zhang ziyi, Gong li, Michelle Yeoh in Memoirs of a geisha, anyone offended by this??

When I first read this thread title, I thought you were offended by the fact that they aren't casting Japanese people for Japanese parts. But this whole "Socio-political, portrayal of the degradation of Chinese women at the hands of a Japanese man subtext" argument is actually an intriguing display of current Chinese/Japanese subsurface hostilities (at least from the Chinese side).

I'm an American born Chinese, so I don't really care about any of this stuff, but apparently there is a strong anti-Japanese sentiment coming from Chinese mainlanders. It's a volatile mix of grudges over Japanese treatment of Chinese during WWII along with jealousy over Japan's prominence on the World stage (well former prominence, but I'm sure the jealousy hasn't abated), and the fact that Japan gets all the video games first (man that does piss me off too). *

I'm guessing there will be some kind of backlash in China. Xenophobic nationalism has a voice in every country, and a pretty large voice in China, so I've heard.

By the way, there's no reason to blame this on the filmmakers. The only reason they cast three Chinese actresses, is because they have all been in US movies, and have some kind of recognizability with US audiences. Same thing with Watanabe after his performance in The Last Samurai.

And they can easily skirt this issue by not releasing the film in Mainland China (it's a big country, but their box office is relatively pitiful). Pretty much not other country or market will say boo, except maybe Japan who will probably be protesting why they are casting Chinese b****es instead of Japanese.


* Just kidding for those with faulty sarcasm detectors.

 

Thats Right! Bring Back The Good ol' Days!



Mrs. Gorightry!!!


But seriously please slow down a bit.

Omar Sharif's best performance was as the Russian Dr. Zhivago in the film of the same name. Alec Guinness' best performance was as the Arab, Prince Feisal in Laurence of Arabia.

Do you really think that this is some sort of intentional plot to denegrate Chinese women? Perhaps he's actually saying that all Japanese women are ugly ho's and the only women he'd consider as his concubine would be a beautiful Chinese woman. Perhaps he's trying to say that deep down Chinese people and Japanese people aren't so different that they can't learn to work out their problems.

If you perceve a slight and he doesn't intend it, correct the man or let him explain. Unless you determine he's trying to offend you you might want to be more circumspect. Most likely this is just simple American ignorance of international dynamics.

Maybe this is the idea. A good movie should make people think. Perhaps he's trying to force a discussion will lead to Japanese people confronting the issue. Perhaps it will give Chinese people everywhere a chance to vent all their anger. Given that the man has directed several very thoughtful films with very complex race related issues like Schindler's List and The Color Purple you might wan't to wait a bit before flipping out.

The bottom line is if it offends you so much that you can't think, you can easly make your displeasure felt in Hollywood's pocket by not seeing the film.

Also, calling people Ch**ks, N**s, or J**s is generally frowned on and will get you banned from many BBS'. You might want to avoid calling someone a racist using a racial epithet.

 

Its pretty simple. Its a mainstreem American movie and Ziyi Zhang, Gong Li and Michelle Yeoh are probably the most well known and popular Asian acresses in the US.

 

LMAO

As well as Xenochimeric whining on the clutchfans BBS.

Seriously, it's like others said - it is acting; I don't see what the big deal is. Well, I take that back, I do understand to a degree (the hostility between Japan and China) but I think using it in this context is going a little overboard with it.

Oh and I don't care what any of you guys say - Zhang Ziyi is smoking hot and you know you would hit it if she appeared at your front door. If you don't, then you're the second coming of Richard Chamberlain.

 

David Carradine surrenders...

 

Excellent point.

On a side note, I'm glad he got the part though.

 

let me stir things up a bit.....


Zhang Ziyi is as pretty as a Japanese woman.

 

I do not really have a problem with this. They are just actors trying to make a living. This is totally different then Japanese government trying to change history books. Is this movie any good?

 

That's a dis on Zhang.

 

This is a chick flick. If you plan to see it, please turn in your man card immediately.

 

Let me see that you have a man card first.

 

With my man card being so big and all, I can watch these kinds of movies. Actually, depending on how close to the book it gets, it could be an excellent movie.

 

OMG!!!!!!

I just remembered that Lucy Lui played a Chinese/Japanese American in Kill Bill........I'm gonna go eat my breakfast now.

 

Let's derail this thread with pics of fine Asian women. Asian women are third or fourth on the ethnic list of attractiveness for me, especially Vietnamese women. However, here's one that would change my mind.

Betty Nguyen, CNN anchor.

 

She looks like she is of mixed blood.

 

Nope, 100% Vietnamese. She's a UT alum as well.

 

Shes ugly and probably has no junk in the trunk

 

first off, ur overreacting.

I'm from japanese and chinese blood and second of all your using "jap" in the wrong tirade to start your point.

Being a former student of film, they only use actors we know that we can already sympathize with before the film....Like how we find those 3 woman very attractive before the film starts. It's just a shame that we aren't aware of the many beautiul japanese actresses. For instance, Chiaki Kuriyama is beautiful but very cult like in America.

Also, do you feel offended by the fact the book is written by an american author ?

 

dude, its a book and a movie to be made. Not a thesis on the japanese chinese conflict and the degradation of woman. You don't understand the nature of Japanese women and geishas. They negativity that you convey is the fact that you can't exhibit cultural relevance. You don't understand their culture and you bash it from the outside in.

 

So.....you hate that gong li is playing some "Jap b**** mistress," but you tout her role as a Chinese prostitute in farewell my concubine.

I have much to learn about other cultures.