(no subject)

[rm]

It appalls me that Memoirs of a Geisha received design nominations when its costuming was neither historically accurate nor interestingly reinterpretted for a story that relies so heavily on the aesthetic conventions of its world to drive it. Really seriously irritates me. At least it didn't get a makeup design nod.

Comments

[splix.livejournal.com]

Oh, man, it DID? Jesus.

Yknow, I know we talked about this, and I tried not to let it affect me while I was watching the film, but I just found the costuming and makeup to be so poorly executed. Argh. To say nothing of the shite screenplay.

What particularly annoyed me, aside from the makeup, was the way the kimono fell off the back. Now in the book it's very clearly stated that the back of the neck and the first couple vertebral bumps are a very erotic sight, but in the film the kimono hung off the back, exposing almost down to the shoulder blades. Absurd.

[http://users.livejournal.com/sunyata__/]

That makes me wonder if Liz Taylor's Cleopatra also had design nominations and whether the costuming was researched. I also thought Edith Head was involved, but it looks like I was wrong.

[abnormal-apathy.livejournal.com]

True, but isn't this the trend in Hollywood? Very few films have been historically accurate. About the only one that is coming to mind is Elizabeth and I think even that wasn't entirely so, if memory serves me correctly.

I'll never understand why they don't take the time to do these things properly. They are already investing copious amounts of money into the films, the least they could do is spend a little more time getting the costumes and asthetics correct.

*Hmph*

[fuyukodachi.livejournal.com]

This book meant a lot to me when it came out and I read and reread it endlessly.

I saw the trailer. I watcher the trailer carefully. I didn't get into the costuming because I was fixating on:

Chinese. fucking. actresses. speaking. English. HELLO, IT'S ABOUT JAPAN. This movie should have been shot and filmed in Japanese. I don't care if the writer was American. I don't care if Sayuri learned English and lived in New York by the end of the book. I don't care. She's fucking Japanese, the film is set in Japan, SPEAK JAPANESE.

The makeup. Or should I say, the complete lack of makeup. Were they afraid Americans would be disturbed by white makeup? Would we think of Marilyn Manson instead?

So, yeah, I was heartbroken.

[ekatarina.livejournal.com]

Yup, I am all over that with you. Although I can sort of understand why they changed things like the lipstick and the eyebrows they still bugged me all the way through.

(Heck, I have "historical accuracy in films" on my interest list. I may not have been the first person to add it but I was the second.)

Ciao,

Ekatarina

[rackmount.livejournal.com]

worse yet: the design was the best part of the movie. and that's taking into account that i agree with your assessment of the design.

i will never get my boyfriend to watch a "chick" movie again, after that debacle.