Memoirs of a geisha

Memoirs of a geisha is a film adaptation of a historical novel of the same name written by Arthur Golden

Memoirs of a geisha is a romantic drama directed by Rob Marshall. The film is set in Kyoto, Japan and narrates the story of a young girl who is sold to a Geisha house to serve as a maid but her beauty is recognized and she goes on to become the most celebrated Geisha of Japan.

Through Sayuri the film highlights the journey of a young girl from being a maid to becoming a renowned geisha, trials and troubles of a geisha, the life of luxury and splendor and her plight as a beautiful and lovable woman never really allowed to live a life of her own. The film reveals many ancient geisha customs like selling of mizuage and taking a danna. The film also features some exotic geisha practices like musicianship, dances and tea ceremonies.

The film opens in remote Japanese village in 1929 where 2 young girls, Chiyo and Satsu are sold by their father. Chiyo is taken in by the proprietress of a geisha where she becomes a maid to Hatsumomo, a cold, controlling, and calculating geisha who is instantly jealous of Chiyo's unusual, beautiful eyes and childish innocence. Chiyo is befriended by Pumpkin, another maid at the Geisha house. One day on the street, the young Chiyo is noticed by the Chairman who buys her an iced sorbet. Inspired by his act of kindness, Chiyo resolves to become a geisha so that she may one day become a part of the Chairman’s life.

The story revolves around the struggles of Chiyo, of how she is taken under the wings of Mameha and becomes Sayuri, one of the most celebrated Geisha’s of Japan.

The film takes a dramatic turn with the Second World War deglaming the geishas. Sayuri is saved by Nobu, The chairman’s partner and friend, who admire Sayuri, Owing her life to Nobu, she is in a dilemma when he offers her to become her patron.

Will Sayuri accept Nobu’s offer, will she sacrifice her love like every other geisha or will she be allowed to follow her heart and be with her beloved chairman.

The film is peppered with displays of emotions like kindness, gratitude and affection  and acts of jealousy, revenge, anger and frustration.

Ziyi Zhang is outstanding as Sayuri, who stands up to the oppressive Hatsumomo (the effervescent Gong Li), while Michelle Yeoh is simply splendid as the wise and elegant Mameha.

The film has a very surreal feel and the director has created a very beautiful, opulent yet heartbreaking world of geisha for the viewers. The film has some breathtaking costumes and makeup and has won an academy award for best costume. It has also won the academy for best cinematography and best art direction.

In my opinion it is one of the few book adaptations that does complete justice to the book.

Perfume – The Story Of A Murderer

He lived to find beauty. He killed to possess it.

I am talking about the 2006 German Drama film, Perfume – the story of a murderer, an adaptation from the novel of the same name!

The film, directed by Tom Tykwer is set in 18^th century Paris, where Jean Baptist Grenouille, an eccentric with superior olfactory senses creates the worlds finest perfumes. Events take a dark turn when he embarks on a quest to create the ultimate perfume.

The film starts with Jean Baptist Grenouille, a notorious murder, played by Ben Wishhaw, being sentenced to death.

The film then moves into the flashback narrating the life of Grenouille from the time of his birth in Paris stench , his growing up in an orphanage to his servitude in a tannery, to his quest for creating the ultimate perfume.

Grenouille is exposed to many smells when he visits a posh Paris market one day. He focuses on a girl selling plum and is very fascinated by it. He suffocates her to death when he tries to stop her from screaming. Grenouille realizes the smell of the girl’s body fades away when she dies. Hence starts Grenouille’s obsession to learn to preserve scent forever.

Grenouille convinces Baldini, a celebrated perfumer, to teach him to preserve scents; in turn he creates several new perfumes for Baldini. When Grenouille realizes that Baldini’s method cannot preserve scents of all objects he is devastated and moves to Grasse, to leave advanced perfumery methods.

En route Grasse he realizes that he doesn’t have a smell of his own, and hence he embarks on a new quest, to create the world’s most unique perfume to prove his worth.

He learns to preserve the scent of humans by covering them with animal fat and then distilling it. But in order to do that he has to kill the human. And to create the ultimate perfume he has to extract scent of 13 beautiful young women.

Grenouille embarks on a killing spree killing young beautiful women dumping their naked corpse thought out the town creating havoc and chaos.

Grenouille selects Laura for his 13^th scent, but her father, played by Alan Rickman, realizes the danger and takes her to a secluded country side inn. But Grenouille tracks down her scent and kills her and complete his perfume.

The film moves to the present where jean Baptist Grenouille is being taken for execution. He applies a drop of the perfume on himself. The executioner and the crowd in attendance are overwhelmed by the beauty of the perfume. They declare Grenouille innocent before falling into an orgy.

The final scene, more gruesome than the murders, is at the birth place of Grenouille, where he pours his perfume on himself and is then Devoured by the people.

The actor Whishaw who plays Grenouille, has done a very good job. Grenouille is an ambivalent character and you never know whether to love him for his genius talent or to hate him for his cruel murders. Whishaw's half-crazy, scary gaze sure runs a shiver down my spine.

Dustin Hoffman as old and unsuccessful perfumer Baldini was very convincing, and Alan Rickman plays the single protective father with flair.

Though you can't actually smell all the scents and odors, The director, with the images and the music allows you to experience the atmosphere and the feelings of Grenouille.

You may not savor it but you will not stop watching it, in horror and fascination. Perfume – the story disgusts but keeps you glued to the screen wanting you to punish Grenouille for his savagery and also hoping he is freed.