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Now first look behind the scenes of a new movie " Memoirs of a Geisha" based on the best-selling novel. It's the fictional life story of one of the most exotic and mysterious women in Japanese culture. Our national correspondent, Jamie Gangel, sat down with two of the movie stars.
Visually stunning and emotionally intense, 'Memoirs of a Geisha' takes place in pre-World War II Japan and tells the story of Siyori, played by Ziyi, Zhang, who is sold as a child to a geisha house. Then with the help of the most prominent geisha, played by Michelle Yeoh, Siyori is transformed and discovers the secrets and the pain of geisha life.
The word geisha part of it means art. In addition to the dancing, the singing, the music, there is a side that people believe is about sex.
The geisha world is a very mysterious world. They did not choose to become geishas. They are chosen. And yes, there is the sex involved. That is the only time when the geisha can say yes or no.
You two went to geisha boot camp, in effect? How hard was it to learn to be geisha?
Tell them about your dancing.
I am thinking about those very tall shoes. I have to say when that scene started I got nervous for you.
We all did.
Was it hard?
Yeah. I remembered the first time when I saw them, I, you know, they told me that I have to dance in them, I just, I don't think it's possible.
Did you fall?
Yes, many times.
In fact the two actresses only had six weeks to learn what geishas spend a lifetime perfecting.
We have what we call, affectionately we call the seven rooms of torture. There was a room where you learn how to pour tea and sakei. Then there was a room where we learn how to walk how to kneel how to bow. The walking process we would put a slip of paper between our knees. And then when you graduate, you must glide across the room with a slip of paper and a bottle of sakei.
Could you do it?
Of course. Now walk.
You are a magnificent geisha.
It is a very painful story. Was it as hard to act as it is to watch?
I think for each of us, there were different levels of the pain. They dedicate their lives to the perfection of music, to dance. Because they are working pieces of art, and you do not love, you do not marry, and you do not have children.
Yeoh and Zhang have worked together before, in the popular martial arts film "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon".
From a difficult point of view, is it harder to do the big action or is it harder to do the little one?
Little one.
You know, because you have to pay all your intention to those small subtle gestures.
Those nuances are what make the story, which is told in the voice of a Japanese woman: 'I certainly wasn't born to the life of a geisha. '
But what 's surprised to many is that the author of "Memoirs of a Geisha" is a 48-year-old American man from Tennessee.
I just couldn't believe that an American guy who wrote this such beautiful story about a geisha's life. How could he know?
Did you feel, Michelle, that it was realistic?
I didn't care because it takes you away from what we have or what we are facing every day, like, that's what movies are for me. I get transported to a magical world.
For Today, Jamie Gangel. NBC N ews,New York.
That's beautiful. I love the book. (Yeah. ) 'Memoirs of a Geisha' opens in select theaters tomorrow. |