Friday, March 16, 2007

Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

I watched this in bed last night with a heating pad on my back and the fan blowing (I was trying to pretend I was on a warm beach...didn't quite make it) with a bowl of peanuts, a coffee mug of ice water, and a Snickers bar to keep me company.

I had balked at reading the book because I was afraid it might be "rough" reading. I assumed a geisha was a "high end" prostitute, but I was very wrong. I'm glad I had the clarity of mind and courage to find out what it REALLY was rather than just holding to my own ignorant assumption.

Not only was the movie spectacular in every way, but I'm surprised to find that I really love what the Geisha was trained to do and be. According to Wikipedia Geisha (芸者) are traditional, female Japanese entertainers, whose skills include performing various Japanese arts, such as music, singing and dancing. They also engage their clients with light conversation.

But I love how it was defined in the movie by the mentor Mameha: "Geisha is an artist of the floating world. She dances, she sings. She entertains you, whatever you want. The rest is shadows, the rest is secret."

If any of you have seen this movie, you have Sayuri's dance in a snow shower of rose petals that I think is one of the most compelling and passionate pieces of movement I have ever witnessed. For those of you who haven't, I'd highly recommend a window into another world we will never get to experience except vicariously through print or film.

2 comments:

heather said...

i have not seen it, but perhaps you can recreate the dance in your living room and i can turn on the butterfly propellor. :)

Cheeky said...

Have you ever seen me dance? I am somewhere between Seinfeld's "Elaine" and the waiting for Guffman choreographer. It is NOT art, but it is high comedy. I do love the butterfly effects idea, though...what a guffaw!