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| KTallguy 775th Post
 
Red Carpet Regular Member+
   
    
    
|  "Re(1):OT: Memoirs of a Geisha" , posted Thu 8 Dec 12:51
I admit that it kind of irks me that Chinese actresses are being used to represent Japanese culture.
Zi-Yi is phenomonal, and beautiful... it's just weird that she's playing a Japanese geisha.
Also, it seems like this might create a little bit of backlash in the Japanese community.
But then, the film is pure hollywood, as well as the book. Even as Memoirs of a Geisha is taken as fact by many people, the person that the author interviewed sued him for misrepresenting her, so I guess there's a small hint.
Also, the fact that Zi-Yi is probably the most well known asian actress in the west. Therefore marketing really dictates that she should be the one to play the role.
As much as it's difficult to say, it'd be great if everyone could ignore racial differences and just celebrate humanity with films like these. Who really cares about the race of the actress, honestly. It's not billed as an 'authentic film'.
But the way the world is working now, it's very doubtful.
oh and sorry if it's an OT in an OT, but
Sushi.
Proud Supporter of Next Generation GAMEPLAY
"テメエがヤクブソクなんだよ!"
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| gorgeous
27th Post
Rare Customer
| "Re(2):OT: Memoirs of a Geisha" , posted Fri 9 Dec 17:35:
quote:
I admit that it kind of irks me that Chinese actresses are being used to represent Japanese culture.
Zi-Yi is phenomonal, and beautiful... it's just weird that she's playing a Japanese geisha.
Also, it seems like this might create a little bit of backlash in the Japanese community.
Actually, no! They're all like "OH SHE'S SO PRETTY" and she's on this awful makeup commercial where this white woman is presenting an award and screams "AND THE WINNER IS . . . JANGG ZEEEEE EEEE!" I think she's Australian. Then the curtain comes up and no one's there. The woman screams "WHERE IS SHE?!?!?!?!" And they show her in a red dress standing on a shiny black floor, with lightning crackling in the background, with this impish grin. And this really really white-sounding Japanese guy says "THE NEW FACE OF AJIAN BYUUUTY."
So yeah. She's neither Chinese nor Japanese. She's not even Asian: She's Ajian. This is the Japanese people's way of justifying their strong pride that such a pretty, famous girl is playing the main character in a movie that misrepresents everything it represents. They take pride and clap: "It's so nice of her!"
(Aside: I personally despise the reasoning behind picking Zhang Ziyi for the role. There are hundreds of good-looking Japanese girls, especially on television. Fuck, why not get Aya Matsuura to play the main character? What a hell of a world motion picture debut! Spielberg and his money-hat-fuckers wouldn't do THAT, though. That'd be taking a risk. So they do what Universal did in Street Fighter II, what Disney did in Mulan, what Square did when they made Final Fantasy the movie, when they needed an Asian woman to play the part of their Asian-ish character: they hired Ming-na Wen. Except Ming-na Wen is fucking a black guy on ER now, so she's not fit to play a geisha anymore. So, "Zhang Zi Yi? I think I've heard of her before." And there she is. YOU KNOW, BEFORE ZHANG ZI YI WAS FAMOUS, SHE WASN'T FAMOUS. YOU'RE ALREADY MAKING A MOVIE BASED ON A BESTSELLING BOOK. PICK SOMEBODY ELSE, AND PICK SOMEBODY JAPANESE.)
The Japanese don't care if the main character isn't Japanese.
I despise the story anyway. It's so cloying. If you want a story about a geisha, read Yasunari Kawabata's novel "Snow Country." I warn you, however, that it requires a bit of imagination. "Memoirs of a Geisha," though, is trash.
Once someone recommended it to me and I never talked to them again.
Maybe the Japanese are so accepting of Chineseos playing all the roles in a movie about Japanese people because it's based on something some white guy wrote. That's what I think. If it had been a Spielberg-directed film based on Kawabata or something, and it had Chinese people in all the lead roles, I'm sure someone would stand up and complain about it. Or maybe not. They're timid over here. They keep their hate inside.
In closing, the Japanese title of the movie is "SAYURI." Which I guess . . . is the name of the geisha? 小百合. Little Lily. Hmm.
Ayumi Hamasaki is on the radio. I think she'd have a better career as a geisha.
[this message was edited by gorgeous on Fri 9 Dec 17:36] |
| makatiel
180th Post
Regular Customer
| "Re(3):OT: Memoirs of a Geisha" , posted Mon 12 Dec 16:16
quote:
I admit that it kind of irks me that Chinese actresses are being used to represent Japanese culture.
Zi-Yi is phenomonal, and beautiful... it's just weird that she's playing a Japanese geisha.
Also, it seems like this might create a little bit of backlash in the Japanese community.
Actually, no! They're all like "OH SHE'S SO PRETTY" and she's on this awful makeup commercial where this white woman is presenting an award and screams "AND THE WINNER IS . . . JANGG ZEEEEE EEEE!" I think she's Australian. Then the curtain comes up and no one's there. The woman screams "WHERE IS SHE?!?!?!?!" And they show her in a red dress standing on a shiny black floor, with lightning crackling in the background, with this impish grin. And this really really white-sounding Japanese guy says "THE NEW FACE OF AJIAN BYUUUTY."
So yeah. She's neither Chinese nor Japanese. She's not even Asian: She's Ajian. This is the Japanese people's way of justifying their strong pride that such a pretty, famous girl is playing the main character in a movie that misrepresents everything it represents. They take pride and clap: "It's so nice of her!"
(Aside: I personally despise the reasoning behind picking Zhang Ziyi for the role. There are hundreds of good-looking Japanese girls, especially on television. Fuck, why not get Aya Matsuura to play the main character? What a hell of a world motion picture debut! Spielberg and his money-hat-fuckers wouldn't do THAT, though. That'd be taking a risk. So they do what Universal did in Street Fighter II, what Disney did in Mulan, what Square did when they made Final Fantasy the movie, when they needed an Asian woman to play the part of their Asian-ish character: they hired Ming-na Wen. Except Ming-na Wen is fucking a black guy on ER now, so she's not fit to play a geisha anymore. So, "Zhang Zi Yi? I think I've heard of her before." And there she is. YOU KNOW, BEFORE ZHANG ZI YI WAS FAMOUS, SHE WASN'T FAMOUS. YOU'RE ALREADY MAKING A MOVIE BASED ON A BESTSELLING BOOK. PICK SOMEBODY ELSE, AND PICK SOMEBODY JAPANESE.)
The Japanese don't care if the main character isn't Japanese.
I despise the story anyway. It's so cloying. If you want a story about a geisha, read Yasunari Kawabata's novel "Snow Country." I warn you, however, that it requires a bit of imagination. "Memoirs of a Geisha," though, is trash.
Once someone recommended it to me and I never talked to them again.
Maybe the Japanese are so accepting of Chineseos playing all the roles in a movie about Japanese people because it's based on something some white guy wrote. That's what I think. If it had been a Spielberg-directed film based on Kawabata or something, and it had Chinese people in all the lead roles, I'm sure someone would stand up and complain about it. Or maybe not. They're timid over here. They keep their hate inside.
In closing, the Japanese title of the movie is "SAYURI." Which I guess . . . is the name of the geisha? 小百合. Little Lily. Hmm.
Ayumi Hamasaki is on the radio. I think she'd have a better career as a geisha.
youre not really enjoying your time in this country are you. hahahahaha.
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| gorgeous
35th Post
Rare Customer
| "Re(4):OT: Memoirs of a Geisha" , posted Wed 14 Dec 16:44
quote:
Because no one knows who the fuck Aya Matsuura is. Supposedly, the people behind this were looking for Oscar (LOL) contendership, and they didn't want to bank on someone unknown.
_I_ know who she is!! She's on my cellphone wallpaper image!!
And you know, Zhang Ziyi ain't exactly Audrey Hepburn herself. You'd be hard-pressed to find her in black and white photographs on some kid's wall is Bosnia or wherever. She's not HUGE.
Your saying that "brand loyalty" is a strong selling point (in the Xbox thread) is led by the same paranoid late-20th century reasoning you're exhibiting here. Which is okay! You can still be saved, my brother!
You need to read some Carnegie!
Entrepreneurs will rise again!!
...maybe!!
It's the "if you build it they will come" post-depression optimism. It needs to come back. It needs to be cool again. Aya Matsuura has a real live personality. She's only 20; I predict she will be a superstar if she faces up to the challenge. Though -- I guess playing a geisha in a Hollywood film wouldn't have been the best debut, anyway. She has to make her Japanese film debut first. Hmm.
If only Spielberg would have just called me and asked me, first, anyway!
Or, even worse, he could have used that damn retarded Kill Bill girl. GAH
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| Maese Spt
105th Post
Regular Customer
| "Re(5):OT: Memoirs of a Geisha" , posted Thu 15 Dec 06:07
You know, Arthur Goldenīs original novel was already a dull and poorly developed story, full of biased stereothypes and misconceptions about Japanīs reality in general and geishaīs world in particular... the tipical "japanesque" story told from an american point of view wich ends up being (unintentionally) ludicrous, as weīve seen lots of times before (The Last Samurai, anyone...?). So Iīm not surprised the filmic adaptation being a cheesy flick. The story donīt deserve much more, anyway. Yeah, I know this book is like a bible for many young wapanese weeabooes, but heh.
As long as I can admire the ever-gorgeouys Zhang Ziyi in all her splendor, dressed with a different kimono every ten minutes, Iīll be satisfied. Besides, those type of movies use to be aestethically gorgeous and completely empty both plot and character-wise, so I only expect to watch another silly film wrapped up in a magnificent envelopment. I think I would enjoy the atrezzo and the "japanesque" stages, anyway, so thatīs OK for me. In fact, when I want to see an actually interesting movie in a japanese scenario, I know very well itīs not in Hollywood where I have to search.
However, I must admit that I find somehow amazing the fact that most of the female roles are played by chinese actresses, but I wonīt complain about having Zhang Ziyi as main protagonist <3.
"At his coming the gods themselves are put to flight and the Buddhas vanish"
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| gorgeous
36th Post
Rare Customer
| "Re(6):OT: Memoirs of a Geisha" , posted Fri 16 Dec 11:06
quote:
As long as I can admire the ever-gorgeouys Zhang Ziyi in all her splendor, dressed with a different kimono every ten minutes, Iīll be satisfied.
See, this is where you (whoever you are) and I differ: I'd rather admire not-quite-gorgeous, normal, average, everyday, plain, and charming REAL girls not wearing any clothes at ALL, in REAL LIFE!!
Also, yeah, King Kong is definitely gay.
They should have gotten Madonna to play the girl. It would have all made so much sense then.
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| Maese Spt
110th Post
Regular Customer
| "Re(7):OT: Memoirs of a Geisha" , posted Tue 20 Dec 05:45
quote:
See, this is where you (whoever you are) and I differ: I'd rather admire not-quite-gorgeous, normal, average, everyday, plain, and charming REAL girls not wearing any clothes at ALL, in REAL LIFE!!
You know, I myself actually prefer not only to admire plain, real girls on real life (dressed or not), but rather to taste them as well. But maybe itīs just me...
"At his coming the gods themselves are put to flight and the Buddhas vanish"
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