The film "Memoirs of a Geisha" unquestionably fits Joseph M. Boggs and Dennis W. Petrie's definition of a "cinematic film," a film that uses visual effects to convey a distinct impression of time, place, and story. (Boggs & Petrie 123) The film is set during early 20th century Japan and blends elements of traditional Japanese design in its visual frames with contrasting elements of modern history and Western culture over the progression of the film's narrative. In showing what seems, to Western eyes, the strange life and world of Japanese geishas, the director Rob Marshall makes particularly effective use of cinematography in conveying different character's clashing points of view and the fortunes of the different characters of the film.
             For example, the film often contrasts the protagonist's "subjective" point of view, such as Sayuri's first, intimidating glance at the geisha Hatsumomo with the "objective" point of view of the director, as when the director later shows the otherwise cruel Hatsumomo in moments of sadness, when she is not being observed by other geishas. (Boggs & Petrie 125-126) The film also makes use of what is known as the "indirect-subjective" point of view by contrasting the objective views of the geishas as ordinary women, engaging in fights behind the scenes or simply putting on their robes, with the subjective view of how outsiders see the women, such as when the alien-seeming, ethereally beautiful geishas are performing their ancient native arts. (Boggs & Petrie 128)
             The film's use of the cinematographer's ability to deploy "color," is demonstrated through the palate of colors in the geisha's dress. Contrast the innocence of Sayuri's first pink kimono with Hatsumomo's love of red. The use of bright color is often used as a way of "focusing attention on the most significant object," u...