Geisha

Two and one-half hours spent in a world of gorgeous cinematography, sometimes lush settings, and beautiful girls – that was my visit to “Memoirs of a Geisha”.

Before the movie started, I sat in the theater checking out the demographics of the viewing public. Most likely one is not supposed to do that, but I am used to going to movies at noon or so and being practically alone in the theater. Of course, this is the holiday season, so more people go to the movies, but at 1:00 P.M. today, the theater was rapidly filling up with other people just like me who were there to see this movie at its first screening in our cinemaplex. The place was crowded.

Asian girls and young women with many countries as part of their heritage, flocked in as groups. African Americans made up a decent share of the audience, along with Mexican young couples. Older women were also a part of the audience. Of course, there was a large percentage of women in the theater, but there were also lots of men along to see this new movie.

As I stated earlier, I am used to going to the theater basically alone, so I was in fear of being bothered by the noise of such a large crowd, but there was none. This movie is so mesmerizing, that I do not remember hearing anything from the audience, except for the occasional intake of a collective breath when there was a particularly poignant moment.

I loved the movie, but I am not writing this as a review. That has already been done. I am writing about an experience, that of sharing this lovely movie with a large and very appreciative crowd, one with an all-encompassing cultural make-up. A lot of us sat there with tears running down our faces or in our eyes – the two Black ladies on one side of me, and the two Asian older women on the other side. We all loved it, and the audience applauded at the end of the movie.

The theater I usually patronize is a Century 16, but they don’t always get the very good art movies. I was not totally expecting Memoirs to be screened there, and one of the clerks in the post office told me today she didn’t think it would be there either. I have had to go to Berkeley this year a few times to view the excellent movies that Century feels will not draw a crowd.

Go see it!