They all look the same...

Stephen Cremin asianfilmlibrary
Mon Aug 30 04:32:50 EDT 2004


As already mentioned, it's clearly a commercial decision.  If the 
producers thought that this would lead to a boycott in a market as big 
as Japan, they might think twice.  Isn't there any pressure for 
Watanabe, Yakusho and Kudo to pull out?  Have any big names refused to 
be cast?  There were some reports of Koyuki being in the film; any 
truth to that?

Some of the blame for the casting of foreigners has to go to the 
Japanese film industry.  Why don't Japanese actresses have better name 
recognition overseas?  Answers aren't simple, but why aren't films 
being made that have more international potential?, why isn't the 
potential of current Japanese film being realised in overseas markets?, 
why is so difficult for distributors and festivals to bring actresses 
for promotion?, etc.

Take Taiwan as an example.  So far this year about ten Japanese films 
have been released in Taipei.  Of these, only POKEMON, DETECTIVE CONAN 
and ONE MISSED CALL made over US$100,000 at the box office in the 
capital.  CALL was the only film with a Hollywood-style release, in 
eighteen theatres, with a Hollywood-style gross of US$600,000+. 
TWILIGHT SAMURAI and RED MOON opened on just one screen.  ZATOICHI and 
YIN-YANG MASTER made just over US$50,000 each.

So, does that mean that Shibasaki Ko, the star of ONE MISSED CALL, is a 
name here?  A big enough name to sell MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA?  I don't 
think so, even if the release of her music CD did get a fare bit of 
press coverage and success.  She's never been here for promotion.  
Despite successful festival screenings, no local distributors could 
agree on a price for GO or BATTLE ROYALE so neither were released.  Her 
only other films here were YOMIGAERI and TOKYO RAIDERS and I don't 
think she's even officially credited on either.  (Similar analysis 
applies to Kubozuka Yosuke.  Only his first feature, TOMIE: REPLAY, was 
released.)

And Taiwan is so near to Japan.  Despite/because of the colonial 
history, Taiwan is overflowing with Japanese cultural influence.  If 
anybody on this list wants to live in Japan but can't afford the rent, 
then Taiwan is probably the second best place in the world to live.  
There must be more Mosburger restaurants here per capita than Japan; 
over 50 at last count.  And you can legally buy complete TV drama 
series on DVD for US$15.  (But only if they're TBS, because no other 
station will license their product at a realistic price, largely 
because of the demands of actor agencies.)

I spent a lot of time with the Taiwanese distributors in Cannes this 
year.  And I think only one of them even met with Japanese sales 
agents.  And he bought a lot - QUILL, a package of five Iwai Shunji 
films, etc - and they'll be hitting theatres later this year.  Another 
distributor picked up NOBODY KNOWS from its French sales agent, 
Celluloid Dreams.  The older distributors - Long Shong, Scholar, Spring 
- didn't come to Cannes, but they might have picked up films over the 
telephone.  But when it comes down to it, one of the reasons ONE MISSED 
CALL made so much money in Taiwan is that it was distributed by UIP, a 
"major".

The weekend's box office results have just arrived.  In some 
consolation, omnibus THREE...EXTREMES, with a section by Miike Takashi, 
took US$130,000 this weekend.  But the audience I saw it with last 
night only went crazy for the Korean section by OLD BOY director Park 
Chan-wook.  Two other Korean films were on release.  WINDSTRUCK took 
US$45,000 and even FACE took a little under US$30,000.  These two films 
don't represent the best of Korean cinema, but both have a chance of 
recouping their distributors money.

Stephen




On Aug 30, 2004, at 1:02 PM, mark schilling wrote:

> The casting director for "Memoirs" told me that the decision to use 
> the Chinese actresses was?mainly box office calculation -- they are 
> among the few Asian names the American audience knows. They have also 
> demonstrated their ability to handle English -- essential for an 
> all-English?project like this.?
> ?
> In addition to Watanabe, Yakusho Koji and Kudo Yuki have been 
> cast,?which may make the film more acceptable to the Japanese 
> audience. Also, she quite likes what she has seen of Marshall, saying 
> that he is?enthusiastic and sincere.?
> ?
> One problem is that, even with the best dialogue coaching, the Chinese 
> are probably going to sound "off" to anyone who knows what a real 
> Japanese accent?sound like.?This may?matter?more to Japanophiles than 
> the multiplex masses, though.
> ?
> More seriously, the Japanese industry people I have spoken with about 
> the film are angry and disappointed that so many of the? geisha roles 
> are?going to foreigners. "It's an insult, really," one told 
> me.?It's?somewhat like a Japanese producer casting?Jean Reno as a 
> cowboy, thinking that no one is going to object in?the?target market 
> -- Japan. Americans might, however -- especially?if the cowboy is 
> supposed to be an All-American?Clint Eastwood type.
> ?
> And what is more All-Japanese than a geisha??
> ?
> In other words, the "Memoirs"?people are asking for commercial 
> disappointment, if not disaster, in Japan. After "The Last Samurai" 
> grossed $127 million here -- more than it earned in the States -- 
> casting Japanese stars in Japanese roles you would think that 
> Hollywood might have learned something. Guess not -- the wheel is 
> still being re-invented as we speak.
> ?
> Mark Schilling??
> ?
> ?
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: JAG
> To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
> Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 2:30 PM
> Subject: Re: They all look the same...
>
> I wouldn't give up hope that there might be something of interest 
> besides the sideshow.
>
> A Kyoto friend who's becoming something of an expert on geisha, spent 
> about a week in July helping Rob Marshall and a small crew scout Kyoto 
> locations and somebody from the art department buy properties (hair 
> ornaments, jewelry, etc). My friend said he was especially struck by 
> the 'eye' of the buyer and the command Marshall had over his crew, 
> seemingly largely due to his earnestness.
>
> He also said that the plan is to only shoot in Kyoto for about two 
> weeks some time around November.
>
> It is sad that so many of the Japanese roles are not being played by 
> Japanese. I would be interested to hear other members' speculation why 
> this is so. Is it just name recognition?
>
> Anyone care to offer their propositions for Japanese actors to fill 
> the roles?
>
> John
>
> Update on myself: Last year I learned of the list while getting an MA 
> in Film Studies in Dublin. (Thanks again to all who helped in my 
> reseach.) I'm now teaching mainly eikaiwa at Kyoto area universities, 
> trying to do more with Film Studies and hoping to at least dabble in 
> production. (Until I fill out my schedule, I'm also putting the 
> experience gained in Ireland to good use, working in an Irish Pub in 
> Gion, through which many interesting characters pass. Stop in if 
> you're in town and I'll pull you a pint.)
>
>
> On Aug 29, 2004, at 7:49 PM, Mark Mays wrote:
>
>
> Yeah, did you expect any more from them? On the other hand, maybe some 
> great controversy will erupt from it all and provide some interesting 
> side show.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Mark Nornes
> To: KineJapan
> Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2004 7:40 PM
> Subject: They all look the same...
>
> A few years ago, Spielberg was interviewed in the midst of 
> preproduction for Memoirs of a Geisha. The reporter describes costume 
> designs for the film's kimono spread out over a table, and admires all 
> the elaborate images of dragons decorating the costumes. Ever since 
> that moment, I've been looking forward to how cheesy the final film 
> would be. Looks like I won't be disappointed. The dragon motifs 
> foreshadowed the casting: Watanabe Ken will be joined by Zhang Ziyi, 
> Michelle Yeoh, and Li Gong.
>
> Markus
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