Plot: What’s it about?
The tradition of the geisha is a historic one, with a beautiful, but mysterious aura. The women who become the most famous geishas are celebrated, but the road to such fame is not a smooth one, a path lined with pain and servitude. As an impoverished nine year old, Chiyo finds herself sold to a geisha house and is put through the paces of the craft. She is abused and mistreated by those around her, especially when head geisha Hatsumomo (Gong Li) becomes jealous of her beauty when she is older. Hatsumomo is vindictive and tries to do as much harm to Chiyo as possible, until the young geisha is taken in by Mameha (Michelle Yeoh), the geisha’s rival. Under her mentorship, Chiyo becomes Sayuri, a well trained geisha and soon, she is brought into a life with wealth and power all around her. But as World War II begins to bear down on Japan, what will become of Sayuri and the other geishas like her?
Memoirs of a Geisha was given some press over the decision to cast Chinese performers in Japanese roles, which upset some folks. This coverage was the most exposure the film would garner and without good reason, as it simply isn’t that good. I should say, the movie isn’t as good as it could have been, thanks to less than effective dramatic presence. I love epic period piece cinema, the costumes, the locations, the visuals, these kind of movies seem to be a feast for the eyes. Memoirs of a Geisha proves to be no exception, the lavish visuals are a treat and the production design is top notch. As wonderful as the visuals were, I found the narrative to be lackluster and while close to the book, a lot has been sacrificed here. I just found myself bored with this one, I loved the visuals, but nothing else stood out. Even so, the visuals alone warrant a look and as a rental, you could worse than Memoirs of a Geisha.
Video: How does it look?
This 4K delivers a gorgeous visual experience, one that feels particularly well suited to the film’s elaborate production design and striking cinematography. The film’s rich color palette, from the vivid reds and golds of the costumes to the carefully composed interiors and atmospheric landscapes of its Japanese settings. Detail is consistently impressive, revealing the intricate textures of the elaborate wardrobe, ornate set decoration, makeup and facial features. The film’s darker sequences retain pleasing shadow detail, while the brighter outdoor photography benefits from the expanded dynamic range. Grain is naturally resolved and the image maintains a pleasing film-like appearance without looking overly processed. This is a beautiful-looking presentation that gives the film’s sumptuous visual design the showcase it deserves.
Audio: How does it sound?
The Dolby Atmos soundtrack makes excellent use of the John Williams’ sweeping orchestral score, with the music given plenty of room to breathe and envelop the listening environment. Dialogue remains clean, clear and firmly anchored to the front channels, while the surrounds provide an engaging sense of atmosphere throughout. The bustling streets, traditional ceremonies and various environmental effects are nicely dispersed, adding depth and dimension to the presentation. The overhead channels are used more subtly, contributing additional ambience rather than drawing unnecessary attention to themselves. LFE is also nicely integrated, adding weight where appropriate without becoming distracting. Overall, this is a refined and immersive soundtrack that complements the film’s visual splendor exceptionally well.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Audio Commentary – The first of two commentary tracks and this one features director Rob Marshall and producer John DeLuca. The two take a more tiered approach to the film, looking at it from (obviously) their perspective. But there’s a lot of good information within if the film is your thing.
- Audio Commentary – The second focuses more on the aesthetics with production designer John Myhre, costume designer Colleen Atwood, and editor Pietro Scalia.
- Production Featurettes – Eleven total, each of which only runs a few minutes and gives us a little glimpse into the making of the film. It’d been nicer if they just made it one big feature.
- Photo Galleries – A series of production stills, costume design illustrations, and shots from the set.
- Chef Nobu’s Recipes – Recipes from chef Nobu Matsuhisa.
- Theatrical Trailer
The Bottom Line
I’ve personally never liked this film. It just felt like one of those movies that was manufactured to win awards. And, to its credit, it did – it brought home a trio for Costume Design, Art Direction and Cinematography. And, again, to the film’s credit it is a beautiful motion picture and this 4K disc does it right. It’s taken a couple of decades to get this to 4K, but for those interested – it’s never looked better.
