Memoirs Of A Geisha DVD

Advantages: interesting film with a great storyline
Disadvantages: no big name actors and actresses

Storyline The film is set in world war two Japan and follows the story of two sisters who are sold by their father due to family problems; pretty extreme I think you'll agree. The girls are called 'Sayuri' and 'Pumkin' and are taken to geisha houses where they are to work as slaves. Unfortunately soon after leaving their family the pair are split up, the first geisha house they are taken too only wants the younger and prettier 'Sayuri', 'Pumkin' ...
...neither sister knows where they are. The basis of the start of the film is the two sisters' quest to try and find one another, which the people of the geisha houses are not happy about and try to stop at every opportunity. Treated like a slave and made to clean and prepare the house all day 'Sayuri' is envious of the Geisha's and longs to become one herself. Knowing this one of the older and most respected geishas in the house 'Hatsumomo' uses 'Sayuri' ... Read review

Advantages: Dedication to history, culture and music which makes the film spectacular
Disadvantages: Would not appeal to everybody

I saw an advert for this and thought why not buy it and see if i like it. If you liked "Hero" and "House Of Flying Daggers" like i did then i promise you'll like this movie. I bought it for £10 which i thougth was a reasonable. Set in pre-world war 2 times it is a very dedicated movie to the culture and dress of the japenese. It is exactly what life would have been like at this era of history. It has some very famous actresses and actors in this ...
...the start of the movie however that it was in Japanese but this was just to set the scene. It is a completely english spoken film with one or two odd bits of Japanese sandwiched in there for effect. The story and plot are of a young girl, Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang) who is taken from her parents along with her older sister. Their parents had sold them as they where desperately poor and they where both dying. Sayuri and her sister are juggled around and finally ... Read review

Advantages: Brilliant acting on all parts....
Disadvantages: Misses out huge parts of the book

Another tale of the oldest proffession? Maybe not. Anyone who passes over this is missing out. The culture and secrets of a Geisha aside its the characters in this story that captivated me. Being a double X-er any story of down-trodden women will spark an emotional response, but the truth behind this world of double X-ers is awe inspiring. The narrative follows the life of a young girl torn from her family, put to work only to eventually reach her ...
...the year, if you understand the film as you're meant to you will see that the politics of the Geisha world are not a far cry from foot binding and the manditory corset days of old. Little Chiyo is the typical poor, small town girl. She values the love of her sister and the words of her mother and doesn't for one minute doubt the love she has known in her short life. The time with Chiyo and her family life is short lived when she and her sister are ... Read review

Advantages: Great scenes and helps to portray japan well.
Disadvantages: Isn't everyones cup of tea, not a touch on the book!

The film can be summed up into one. READ THE BOOK! Although the film captivates some aspect of the book, it really does not do it justice. One problem with the film is that it will not appeal to everyone as generally the reader of the book would have some interest into japan or geishas but the film does have some good points. The story line is slightly weak but you still get the general outline of the story the book portrays. The story starts in ...
...to a geisha house with her sister. Early one they escape but chiyo gets caught. The owner of the geisha house is an evil, dominating woman called Hatsumomo. Chiyo faces many problems as a child and is rejected by the majority of the house due to her beauty. As she matures and gets older her beauty grows and her sexual prowess does inturn. This with the help of another geisha slowly produces a great geisha which soon becomes well known in the local ... Read review

Advantages: Potentially a good story
Disadvantages: Nothing like the fantastic book

This is a beautiful yet sad and heart wrenching story about two sisters who are sold to a man for family reasons. This man takes the girls to the city where the older one who is deemed not to be pretty enough is sold on to a brothel to become a prostitute, whereas the younger one is sold to a Geisha house to become a Geisha. The story follows the younger girl in her life as she grows up. There are many very sad and heart wrenching parts to the story, ...
...into the story. I don't want to give much away, but the above gives a very basic summary of the story. I have to say that for the first time in a very long time, I was really really disappointed with this film. I had been so looking forward to seeing it as I have read the book and had enjoyed it tremendously, but the film really didn't do the original book any justice whatsoever. When reading the story, the descriptions are so well written, it ... Read review

Advantages: NICE COSTUMES. SOUNDTRACK OK
Disadvantages: JUMPED ALL OVER THE PLACE

...TO START, I NEED TO SAY THAT YES, I HAVE READ THE BOOK. HOWEVER, MY FIANCE, WHO WATCHED THE FILM WITH ME, HASN'T READ IT. THE STORY FOLLOWS CHIO, A YOUNG GIRL BOUGHT FROM HER FAMILY TO TRAIN AS A GEISHA. HOWEVER THE FILM JUMPED ABOUT ALL OVER THE PLACE, MISSING OUT GIANT CHUNKS OF STORY LINE THROUGHOUT. MANY THINGS WEREN'T EVEN ATTEMPTED TO BE EXPLAINED, AND OTHERS WERE ONLY HALF EXPLAINED. MY FIANCE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON ALL. HE KEPT ASKING ME TO EXPLAIN, AND THE STORY WAS SO MIXED UP THAT HALF OF THE TIME I DIDN'T KNOW MYSELF. I STRUGGLED TO WATCH IT WITHOTU TURNING IT OFF. MY RECOMMENDATION IS, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS FILM, READ THE BOOK. ITS A BRILLIANT STORY, PRACTICALLY NONE OF WHICH MADE IT INTO THE FILM. EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT A "BOOK READER", YOU WON'T HAVE TROUBLE, AS YOU'LL BE GLUED TO IT.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average not helpful

Advantages: Beautiful cinematography with stunning actors.
Disadvantages: The story lacks substance and intrigue.

...The actresses are beautiful, the costumes are delightful, the dancing and makeup is to perrfection. The surroundings are authentic and the cinematography is perfect. There isn't a single shot in the entire film that isn't without it's place. It all adds up to recreate the intense atmosphere of the world of the Geisha. Every little detail has been meticulously planned and captured and don't blink because you might miss something stunning. I also appreciate the details in the story. For instance, when the Americans arrive and one of the Geisha's has picked up bits of the American accent and the terminology. I wouldn't have thought of that, and it was a nice touch. Unfortunately, that's pretty much all the story has to offer. There are two sisters who are sold from their families into the life of a geisha. Unfortunately, Sayuri is always... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Stunning Cinematolodgy and dedication to history
Disadvantages: Is quite long

...**What is it?** Memoirs Of A Geisha is the follow up movie of the best seller book by Arthur Golden. It is directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago, An American Classic) **Price** I bought it for £10 out of HMV but you can purchase it off Amazon for £4.98 so its a great price. **What is it about?** Set in pre-world war two times, it tells the story of young orphan Sayuri who is sold to a geisha house by her terribly ill and poor parents. Following her through her early teenage life and into adulthood, you see her go through terrible hardships for her dream to become a geisha. But the second world war arrives to Japan with news of tow terrible bombs that have wiped out cities, but will she still become the most celebrated geisha ever, even after so much suffering? **Who's In It?** Ziyi Zhang (Hero, House Of Flying Daggers) Michelle Leoh... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful