Memoirs Of A Geisha Movie Essay

In filmmaking and storytelling, a common saying is that “a story is only as good as its antagonist”--and a good film will not only tell the story of its hero, but also its villain. In Memoirs of a Geisha, Hatsumomo (as a character) plays a large importance in Sayuri’s career, from the beginning at the okiya as a maid to the end of Hatsumomo’s own career. The passage where Hatsumomo confronts Sayuri and Mameha for following her (pg. 324-325) would not only translate well to film, but is also vital to the story. The scene’s simplicity demonstrates a turning point in Sayuri’s career where she gains more power in the geisha community without an antagonist at her heels. In addition, this scene addresses the formal downfall of Hatsumomo’s career and the beginning of the end to her …show more content…
Then, the scene immediately cuts to people overlooking on the geisha with worry. Even though they are deep inside the alley, she’s shown in the light of the street, showing that the people have noticed her and her true “wickedness” has been revealed to the public. The lightning in this scene would play off of the dark outdoor alleyway, and would be strategically placed to show the transformed hierarchy between the characters through the casting of dark/light shadows. This placement of the actors would play off of their heights and shape language to create triangles, signaling something dangerous is to come. When onlookers come to check on Mameha, viewers will get the sense (though the actress’s acting) that Mameha is about to tear Hatsumomo down. A low angled shot combined with high key lighting portrays Mameha as slightly villain like, as it’s clear that she is the antagonist of Hatsumomo’ story. Her craftiness and intelligence are exemplified through her one