(Untitled)

[dig_for_fire]

Zomg! I finally found something that sums up how I would review 'Lost In Translation' perfectly, and also everyone who has ever told me they've had a 'Lost In Translation Moment' in Japan:

Comments

[ever_wonder_why]

Bogu wa baka gaijin

[dig_for_fire]

i think you'll find you mean boku... but well done on the only phrase you managed to remember after a month in japan

[stephiepop]

That's a bit harsh... I, personally, did not find Japan as frightening and cold as 'Lost in Translation' portrayed it to be, but surely, in all your travels, you've had the experience of being somewhere foreign and feeling totally lost and overwhelmed?

[dig_for_fire]

Sure i have, but that's not what the movie was really about, was it? I don't know how lost and overwhelmed you can feel spending night after night drinking in the bar at the park hyatt, tokyo. It seemed to me that the movie just offered a selection of oddities in Japanese pop culture and invited viewers to sit back and ridicule or be semi-horrified by them. The characters made no effort to understand their surroundings, they just seemed to wallow in some kind of self-driven detatchment and isolation they felt. I can't feel empathy for a bunch of foreigners who want to hang around in a hotel and clearly enjoy the company of fellow Americans over making any effort to communicate with the Japanese. To me, it didn't seem that it was JAPAN that was cold, it was the 'stupid gaijin'. And i'm not saying that all gaijin are stupid, i'm saying that these gaijin were. If people tell me they had a 'Lost in Translation' moment, i take it to mean they saw something they didn't understand and decided to shake their head and mutter about how crazy

[stephiepop]

Hmm. Yes. You're right. I did think of that, but not in such detail. The girl (I forget her name) did make vague attempts, such as going to visit a temple, but you're right that the Japanese were seen to be ridiculed more than the Americans... I don't think that was the intention, though. I think the point was about involuntary isolation (ie. both characters were there because they had to be, not because they'd directly chosen to come), and if the film didn't portray that, then I think it was a failing of the film rather than the direct intention of the director.

Hehe. Sorry- that was a bit confusing. I agree that those gaijin weren't doing much to help themselves, but I also don't think it was indended that the Japanese be ridiculed.

But I'm biased because I always think the best of everyone.
And I love Japan. :)

[t_dohr]

On the theme of truth in movie titles:

[dig_for_fire]

my second favourite movie title that i thought was more truthful would be this:

[_pravda_]

While I do agree with you on the stupid gaijin thing, Lynda, I do think you are overly harsh on the characters in the movie. Firstly, as Steph pointed out... they didn't actually want to be there and were dragged to Japan under circumstances out of their control.

Secondly, they are American and probably have a very limited level of cultural understanding/knowledge. I know that's a weak excuse but I think we take for granted how internationally minded and culturally sensitive we are, being university students growing up in this globalised world. Not everyone shares our outlook, I guarantee the average Australian doesn't and, most probably, the average American doesn't.

So the Japan experience for the characters was characterised by an extreme lack of any kind of preparation and a terrible defeatist attitude. The latter was probably due to them not actually wanting to be there (we are lucky enough to travel because we want to and like to).

So yeah, given those circumstances, I kind of do understand...

Cheers,
Alex

[dig_for_fire]

Ok, so i;ve onlys seen the movie once and it was a while ago but wasn't bill murray's character there because he was doing an ad? I'm guessing he wasn't forced to do that, but chose to do it for money. ANYWAY, it doesn't really matter. What you've just said to me is "Ok, they're stupid gaijin because..."

All i wanted to say was they were one of my least favourite examples of everyday people, and I think the whole movie's 'Othering' of Japan was totally colonial and not something I like seeing in pop culture...

[_pravda_]

lynda don't think about the irritating movie...have a good time...make it Suntory Time