A Geisha Of HIS own mind. Review on Memoirs of a Geisha Movie

Hollywood's biggest sin in many parts, at least to my opinion, is its complete inability to remain accurate to a story over the capability of sensationalizing it. An attribute so grossly apparent in ''Memoirs Of A Geisha'' that by the time the movie ended I felt sick. Here is a movie that has been slammed left right and centre for being disrespectful to the culture it chooses to portray and it lives to every speculation of the public and media that has been made.

Don't get me wrong. As a movie, it is awesomely done. The cinematography captured in brilliance as only Hollywood can do, the drama, intrigue, passion and intensity – all there. But in all other aspects, you can feel that this movie is made to be no other than a Hollywood novelty that will be watched by the largely ignorant movie going crowd and they will leave no better enlightened about the world that we are no part of and go on their daily lives thinking they do.

Never mind the fact that Arthur Golden himself has royally screwed up someone's life for the means of money when he released Memoirs Of A Geisha, it's amazing how Rob Marshall manages to stray even further from the truth. The movie opens with little Chiyo and her sister Satsu being herded like cattle into a bull cart and spirited off from their fishing village to the district of Gion where Chiyo was sold into an okiya and Satsu sold off as a prostitute. (Something which didn't happen in the book or to the real girl whom the book was based on), but most apparently done because well, it's more 'sensational' that way of course.

From there on, the story chronicles Chiyo (or her later name; Sayuri) in her journey to becoming a geisha. A journey that has been inaccurately described in the book and now manifested into a gorgeous work of screen art though sadly, it remains inaccurate of the truth about the life and workings of a geisha. Of course, one will never be able to say that Rob Marshall did not shoot the movie in the spirit of the book.

As for this whole controversy of Chinese actresses playing the role of Japanese geishas, it became a major flaw for me as well. Not to mention the heavily accented English that was used throughout the movie (with Ziyi perhaps not understanding half of what she said) but the slipping in and out of Japanese as well. Why do that I wonder? Why not just go totally English if the movie is already going to be in English or just be totally in Japanese?

Reminds me of what me and my friends were laughing about concerning Japanese pop songs – sing in Japanese then insert English words to sound cool. Works in the opposite here I suppose. Talk in English, then insert Japanese word to sound cool. Remind me to stop rolling on the floor with laughter please. The term ridiculous does come to mind in more than several occasions.

Like I said previously, my thoughts on this movie is already heavily prejudiced. The intrusion that such a movie might have given to the world of the geishas is not the first time such a liberty has been taken by Hollywood, nor will it be the last time. Sadly though, Hollywood's interpretation of the world remains to become the opinion of a majority of us.

I won't lie and say that it isn't a good movie. Personal views aside, ''Memoirs Of A Geisha'' is nothing short of enthralling. I do not presume to possess any inside knowledge to the secret sacred world of the geishas but on the knowledge that this story has come to the extend of endangering the life of another individual... then one ask this question – why are there people who say the whole debate on the issue is uncalled for?

I think it is, very relevantly so, and the public, especially in today's world of information technology, should not be allowed to remain ignorant of the truth.

The start of this mess? I blame Arthur Golden.