Hello all! First of all, I'd like to wish everyone a happy new year. Second, let me apologize for going AWOL for a month. I was tending to things not related to movies and are, thus, irrelevant. One thing I would like to do this year is add to the stuff that goes in to these columns. For my first trick, I will discuss a certain movie that I believe should be remade, as opposed to always doing comparisons. It ought to spice things up a bit. If not, I'll change my picture to that one Gene Simmons took after he gave me a makeover. So, without further ado, the focus of today's piece will be a fairly recent film called MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA.
The film, as some may already know is a remake of the book by the same title and penned by Arthur Golden. Golden essentially went through all the hardships necessary to become a Geisha as part of his research for the book. The film's director, Rob Marshall (CHICAGO), went through all the hardships necessary to become a dismal director by making MEMOIRS into a movie. He put an all-Chinese cast in a Japanese-set story. He had the Geisha's lines spoken in English, therefore making this film no more authentic than an episode of POKEMON. And he, as one who really only has a background in musicals, decided to place the focus on dance numbers as opposed to the rich history surrounding Geishas. If the key to directing is using outside influences on your work, then this guy used the authenticity of THE GREEN BERETS, the relevance of POOTIE TANG (Can't remember it? Exactly.), and the great acting used in DEEP THROAT.
This film should be remade. Not now, though. Now is too soon. Give it another 25 years or so, and then remake it. Assuming the following people are still around at that time, I've got a pretty good lineup for its cast and crew. The director should be the now up-and-coming Masato Harada. He is receiving a great deal of praise for his latest BOUNCE KO GALS about prostitution (I know, I know, Geishas aren't prostitutes, they just sell their private services to the highest bidder) and would be ideal to move into mainstream American films. As for the lead actors, one ought to only cast trained Kabuki players in the film. These people are used to Japanese culture and could give the ultimate authentic performance. The movie needs this. The audience should experience the same sense of actual Japanese history as Golden did.
Well, maybe this is just a lone reviewer's wishful thinking. Maybe I'm alone. That's okay. I'm not nearly as alone as I will be once Gene comes back with that KISS makeup kit. Lookit me. Just call me the Film Noir Child.
 email this column to a friend
Comment on this Column:
Sorry, you must be a member to add comments to columns.
Join or Login. |
 Subscribe to MatchFlick Movie Reviews through RSS
|
| I'll Be Back... Again |
Every other Wednesday
For anyone who's ever been told "You should have seen the original," this column provides insight into any film that’s been remade, rehashed, or re-envisioned.
|
| Jonathan Alexandratos |
Jonathan is a college student in New York. He is already an accomplished writer, having completed 3 full-length plays and numerous poems. He is also working on his first book.
|
| Contact |
If you have a comment, question, or suggestion, you can send a message to Jonathan Alexandratos by clicking here.
|
|
