother dying and father elderly. Sold by her father to a flesh peddler, then offered to an okiya (geisha house). One was bought, and the other sent elsewhere. There, Chiyos' new life begins.
The in house geisha, Hatsumomo, is not just a geisha, but a sadistic, cruel jealous woman. She sees Chiyo as her rival, even at the age of nine, due to her inate beauty and startling blue grey eyes, and immediately starts waging a not so subtle war against her to cement her place and the place of her apprenticem Pumpkin, in the okiya. Lying, accusing Chiyo of stealing, forcing Chiyo to ruin a Kimono that Hatsumomo herself stole from a rival geisha are just some of the tricks she pulls on Chiyo. After finding her sister, Satsu in a brothel, they agree to meet and run away. Chiyo meets with an accident, and misses her chance to run away, but is reduced to slave in the okiya.
A chance encounter with someone, called "The Chairman", on a bridge changes Chiyos' life of drudgery changes. The rival geisha, Mameha takes Chiyo on as her "Little Sister" and apprentice , changes her name to Sayuri, and teaches her all the grace, music, dance, skills etc it takes to be a geisha. She makes her public debut, and much to Hatsumomos' extreme displeasure and attempts at sabotage, outstrips Pumpkin in elegance and ability. Then her virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder. Hers brought a record price, freeing her of all her debts. Then her meteoric carreer, under the tutelage of Mameha well and truly takes off. They are not prostitutes, but "walking, breathing works of art." If they choose, they can be a wealthy mans' mistress, but it is up to her. She can reject his offer. Being a geisha meant having personal control and power.
She is then adopted by the okiyas' owners and becomes the daughter and legal heir, supplanting Hatsumomo and Pumpkin, as the Mother renegs on her promise of adopting Pumpkin, due to mistrust of Hatsumomo, who would have surely put Mother and Auntie out in the streets if Pumpkin had been adopted.
I enjoyed this movie. I liked seeing into the 'different world' and time, without it being prettied up. I will say this much concerning the book vs the movie. The movie needed to be 15 mins longer to close it up.
Don't want to say too much, JIC it hasn't been seen by all on my Flist. I am ever so courteous.
Surprisingly, the movie was a good adaptation of the book.
Many people in the 'modern world' will take umbrage at this review, but hey, as I said "Different time and a different world".
Two sisters, mother dying and father elderly. Sold by her father to a flesh peddler, then offered to an okiya (geisha house). One was bought, and the other sent elsewhere. There, Chiyos' new life begins.
The in house geisha, Hatsumomo, is not just a geisha, but a sadistic, cruel jealous woman. She sees Chiyo as her rival, even at the age of nine, due to her inate beauty and startling blue grey eyes, and immediately starts waging a not so subtle war against her to cement her place and the place of her apprenticem Pumpkin, in the okiya. Lying, accusing Chiyo of stealing, forcing Chiyo to ruin a Kimono that Hatsumomo herself stole from a rival geisha are just some of the tricks she pulls on Chiyo. After finding her sister, Satsu in a brothel, they agree to meet and run away. Chiyo meets with an accident, and misses her chance to run away, but is reduced to slave in the okiya.
A chance encounter with someone, called "The Chairman", on a bridge changes Chiyos' life of drudgery changes. The rival geisha, Mameha takes Chiyo on as her "Little Sister" and apprentice , changes her name to Sayuri, and teaches her all the grace, music, dance, skills etc it takes to be a geisha. She makes her public debut, and much to Hatsumomos' extreme displeasure and attempts at sabotage, outstrips Pumpkin in elegance and ability. Then her virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder. Hers brought a record price, freeing her of all her debts. Then her meteoric carreer, under the tutelage of Mameha well and truly takes off. They are not prostitutes, but "walking, breathing works of art." If they choose, they can be a wealthy mans' mistress, but it is up to her. She can reject his offer. Being a geisha meant having personal control and power.
She is then adopted by the okiyas' owners and becomes the daughter and legal heir, supplanting Hatsumomo and Pumpkin, as the Mother renegs on her promise of adopting Pumpkin, due to mistrust of Hatsumomo, who would have surely put Mother and Auntie out in the streets if Pumpkin had been adopted.
I enjoyed this movie. I liked seeing into the 'different world' and time, without it being prettied up. I will say this much concerning the book vs the movie. The movie needed to be 15 mins longer to close it up.
Don't want to say too much, JIC it hasn't been seen by all on my Flist. I am ever so courteous.
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no subject
Date: 2006-02-08 03:23 pm (UTC)