Orientalism in The Memories of a Geisha

Geisha has been indicated as one of what Said called ’orientalism’ by depicting ‘Orient’ or nation or cultures that is seen as inferior to west as sexually exploitable female such as harem and geisha. For example of representing orietalism in Hollywood movie, I want to write about ‘Memories of a Geisha’.(2005)

　Ken Watanabe, Japanese actor who acted Chairman and patron of heroin, said that he didn’t correct lots of misunderstandings about Japanese culture and Geisha because he knew it was a kind of fantastic film in his interview.

Indeed, The memories of a Geisha did not have such a misinterpret or deformation of Japan like Kill Bill as an entertainment, but still it was western film even everything in story was related to Japan. It was not because they acted in English or there were slight difference such as hairstyle of Geisha, but it was because it was Hollywood movie and it was for western audiences. The most significant thing was actors’ small actions when they move. Their movement was bit rough, and occasionally we can see their arm or leg from Kimono. In Japan, there is a proverb which means ‘The less said about it the better’. It includes means that Japanese culture tends to find value in things that is out of sight, thus it can be said same thing in Japanese definition of ‘beauty’ or ‘sexy’ of female. This characteristic of Japanese to value silence rather than declamation has been criticized even from inside Japan because of inadequacy toward internationalization, but it is still a significant particularity of Japan and it might be a big defect of the film that can’t depict cultures made root in the nation in even the small action when they try to represent foreign country. However, in today’s system of Hollywood, it is almost impossible to appoint local actors who are minor in the world. This system, which is compulsory for actors who want to appear Hollywood movie to belong to The Screen Acrtors Guild in States and gain rank which is suitable for each film’s budget, realize me that Hollywood movies are films by west and for west after all. And it also seems that every film depict foreign country going to be a fantasy film and counted suits to the notion of ‘Orientalism’ .