Rob Marshall
Rob Marshall
Rob Marshallis an American theater director, film director and choreographer. His most noted work is the 2002 Academy Award for Best Picture winner Chicago, for which he won a Directors Guild of America Award, as well as Academy Award, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for Best Director. A five-time Tony Award nominee, he also won a Primetime Emmy Award for his choreography in the TV movie Annie...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionDirector
Date of Birth17 October 1960
CityMadison, WI
CountryUnited States of America
It was very scary to take on a novel that was so loved by so many.
It was wonderful and scary at the same time,
I wanted a fictional impression of a world as opposed to a documentary vision, which gave me the license to break rules,
We ended up building a little Japan with cobblestone streets, bridges, a river, period buildings and antique props in Ventura, ... For the final scenes, we filmed in Kyoto temples that had never allowed filming before. But all throughout, we have tried to pay great respect to Japanese culture. I found the story very daunting to tell, as an American. I especially wanted to honor the profession because a lot of people in the West still don't know what geishas really are. The challenge for me was to bring a beautiful fable to life, to lift the veil on the beauty, joy and heartbreak of being a geisha.
We wanted to premiere the movie here because it is a love story, and it also a love story about Japan,
It wasn't just about mastering English. It was about shading, subtext and subtlety - all the things that make a great actor.
This story lives in a very specific world - and yet the underlying scene of the triumph of the human spirit against all odds connects to any culture.
Maybe it took a little time, or we're a little late, but finally we're recognizing that international stars are fantastic. They're the greatest actors in the world, and few people know that.
I think there are many misperceptions about what geisha are, especially in the West,
I saw many actors from around the world: It was so obvious that this was the one woman on Earth who could play this role,
It has been an extraordinary experience. The film is like a child to me. It has grown up and it's time to let it go. It's for you, not us.
I never intended to do this movie as a documentary-style version of the novel. It really is a fable.
great beauty, was a great dancer and had incredible spirit. There was no question at all when I met her.
The truth is I was looking for something different.