Your logic is faulty, yvette. Children were sold into slavery at a young age ...

Someone's logic isn't faulty simply because they're drawing other conclusions. I see money changing hands and that sex is part of the job of being a geisha. I find the topic disturbing. This is just not going to be a movie that I can wrap my mind around. I'm sorry. You can't beat someone up for not wanting to see a movie or their reasons why they don't want to see a movie. I tried to watch it. It's not my schtick.

You know, for a thread in which we are supposed to be praising Ted Levine and how much we admire him, it has become over wrought with arguing and bickering and people taking offense to each other. Now I remember why I dislike most message boards. Can we stay on topic??

I am not trying to insult you or japanese culture or anyone's sensibilities but I find some subject matter upsetting. I've just seen too many disturbing things in my life and I am very careful about what I choose to watch, and I said, I did try to watch this movie. I watch movies with violence and sexual content--it depends on the context. I know by now what things get me upset and what things don't. Think of it this way: when someone's suicidal, the first thing they do is go through their house and remove all the kitchen knives, pill bottles, and sharp objects. rofl. I just know what I can handle and what will get me upset and since I had a real problem with what I saw in the beginning of the movie, I thought it unwise for me to try finishing the movie. I wasn't always like this. I've just seen far too many disturbing things for me to be able to look at everything as objectively as I used to.

I wasn't beating you up for not wanting to see the movie. But true Geisha are not prostitutes.

It's difficult to tell someone's tone on a message board--that can be good and that can be bad, but I think our discussion didn't warrant telling someone their logic is faulty. That's how fights get started. I was hoping you didn't think anything I said was an affront to japanese culture. I'm a real die-hard PBSer and I've seen programs on geishas, but my brain processes the information the same and arrives at the same conclusion. There have to be parallels or it wouldn't be such a popular "misconception." Let's just say I'm wondering what I'm going to be seeing in the movie if I leave it on. Let me know. I had borrowed the movie from a friend but they have it down at my library too. For you, I'll give it another shot. I'll ask you outright--am I going to be seeing anything with adults and minors in what I would consider an inappropriate context? I heard the actual sexual content in the movie is minimal--that's not what I'm talking about. I have a real problem with violence or sexual content involving children. Let me know.

The purpose of the thread isn't to praise Ted Levine--it's to discuss his movies. There have been a couple arguments--we have to disagree with each other without insulting each other or making personal statements. We have to keep our comments on the films. We also can't discuss anything in graphic detail on subject matter that is inappropriate for a family website's message board.

We are all going to like some movies and not like others. If the thread washes out to another of just a series of rah-rah posts, it will be sad and unfortunate. We're discussing another of Ted's films, which means we're still on topic. Thank you for your concern--I hate fights and bickering too, but I'd like to see the "difference of opinion and ability to express them" thing to continue. It makes it a rich, lively thread with a lot of constructive, honest information it it.

All right then................. How about that Ted Levine guy, isnt he a terriffic actor
All the Monk cast is great, I love that show !!


Behind every great man is a woman rolling hers eyes !

ROFL!! Thanks captain! I wasn't sure if it was getting tense in here again.

THANK YOU for getting this thread back on topic.

We've been discussing Ted's movie Memoirs of a Geisha, so we haven't gone off-topic just yet....

You are very welcome indeed It is easy to get off track sometimes and dicussions are a good thing, have have learned a lot about Ted and his movies here . Thank You All.


Stot : Dont soil your pants , if you do your on your own.

I've seen the movie, and nothing of that sort happens in it. Nada. Zippo. Geisha was a true art form which in the wake of WWII, became something else but in wartime, people do what they have to in order to survive.

Ted's character in the movie is what I would call "the Ugly American".

Yeah, and he's kinda easy on the eyes too.

No, you don't see anything outright. I asked a co-worker what she thought since she liked the movie and she agrees. I cannot stand to watch anything bad happen to children in movies myself and this film didn't bother me in the least with respect to that issue.

But it's not sexual. I found a lot of the movie hard to stay focuised on too, but I did get that much out of it, that these girls aren't prostitutes. They go into it at such an early age because they have so much to learn, they are train in all sorts of cultural arts. You don't have to be trained to lie on your back. These girls have to learb things like how to be graceful and walk in very constrictive clothing, how to behave (we call it ettiquette but their;s is a lot stricter and more complex but also more graceful) they learn music, calligraphy and all sorts of difficult things that have nothing to do with sex.

I didn't watch the whole movie, partly because the DVD was scratched (I rented it, that's why I don't usually rent them) but I saw no sexual content involving minors, and barely any sexual content involving adults. I saw an older girl who pissed me off being mean to a younger girl, and a lot of stuff I didn't understand because I don't know as much as I should about the Japanese culture I guess, and I really enjoyed the bonus content about what being a geisha requires in the way of education and training, but no minors involved in anything sexual.

And the reason that there is a common misconception about Geisha being prostitutes isn't because there are parallels, it's because the art of the Geisha was something that was closely guarded and not shared, especially among Westerners, and the most common western mindset seems to be if it's something people don't want to discuss it must involve shame and sex. Which is really not true considering how many people are willing to keep talk shows on the air by airing their dirty laundry. It's similar to how the Samurai were secretive and elite, except because they were men, the common Western notion is that they must have been cool and honorable, while anything that involves women and isn't spoken openly about, it must be something dirty.

I don't want to seem unfair but it's widely documented that many geishas slept with their "dannas." That's the parallel. Since the dannas hired them, you have an exchange of money but sometimes protection, gifts, services, or some other bartered item. Based on everything you said about the movie, I am going to give it another shot. I do read viewers' comments on boards and in netflix to get an idea what some people thought about a flick before I rent or buy it, and one viewer posted "Pleases the eyes, disturbs the mind." That's got me worried. lol. I want to see a film that focuses on the people's lives and the conflicts of the era, rather than on any sexual aspects. It was disturbing that the second daughter is sold off to a brothel but then she's not a focus in the film. I'll give it a shot. Quick, someone--hide the knives. rofl. Just a thought, if I find myself not being able to stick with it again, how far in do I have to go to see Ted's part?

To just about the part where the copy I had was messed up . I did get to see it, but it was a struggle and what I got to see of it, with the jumping and freezing up, it wasn't worth the frustration. But it was closer to the end I believe. And I don't think the other sister was sold to a brothel, I thought she went to another Geisha house. Keep in mind, a lot of people see movies rather than actually watch, the same way that a lot of people see an episode of Monk but they aren't paying enough attention so that they end up with the wrong ideas, or with holes in their information, things they missed, things they have gotten confused and assumptions they made on what they didn't see while they were in the bathroom or getting a snack or just talking to someone else in the room. I'm the kind of person who gets really really angry if I am trying to watch something and I miss even a second of it because someone had to ask me where the Oreos are. I don't watch much TV, or really any movies while anyone else is around just for that reason, I want to see and hear everything and take it all in. When you read those reviews keep in mind that a lot of the people posting probably didn't pay as much attention as they would need to in order to really know what was going on.

As for Geisha's sleeping with their 'dannas', if it is one person, that isn't really prostitution so much as just kind of... not a romance, is one way of putting it. But from what I have read and seen in documentaries, traditionally, Geisha's did not sleep with people for money, protection or any other reason. I suppose they might if they loved them, and there were probably some who did just for the money, protection ect, but as I understood it, traditionally, they did not. Doctors aren't supposed to have affairs with their patients, but they do.

Actually, there is one very prominate "rite of passage" to becoming a full-fledged Geisha (there's a term for the Geisha-in-training that I don't recall at the moment), that is highly sexual in nature. The mizuage is the auctioning off of the Geisha-in-training's virginity to the highest bidder. {{{{sigh}}}} that might sound like sex for sale to some, but to me: it's not. Maybe it's cultural semantics or philosophy.

The Danna is a patron, a sponsor. There can be a physical, sexual and/or romatic relationship between a Danna and the Geisha, but not always.

As far as the movie goes, the final scene with Ted's character and Sayuri (the young, main character Geisha) has been described as "near rape" (which it wasn't, but I've taken up too much room and time on this subject to elaborate further). It's been too long since I saw the movie in the theater to remember when Ted's scenes show up, sorry. I think Liv's right about the scene's being towards the end. My first time in the theater to watch Geisha, I had to go to the restroom and, by the time I got back, I had missed Ted ...

~~ Tami

Okay, God, what do I say here. That just brought me back to my original position. It is impossible to sell your virginity without....uh....um.....wait.... We're in an age when we constantly redefine preexisting words so that something we don't want to fall into a particular category will somehow oooooooze out of that category. I don't want to say the P word again. Um....uh.... and in this country, a danna, by definition, is called a....uh.....er..... There ARE other aspects to geisha, but this one is in there. By webster's definition of...uh.....well, the dreaded P word, any sex in exchange for money is....well...... By that definition, there are a lot of wives out there who...and maybe they only have the one customer, but....

And there's no insult to Japanese culture. This "profession" exists in every country in the world. Where you find human beings, you find.....

I know it's an award-winning movie and there's a real story there--I just gotta pass on this one. I'm going to see something in this movie that's going to depress me to the point of wanting to shoot myself. Sorry people. We all like or dislike what we want, and if we all liked the same movies, every movie would be seen by everyone. Just not my bag of beans. On the upside, I do have Mad City coming to me by way of netflix.

The number of clients doesn't dictate what constitutes prostitution. If money or other barter is exchanged, Websters and MyDictionary.com define that as prostitution. I don't want to get into geishas versus prostitutes outside the scope of this particular movie but many geishas did sleep with the men who hired them--the dannas. And I'm constantly nagged by the question why don't women hire geishas and why aren't there any men geishas? I know the japanese added the whole etiquette, artisan, performance thing, but if sex is in there.....it's the world's oldest profession. I know there are a lot of geisha who never slept with a client--but many of them did. Enough for many many people to still draw the parallel.

I can't say definitively about the sister but the movie's synopsis says after she was "eliminated" in the movie, she was sent to a brothel. I'm going to try to find a better source for that info, particularly on the book rather than the movie.

As I am an American and not Japanese, and only have what little information I could find that is probably not entirely accurate and whole, I am not going to debate this issue with you, I will only say that I will not make assumptions and judge another culture, especially when I know I don't have all the facts. But there are a few things I never want to be, such as closed minded, willfully ignorant, or judgemental, especially about something just because it's not something that originatedin my culture. As you said, a lot of wives only have one customer, they aren't in love with their husbands, but their husbands provide them with money, gifts ect...

Besides, I thought that the worlds oldest profession was stone mason.

Okay, the second oldest profession. But I also don't call people closed minded, willfully ignorant, or judgemental just because they don't agree with me or they're unwilling to redefine a very old, already defined word. Only in today's addled logic can one process "selling virginity" and not come up with the word prostitution. Steeping in culturalism, art, or anything else does not change its core--sex is sold for money. We already know what a prostitute is. We can't PC that word so that no one gets their feelings hurt. I'm just disgussing this movie. I'm not taking pot shots at people who are disagreeing with me. I have seen three documentaries on geisha. I am not ignorant on the subject, only on this movie which I haven't seen. The geisha that sleep with their johns, excuse me--dannas--are prostitutes. Sorry if that upsets anyone. And everyone is judgemental.

Once you resort to personal insults, that's pretty much it. I'm not going to be baited into another mindless argument, especially by someone who can't read and comprehend a dictionary. Closed-minded is someone who cannot tolerate an opinion or a viewpoint that strays from their own. I've tried to get this thread back to talking about Ted's movies three times. That's three people on the ignore list. It's not worth me getting in a twist over.

Again, anyone see Mad City? I have it coming by netflix. They sent it once and the disk was cracked. Waiting for the replacement. Anyone?

Hey, who asked about "Love at Large"? It's funny and fun and Ted plays a man who is living two lives ... worth seeing just to see Ted in jeans ...

This is what Wikipedia has to say. Fascinating stuff!

Geisha and prostitution

"There remains some confusion, even within Japan, about the nature of the geisha profession. Geisha are frequently depicted as expensive prostitutes in Western popular culture. Geisha are entertainers, their purpose being to entertain their customer, be it by reciting verse, playing musical instruments, or engaging in light conversation. Geisha engagements may include flirting with men and playful innuendos; however, clients know that nothing more can be expected. In a social style that is uniquely Japanese, men are amused by the illusion of that which is never to be. Geisha do not engage in paid sex with clients.^[1]

Geisha have sometimes been confused with the high-class courtesans of the Edo period known as oiran, who they actually evolved from. Like geisha, oiran wore elaborate hairstyles and white makeup, but oiran tied their obi in the front not, as is commonly thought, for easy removal but, according to anthropologist Liza Dalby, because that was the practice of married women at the time.

During the Edo period, prostitution was legal. Prostitutes such as the oiran worked within walled-in districts licensed by the government. In the seventeenth century, the oiran sometimes employed men called "geisha" to perform at their parties. Therefore, the first geisha were men. In the late eighteenth century, dancing women called "odoriko" and newly popular female "geisha" began entertaining men at banquets in unlicensed districts. Some were apprehended for illegal prostitution and sent to the licensed quarters, where there was a strict distinction between geisha and prostitutes, and the former were forbidden to sell sex. In contrast, "machi geisha," who worked outside the licensed districts, often engaged in illegal prostitution.^[2]

In 1872, shortly after the Meiji Restoration, the new government passed a law liberating "prostitutes (shôgi) and geisha (geigi)." The wording of this statute was the subject of controversy. Some officials thought that prostitutes and geisha worked at different ends of the same profession -- selling sex -- and that all prostitutes should henceforth be called "geisha." In the end, the government decided to maintain a line between the two groups, arguing that "geisha" were more refined and should not be soiled by association with prostitutes.^[3]

Also, geisha working in onsen towns such as Atami are dubbed onsen geisha. Onsen geisha have been given a bad reputation due to the prevalence of prostitutes in such towns who market themselves as 'geisha', as well as sordid rumors of dance routines like 'Shallow River' (which involves the 'dancers' lifting the skirts of their kimono higher and higher). In contrast to these 'one-night geisha', the true onsen geisha are in fact competent dancers and musicians. However, the autobiography of Sayo Masuda, an onsen geisha who worked in Nagano Prefecture in the 1930's, reveals that in the past such women were often under intense pressure to sell sex. ^[4]

Personal relationships and danna

Geisha are expected to be single women; those who choose to marry must retire from the profession.

It was traditional in the past for established geisha to take a danna, or patron. A danna was typically a wealthy man, sometimes married, who had the means to support the very large expenses related to a geisha's traditional training and other costs. This sometimes occurs today as well, but very rarely.

A geisha and her danna may or may not be in love, but intimacy is never viewed as a reward for the danna's financial support. The traditional conventions and values within such a relationship are very intricate and not well understood, even by many Japanese.

While it is true that a geisha is free to pursue personal relationships with men she meets through her work, such relationships are carefully chosen and unlikely to be casual. A hanamachi tends to be a very tight-knit community and a geisha's good reputation is not taken lightly.

"Geisha girls"

"Geisha girls" (pronounced "gay-sha"), also known as "panpan girls," were Japanese women who worked as prostitutes during the period of the Allied Occupation of Japan. They almost exclusively serviced American GIs stationed in the country. The term is a mispronunciation of the word geisha.^[5][6]. The mispronunciation persists among some westerners.

Adding to the confusion is the fact that these women dressed in kimono and imitated the look of geisha. Americans unfamiliar with the culture of Japan did not know the difference between these costumed prostitutes and actual geisha.^[5] Shortly after their arrival in 1945, occupying American GIs are said to have congregated on the Ginza and shouted in unison "We want geesha girls!" ^[7]

Eventually, the term "geisha girl" became a general word for any female Japanese prostitute or worker in the mizu shobai, and included bar hostesses and streetwalkers.^[5]

Geisha girls are speculated by researchers to be largely responsible for the continuing misconception in the West that geisha are prostitutes.^[5]"

I want to thank you yvette88, for speaking up and voicing your strong opinion on the sexual exploitation of children worldwide. It is wrong no matter what country or culture it occurs. As in this movie, it is the poor and the desperate that are exploited and victimized. This movie Memoirs of a Geisha reminds me of a japanese cultural version of Pretty Baby starring Brooke Shields. Arthur Golden's novel Memoirs of a Geisha was chosen as part of Oprah's book club and was aimed squarely to appeal to the American masses. One of the reason's I didn't choose to read it. The character of Chiyo (or Sayuri) was based on the real life of Mineko Iwasaki once Japan's #1 geisha until she retired suddenly at age 29. She was offended by the portrayal of geishas as prostitutes in the book and claims that there was no such auctioning off of a geisha's virginity to the highest bidder as told in the novel and in the movie. Mineko Iwasaki sued for breach of contract and defamation of character when the author Golden revealed her real name (another betrayal in her turbulent life) and settled her law suit for an undisclosed amount out of court.

In the movie Memoirs of a Geisha, Chiyo is sold into indentured servitude (slavery) by her desperately poor father to the owner's of the geisha house. She is chosen for her innocent beauty and striking blue eyes the color of water. Her brown eyed sister is sold instead to a brothel to work as a child prostitute because only beautiful children need apply at the geisha house. At 15 years old Chiyo now Sayura's virginity is auctioned off for a record sum in Japan (an oxymoran since geisha's claim not to be prostitutes). The japanese word geisha means "artist" and geishas are meant to be "walking works of art". They were considered very fortunate to be trained in a number of traditional skills such as Japanese ancient dance, singing, playing instruments such as the shaminsin, flower arrangement, wearing kimono, tea ceremony, calligraphy, alcohol serving and conversation. Some geisha did have intimate relationships with the affluent men. The men would become the geisha's patrons. Until quite recently, nearly all marriages in Japan were arranged ones. Under this system, a japanese man of means would have two women in his life, his wife and "his loved one" It was considered normal for a wealthy and powerful men to have liasons with geisha. Geishas are part of the service industry, in the service of pleasing men. It is part of a long history of female subordination, servitude, and objectification. Colonel Derricks (Ted Levine) is also confused about whether a geisha is a prostitute when he asks what the protocol is in arranging a booty call. Sayura informs him she's out of his league and but he doesn't get the message. Ted Levine is definitely not eye candy in Memoirs of a Geisha. Middle age men with comb over toupees in japanese robes forcing their will on little japanese girls are never going to be sexy to me. Ted Levine's on screen time is pretty short so if you blink (or use the bathroom) you might miss it. The costumes and visuals are beautiful though and worth a viewing despite the Jackie Collins soap opera (again) Showgirls rivalry between all the women in movie.

I rented and watched Love at large a while back and can only remember that Ted Levine plays a polygamist rancher in a cowboy hat (yes,I do remember the hat) who is mistaken by a private eye for someone else. Thats all I can remember and I don't remember anyone sexy in jeans. I wouldn't call Love at Large unforgetable because I already forgot it. Anyone seen Ali. Is it worth watching? Does Ted Levine have a large role in it? I think I'm going to Netflix it for next week.

Ali ~~ no, Ted's role isn't large at all. I think the movie itself is worth watching on its own merits, though ...

You missed the point of that entire scene: Col. Derricks did not "force his will" on Sayuri. I mentioned before that this scene has been described as "near rape". It is not "near rape". Sayuri got just what she planned from Derricks (this was a Japanese character in the novel). What she didn't plan for was to have the Chairman, rather than her prospective Danna (whom she did not want as her Danna), walk in on her while she was with Derricks.

I was impressed by Ted's portrayal of the character.

Hey All !! It was me that asked about Love At Large , thanks for the reply. I saw Mad City a couple of weeks ago, Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta are the main characters, I believe Ted was a Stot like cop that was trying to negotiate with the John character if I remember right.
I dont see Monk on USA this afternoon darn the luck !

OK, my curiosity got the best of me and I went out to rent the "Memoirs" movie. The clerk said her whole family loved it. I also looked for Love At Large ,Bullet, Betrayed and Heat , of course they didnt have any of them and I thought Heat was still popular. Of course they had every other movie under the sun ! Yáll take care, catch ya later !!

Very true. Sayuri manipulated the situation with Col. Derricks.

Oh, and Ted does a good Ugly American, especially when he cracked a line about "marriage".

I just watched the Geisha movie and it wasnt as bad as I thought it would be, it was actually kind of interesting and I plan on watching it again more throughly. I thought Ted looked pretty good in uniform ! The movie you were talking about , Ali , is that the one with Will Smith as the boxer Ali ? Never saw that one either but my husband liked Muhammad Ali , soooo if Teds in it I will rent it.



I will see you cats and kittens later !!

An uncracked edition of Mad City arrived in my mailbox today and it's loaded in the DVR--I'm just 10 minutes into it. I recognize now that I saw parts of this movie a while back and liked what I saw. For the life of me, I can't remember seeing Ted in it so I must have caught scenes he wasn't in. I hate Travolta but I love Alan Alda and Dustin Hoffman. Travolta's been in one or two things that didn't annoy me. lol. I think this movie was one of them. Bastard got to meet Cagney in real life too. I'll always hold that against him. lol

Oh, and to John Travolta: Elvis called. He wants his sideburns back. rofl.


Added: Ted sans glue once again--G damn, that's a sharp looking man! As an actor, he'll look different from movie to movie, depending on what they want his particular character to look like, but I love it when they leave his core appearance alone. He's one of those actors you don't have to do too much with, appearance-wise. Powder him up a little so he doesn't wash out in all the lighting, wind him up, and turn him loose. I'm smiling really really big right now.

Added: Only about half way into it and I'm going to have to watch it a few more times but Mad City's a "go." Wish Alan and Ted played bigger parts in it but Dustin's a big draw for me in this one. Good movie. Worth checking out. Add your two cents if you've seen it as well and want to comment on it or disagree with what I've said. Ted's in a suit and glasses right now. I feel like a waterhead commenting on his appearance when I should stick to the movie and his acting but...we like. We like a lot.

Added: Dustin Hoffman is so adorable. He looks at Chief Alvin Lemke (Ted) and says "....most famous cop in the United States of America. When I see you on television in sun glasses, you look so sexy."

According to Ted's imdb page, Ted has a role (uncredited as the Warden) in Shutter Island (based on the novel by Dennis Lehane, who wrote "Mystic River"). Directed by Martin Scorsese. I read and loved "Mystic River"; I could not, at all, get into "Shutter Island" (and I still have never finished "... Jesse James")!

LINK TO imdb page for "Shutter Island"

~~ Tami

[quote name='4thecaptain' date='Jun 6 2008, 02:44 PM' post='868728']
I just watched the Geisha movie and it wasnt as bad as I thought it would be, it was actually kind of interesting and I plan on watching it again more throughly. I thought Ted looked pretty good in uniform ! The movie you were talking about , Ali , is that the one with Will Smith as the boxer Ali ? Never saw that one either but my husband liked Muhammad Ali , soooo if Teds in it I will rent it.



I will see you cats and kittens later !!

I watched the movie Ali but don't remember Ted in it. I'll have to watch it again and look for him. What part does he play in the movie? I also watched Memoirs of a Geisha and i agree with you Ted Levine plays a very believable "ugly american" . My husband pointed out to me that Ted Levine always seems to play alot of police officers,military men, and cowboy sheriffs. Alot of captains and Colonels. He must like being in uniform. Does he come from a military or police back ground? My husband who's a hunter believes he just likes carrying a gun or being in charge. Maybe in real life his wife or his mother won't let him have one! LOL! On a side note i wouldn't mind seeing Ted Levine or John McCain in a speedo bathing suit. Anyone got any pictures laying around they wouldn't mind sharing? Maybe an idea for next season on Monk. A girl can dream can't she?

I just can't seem to finish a movie without having to get up and run an errand. lol. I'm going to go 7 on Mad City. Good movie.

Added: I'd be curious to know what Ted thought about acting with Dustin Hoffman. Anyone know if that was a question on his Monk interview? I saw part of it before my connection crapped out but I assume most were Monk-related questions. I'd love to know, though.

um...uncomfortable silence.....I don't know how to respond.......I, too am not a fan of guns or of speedo bathing suits! Are these still made? Why John McCain? Well it's a great big world and everyone has different taste in everything under the sun so who's to judge. I haven't seen Ali, probably I'll receive it in the mail next week. I will report back on it then. I have no idea if Ted Levine's ever been in the military but I'm sure someone here will be able to tell ya!

Um, John McCain in a speedo. Damn. I'm just never gonna get that image out of my head now. Quick, someone fuse my retinas.

Ted Levine in a Speedo...priceless!

John McCain in a Speedo...speechless!

I don't know about military or police, but both of his parents were doctors.

I've been wanting to say this for a while now: I did not find Ted's character (Col. Derricks) at all rude. Brash and a stereotypical American Army officer, yes. But "rude"? No. Col. Derricks operated under the misconception that Geisha are prostitutes, but I didn't find him rude.

Speedo's ? You people sure keep this interesting, thats why I love coming here every day that I can Love it !!! OK, so the other night I am channel surfing before going to sleep and what do I see but Ted in SOTL !! It was right when the Jodie character finds him at the house and the FBI guys are going to a different house I guess, anyway I didnt think it looked like Ted at all but could tell by the voice and eyes it was. Is there anyway anyone could put up pics of the SOLTL Ted and the Ted now as a kind before and after comparison ? That was all I saw of the movie just that little bit, must have dozed off. I am going to have to rent it now. I must say though that I prefer Ted the way he is now.
Talk to you all later, must go pay bills, YUK !!

Your wish is my command! (No, sorry, I won't pay your bills! )

Thanks, Tami, I knew you'd have the pics of "our" Ted.
I didn't know who the heck Ted Levine was when I saw SOTL the first time, but I know I thought that whoever that actor was, he was pretty darn good to make me believe he actually was that evil. When I discovered Monk, and the delicious TL, I was shocked, I tell you, shocked that that cuddly bear of a man was the same person who'd been in SOTL. That was when I bowed to the greatness of his acting range. Seems there's so many actors out there who play the same person over and over, just in different clothing and locations. So far, I've not seen that in any of the main characters on Monk, nor in John Turturro, or our beloved SK. The producers of Monk certainly picked top quality people when they cast the show.

Meme

Thanks so much Tami !!!! I am not computer savvy enough to know how to do it myself. Monk fans are the GREATEST !!!!

" Mother of Mary , what happened to you ? "

The fact that so many people didn't recognize him from SOTL shows just how great an actor he is. The first time my mother watched Monk she said, who is that guy, I've seen him in something else. And when I said SOTL she sat there for a second and then was like, OMG that's him!! LOL I've said it before - his Buffalo Bill character was absolutely terrifying, way more disturbing to me than Hannibal Lecter.

I agree with you Tami. I had never seen the Geisha movie before and was expecting something terrible to happen. I thought it to be a very interesting movie and would like to watch it again when I have time to give it my full attention .

You're very welcome, meme & captain!



If you have the DVD that has the Director's (Rob Marshall) commentary, I recommend it. It's best if you've seen the movie a couple of times and have the subtitles on. He does make a comment about Ted and his acting ~~ and, of course, that "Most people would know him from The Silence of the Lambs..."

BTW, I've written a dissertation on a certain topic ... I’ve put it in a spoiler space so you can ignore it if you want …