Memoirs of a Geisha . . .

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 06 Sep 2005, 05:31

Tom2681 wrote:Zhang Ziyi is physically chinese, not japanese. It doesn't matter how well she can act, or how good the make-up looks.

You have to remember that to the general English-speaking audience, which this film is intended for first and foremost, can't tell the difference the Asian ethnic groups. To them "they all look the same".

Personally I can normally instantly distinguish a Chinese or Korean person, due to living in Auckland for 11+ years where there's a massive population of both ethnic groups. At my high school (the largest in Auckland) there were about 3500 pupils and probably a third of that was Koreans and Chinese.

jimmyscab · Post by **jimmyscab** » 06 Sep 2005, 20:29

going by the trailer, i think the movie looks fantastic !

I actually dont think ZZ's accent is too bad (again judging by the trailer), its Michelle Yeoh's thats pretty cringe worthy.

I personally dont have a problem with chinese actors portraying japanese roles, well not in this case anyway. I can see why they went for it

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 11 Sep 2005, 00:59

grim_tales wrote:Brad/Tom wasn't there a recent live-action Mulan in HK or something? "Legend of Hua Mulan" (?)

There indeed is a Shaw Brothers-flick called "Lady General Hua Mu-Lan" from 1963 and it tells the same epic as does the Disney film... of course without Mushu the Dragon.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 11 Sep 2005, 10:54

I didnt know that LD, cool

I mustve been thinking of the Michelle Yeoh project though.
Have IVL released the Shaw Bros film?

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 11 Sep 2005, 12:28

grim_tales wrote:Have IVL released the Shaw Bros film?

Yes, they have.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 11 Sep 2005, 12:49

Might check it out.
Have you seen it? Any good?

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 11 Sep 2005, 20:20

N ope, haven't see it. I don't know what to expect from it, but I suppose that it has a lot of Mandarin humour. But then again I'm just guessing.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 20 Sep 2005, 00:37

Newest trailer:

http://mp3content03.bcst.yahoo.com/bmfr ... 236571.mov

ReconFive · Post by **ReconFive** » 19 Nov 2005, 19:49

I'm going to have to side with Tom on this debate.
Say what you will...but ultimately i think a movie like this made by Hollywood is doomed for failure.
(In the sense of the film, not necessarily the box office.)

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 19 Nov 2005, 20:02

What's wrong with Michelle Yeoh's accent?

Not only is English is her first language but she was educated in England too.

If it were me I would've picked Japanese actors for the main roles, but I doubt the use of Chinese is going to affect the International Box Office one iota. In fact it'll help, since the only Japanese anyone knows in the US is Takeshi Kitano and he's too old to play a Geisha!

ReconFive · Post by **ReconFive** » 19 Nov 2005, 20:46

Well, your right i'm sure the box office will not be affected by these things...but i am simply saying that its a movie about a Japanese Geisha, made by Hollywood, and starring none other then....yes...Zhang Ziyi! The most overhyped Chinese actress ever.

There is nothing wrong with Michelle Yeoh's english...but the movie should not be in english at all!!

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 20 Nov 2005, 14:01

FLOP OF THE YEAR!

If they expect this flm to make any cash, they are on drugs! the trailer is crap and the public wont give a toss about the film in any way, its going to FLOP like a big fat fish! nearly 100 million and they expect it to make any of that back, bollocks it was doomed from the word go and it WILL flop. Misjudged adrertising and misjudged to even make the film and spend that sort of cash on it it has no chance in hell of doing well. (it may be a good film? but only god knows at the moment).

ReconFive · Post by **ReconFive** » 21 Nov 2005, 03:15

Well i hope your right!!
Maybe that will make it one step closer to Hollywood keeping their filthy hands off these types of films. I hate how Hollywood is becoming more and more interested in Asian topics.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 21 Nov 2005, 18:20

That I dont mind too much, its just a little odd they made it at all in my mind and they ever thought anyone would make it a blockbuster, as its cost a fortune and really I cannot see where the cash went at all

and how they expect it to make it back.

I dont mind asian themed films at all and as long as the parts are right and they dont all just magically speak english it helps, The Last Samurai for instance was a cracker of a film and didnt really dumb the cast down and make them all speak perfect english.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 21 Nov 2005, 19:18

LOL Romero

If I remember correctly Chicago made mega bucks and also won awards.

We/you may not agree but it will probabkly do very well and let's face it this film will open up Asian actors to the American market more than (probably) any film before.

This is a very good thing in my book. We've all moaned numerous times how rubbish most of Jet Li's Hollywood films are or how "fairly" good Jackie Chan's are.

Give the film a chance it's not even out yet.

Tom2681 wrote:Newest trailer:

http://mp3content03.bcst.yahoo.com/bmfr ... 236571.mov

Link is now dead.

ReconFive wrote:Maybe that will make it one step closer to Hollywood keeping their filthy hands off these types of films.

Huh?

The book was written by an American for the Western market.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 21 Nov 2005, 19:26

What has Chicago got to do with MOAG!?

It wont do very to me, well it seems easy to tell for me. I judge films box office better than most so called experts and this is a FLOP there is no way this film can make its 100 million budget back, unless I am insane and everyone in the world really wants to see this? which I can say I havent seen anyone go on about it anywhere yet.

I am not saying the film bad, I havent seen it and it may be superb, but that doesnt change the fact its just not a marketable film and so far the advertising has been poor for a film of this massive scale in fact the trailer is just extremly bad and will put off more people.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 21 Nov 2005, 19:58

You forget the book is huge there will be lots of people who want to see this based on that.

If it gets nominated for Oscars. I doubt the actors will get any nods but the director + crew might.

romerojpg wrote:What has Chicago got to do with MOAG!?

Same director silly, same Hollywood clout.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 21 Nov 2005, 21:40

Directors mean very little unless they are big ones and well known names, the director of Chicago is not well known in any way I dont even know who he is and I try to know a lot about even films I have no interest in. I didnt even know it was based on a book even.

The fact it comes out in december in america is one massive flaw alone, its going up against the Biggest films of the year in a very crowded month. I wouldnt be suprised if it didnt even make 10 million $ in its 1st week then drop out the charts quicker than a poo down a toilet

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 21 Nov 2005, 22:41

romerojpg wrote:I didnt even know it was based on a book even.

Enough said!

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 22 Nov 2005, 17:45

I knew Speilberg was trying to get it made, apart from that before the storm I knew nothing at all, then I read up on why Spielberg wanted to make it and found out it was a book etc.. then he walked out and some fool gave a cheap director 100 million to make a film which no one will want to see, sound hilarious to me. I really hope they loose a lot of cash, and they will thats for sure. I am just confused as to how they ever thought it would make cash, no star, no director and a pretty dodgy trailer. Sounds a winner yet they still threw insane cash at it.

Books do not make a good film.

IronMonkey · Post by **IronMonkey** » 22 Nov 2005, 18:02

romerojpg wrote:Books do not make a good film.

You make me laugh!

What about The Lord Of The Rings & The Bourne Identity to name just two recent ones? I'm pretty sure you've said before that you like those films...

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 22 Nov 2005, 18:17

romerojpg wrote:no one will want to see

Do you want to bet on that? No one is a very low number.

romerojpg wrote:Books do not make a good film.

What a load of rubbish. Books make very good films as the back story and detail is already there.

I think you meant a book and a film are different things, and the two shouldn't be compared.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 22 Nov 2005, 18:55

Your reading that comment wrong I guess or I need to expand on it

Books do not always make good films that should say then. Just because people love a book does not mean it will ever make a good film, as you said they are very, very different things and both mediems are nothing alike in any way thats why so many books are unfilmable.

Ussually the books are changed so much they are nothing like the organal book anyway, such as Lord of the Rings for instance, everything I have read about that says they are very little like each other, with massive parts cut out and changed. So in the end its not the book at all, just the idea and premise. Not many, if anyone makes the film exactly like the book.

And far as I knew The Bourne films are far from like the books? compare the old film to the new one, both based on the same book, and nothing at all alike. I have never read them book, just what I read made the film and book sound nothing at all alike.

I would rather see a film anyway over a book.

Still you got me on the No one part, yes a lot of people will see the film thats for sure, just not what seems to be big business. The reviews for the film so far have been low and not nice to it, I dont care for reviews but so far it hasnt impressed the early birds

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 22 Nov 2005, 22:21

It'll probably get some Oscar nominations... which always helps at the Box Office.

Imagine Zhang Ziyi as Best Actress.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 22 Nov 2005, 22:27

Markgway wrote:Imagine Zhang Ziyi as Best Actress.

She'll never win if she gets a nod though.