Japan, 1929: Nine year-old Nitta Sayuri is sold into slavery at one of Kyoto’s most renowned geisha houses. As World War II looms on the horizon, she grows to maturity and becomes one of the superstars of the geisha world.

For thoughts on Memoirs of a Geisha, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: 

No Streaming Required | Con Air, Arrow Video, Toy Robot Video & More

Video Quality

The new 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Memoirs of a Geisha offers a valuable uptick in quality over the accompanying Blu-Ray that was a standout on the format when it was first released in 2007. The film arrives with a 2160p Dolby Vision/HDR master. The original Blu-Ray release looked great, but the new 4K UHD easily allows the film to look the best it ever has on home entertainment. The mesmerizing, Oscar-winning cinematography from Dion Beebe was captured on film and finished to a 2K Digital Intermediate. This release may be an upscale, but that should not deter you from the beauty of this transfer. Sony and other labels have proven time and time again that a proper 4K UHD upscale can clear their Blu-Ray counterparts in countless ways. This new release preserves the nuances of the photography with additional texture and detail. 

The utilization of Dolby Vision buoys the contrast of the film with deep black levels that no longer experience the discrete banding found on the old Blu-Ray during the nighttime rain scenes. Numerous sequences reveal so much additional shadow detail that cannot be achieved with a lesser format. Highlights offer impressive stability without veering into blooming. The UHD embraces numerous splashes of bold colors in the costumes, production design, and lighting, especially. Skin tones look natural, and the clarity of the transfer gives you a fabulous amount of facial detail. You can easily distinguish specific details within the makeup and other design elements that were not as refined previously. The various interiors are also given more depth which is rich for exploration.  The new disc does not make the old release obsolete, but it refines it to its most enjoyable state. 

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray gets an audio upgrade in the form of a dynamic Dolby Atmos track that gives the film an even more suitably immersive soundscape. For purists, the new disc also offers up the original soundtrack in lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio. Both of these tracks are tremendous in their own ways, but we are glad Sony continues to give fans a choice. Those who stick with the original track may not get the latest in audio technology, but you get an authentic experience with no inherent flaws. The original DTS-HD 5.1 track is not quite as showy as the Atmos track, but it handles the journey with ease. 

With the Atmos track, you know you are in store for something special early on as the John Williams score takes full advantage of the channel expansion. The music is instrumental to the emotional catharsis of the movie, and the additional channels allow it to thoughtfully saturate the room and ground you in the world of the story. Exchanges of dialogue are crisp and clear without ever getting drowned out by the music or sound effects. The front channels take on the majority of the dialogue and other discrete sounds, but activity extends to the surrounds, rears, and overhead speakers to make the world feel more all-encompassing. The sounds up above flesh out the world without feeling artificial or distracting. The low end effects from the subwoofer give key moments extra texture. Atmospheric sound effects are effortlessly rendered within the mix so that the directionality is always accurate. Sony has knocked it out of the park. Optional English, English SDH, Spanish, and many more subtitles are provided. 

A man in a suit gestures while seated at a table with a woman in a traditional kimono in a dimly lit restaurant filled with people.

Special Features

  • Audio Commentaries
    • Audio Commentary #1: Director Rob Marshall and co-Producer John DeLuca
    • Audio Commentary #2: Production designer John Myhre, costume designer Colleen Atwood, and editor Pietro Scalia
  • Featurettes
    • Sayuri’s Journey – From Novel to Screen (14:26)
    • The Road to Japan (5:33)
    • Geisha Bootcamp (12:04)
    • Building the Hanamachi (12:21)
    • The Look of a Geisha (16:18)
    • The Music of Memoirs (9:53)
    • A Geisha’s Dance (8:11)
    • The World of Geisha (8:29) 
    • The Way of the Sumo (5:57)
    • Director Rob Marshall’s Story (10:04)
    • A Day with Chef Nobu Matsuhisa (9:43)
  • Photo Galleries
    • Behind-the-Scenes
    • Costume Illustrations 
  • Chef Nobu’s Recipes 
    • Recipe #1 – New Style Sashimi
    • Recipe #2 – Boiled Cod in Miso Sauce
    • Recipe #3 – Mushroom Toban Yaki 
  • Theatrical Trailer (2:37)
  • Previews

 

Final Thoughts

Memoirs of a Geisha is a staggering epic that has some structural narrative elements that keep it from being a true emotional powerhouse, but it succeeds in keeping you rapt with attention as you embark on this character’s grueling journey. The performances are impressive across the board, especially Zhang Ziyi, who succeeds in selling the emotional gauntlet our lead is put through. The film is also a prime example of the impeccable craftsmanship that often came with older Hollywood productions, always feeling authentic within the setting and design elements. It is a gorgeous film that we may not love as much as we once did, but it still delivers a compelling viewing experience. Sony Pictures has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a magnificent A/V presentation and an assortment of archival special features. Recommended 

Memoirs of a Geisha is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.