Memoirs of a Geisha: A Portrait of the Film [Hardcover]

Peggy Mulloy (Author), David James (Author)

Book Description

Series: Portrait of the Film | Publication Date: October 20, 2005

A stunning visual companion to the highly anticipated new film from director Rob Marshall (Chicago), based on the international bestseller by Arthur Golden—a major holiday release from Columbia Pictures.

Featuring over 150 full-color photographs and drawings, this lavishly illustrated book captures the artistry and romance behind the exquisite new film from Rob Marshall, the director of the Oscar®-winning film Chicago, starring Ziyi Zhang (House of Flying Daggers) and Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai).

Directed by Academy Award®-nominee Rob Marshall (Chicago) and produced by Lucy Fisher, Douglas Wick, and Steven Spielberg, from a screenplay by Robin Swicord and Doug Wright, Memoirs of a Geisha features an all-star Asian cast including Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Koji Yakusho (Shall We Dance?), Youki Kudoh (Snow Falling on Cedars), and Gong Li (Raise the Red Lantern).

Based on the internationally acclaimed novel by Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha is a sweeping romantic epic set in the mysterious and exotic world that still casts a potent spell today. The story begins in the years before WWII when a penniless Japanese child is torn from her family to work as a servant in a geisha house. Despite a treacherous rival who nearly breaks her spirit, the girl blossoms into the legendary geisha Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang). Beautiful and accomplished, Sayuri captivates the most powerful men of her day, but is haunted by her secret love for the one man who is out of her reach (Ken Watanabe).

The Newmarket Pictorial Moviebook explores the intricate process of re-creating the period and world of the geisha. Special sections showcase production design, makeup, choreography, and costumes, featuring kimonos created especially for the movie by five-time Oscar®-nominated costume designer Colleen Atwood. Sidebars throughout also provide fascinating historical background on the geisha culture.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Arthur Golden's 1997 tale appealed to director Marshall (Chicago) for the same reasons it attracted millions of readers: because it "not only peers into the fascinating and forbidden world of a geisha's life in 1930s Japan, but also tells the emotional tale of one particular girl's journey." This accompanying volume to the forthcoming film based on the book will certainly enchant fans. In his introduction, Golden recalls how "curious" it was for him to walk around a full-scale geisha district of the 1930s built on a field in California and know that such a detailed set grew out of his grueling experience writing the novel. A history of the geisha comes next, and then a portfolio of images from the film, some quite striking (such as the one of geisha practicing movements with fans, hair down, relaxed in their dressing robes and lit from behind). The book's final portion is devoted to the making of the film, with archival images of geisha, a concept illustration of a cherry-blossom-viewing party and notes on how, for example, the structural surfaces of the buildings on the set were sandblasted to add texture and age. (Dec.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Rob Marshall, the Oscar®-nominated director of the movie Chicago, previously co-directed the Roundabout Theatre production of the Kander/Ebb musical Cabaret. David James' photographs have been published in the books on the making of Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List, Chicago, and The Last Samurai. Peggy Mulloy, author and publicist, was on the set throughout the production of Memoirs of a Geisha and previously worked on Peter Pan, A Beautiful Mind, and other films.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Newmarket Press (October 20, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557046832
• ISBN-13: 978-1557046833
• Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 9.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #267,427 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Opens Up The Appetite To See The Film, November 15, 2005

By 

Rudy Avila "Saint Seiya" (Lennox, Ca United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Memoirs of a Geisha: A Portrait of the Film (Hardcover)

Arthur Golden's best-selling novel Memoirs Of A Geisha has been made into a movie and premieres nation-wide December 9th. This New Market Pictorial Movie Book is a vivid, colorful coffee-table book with photo stills from the movie, behind-the-scenes info and ancient "Floating World" illustrations of the world of the Geisha. In addition to lovely photography and artwork, we are treated to informative, brief essays about the history of the Geisha and how author Arthur Golden came to write the novel. The film looks promising. Certainly, it will be a visual feast for the eyes. The authentic locale of Japan in the 30's is gloriously rendered and the world of the Geisha, with beauty and intrigue, malice and virtue, will evidently be a thrilling cinematic experience. If you enjoyed the book, this is a terrific buy. Plus, it's jus a stunningly beautiful coffee-table book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In a Realm of its Own, December 19, 2005

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Memoirs of a Geisha: A Portrait of the Film (Hardcover)

There are times when still photographs from a feature film appear as self-serving PR or media hype for promoting a movie. There are other times, such as with the book based on 'Born Into Brothels' and this lovely 'Memoirs of a Geisha', when the end justifies the means. Standing alone, this is a lovely evocation of Japonoise with liquid, flowing images of geishas in costume, swirls of airborne petals, moody lighting, darkened streets - everything one imagined while reading Arthur Golden's fine novel.

Of interest are the attached comments from the crew surrounding the film, sketches and extended drawings of costumes and scenery, portraits of the cast members at rest. The result is a reverie of Japan of a bygone time admixed with a recreation of a period for a film. The contrast is dramatic: the book is lovely. And I have yet to see the movie! Grady Harp, December 05

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Coffee-Table Book, December 15, 2005

By 

A. Ross (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Memoirs of a Geisha: A Portrait of the Film (Hardcover)

It should come as no surprise that a film with such gorgeous production values is accompanied by a similarly lavish book. The book opens with the obligatory empty introduction by director Rob Marshall (whose thanks to screenwriter Robin Swicord gallingly comes after those to various costume, hair, and make-up designers), a brief seal of approval from novelist Arthur Golden, and a few background notes on geishas. The heart of the book is 80+ pages of stunning color still photos by David James--amazing work by someone with 30 years experiece. These are followed by forty pages of what are basically gussied up production notes about makeup, costumes, sets, etc. A beautiful coffee-table book for fans of the film.