Lost in Translation: Accurate portrayal or not?

[bejiita]

Ok, Julie Dreyfus' other gaijin movie "Legal Aliens"

See
http://www.enn.com/direct/display-release.asp?objid=D1D1366D000000FAA10971099957E448

Dude, both of those links go to the bear story.

Looks like those 13 posts per minute is starting to catch up to Taro. :P

[mr. sparkle]

[Taro Toporific]

Ok, Julie Dreyfus' other gaijin movie"Legal Aliens"
Seehttp://www.enn.com/direct/display-re ... 099957E448

Dude, both of those links go to the bear story.

Looks like those 13 posts per minute is starting to catch up to Taro. :P

"Legal Aliens" starring Taro :P among others. In the film Julie Dreyfus had to be filmed from the waist up only because her butt but wouldn't fit on the screen (mine was taking up all the space in the background).
See:
http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/99/0122/feat1.htm

[Big Booger]

Lest we forget, there's another recent bit that was filmed in Tokyo:



Jackass: The Movie's Night Pandas!



J-girls luuuuuuuuuuuv Pandas!

Have any of you seen Tom Green's Subway Monkey Hour?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008972F/qid=1077115420/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-8209631-6443235?v=glance&s=dvd


Absolutely hilarious.
The dildo on the kaiten sushi belt made me choke.

[Kanchou]

"Excuse me, ma'am. Now what we have here Little Yellow
Sister, is a magnificent specimen of pure Alabama Blacksnake, but
ain't too goddamn beaucoup."

Hahah, just noticed the Full Metal Jacket quote... Interesting!



I wonder if anyone besides the Jackass guys have ever been stupid enough to snort wasabi...

[Mr. Noodle]

I wonder if anyone besides the Jackass guys have ever been stupid enough to snort wasabi...

im sure there are plenty of stupid-kids that have watched it and then tried it, while filming it ofcourse.
too many people try to do jackass things

and there had to have been a someone in Japan that had gotten really drunk and one day thought "hey, i wonder if wasabi would taste better up my nose *sniff* "

Noodle

[ramchop]

A Japanese critic's view:

All I saw in that movie were two bored and boring empty privileged Americans who can afford to stay and feel trapped for quite a long period of time in the most expensive hotel in Tokyo.

[mercutio]

Hrmmm.... Im actually kind suprised that this movie has been recieved well at all. I wrote up a thing about it in my blog so raterh than re-writing ill just copy it over...

On a flight to Taiwan, I watched "Lost in Translation" starring Bill murray. I think it was supposed to be a romantic comedy and has gotten great reviews. I had heard about it and was looking forward to seeing it ...comparing the movie experiences of a foriegner in japan with my own experiences here...but it just wasnt good (or bad) enough to be worth it. I dont get why anyone is terribly impressed with this movie. The only thing it did really well is capture the feeling of severe jetlag you get for a few days coming here but who wants that...the movie just kinda made me feel jet lagged and when im jet lagged I just want it to be over...kinda like the move.

There was really only one scene that impressed me at all. The scene when he has first arrived and is shooting a comercial, the director goes of and talks for a couple of minutes giving him detailed instructions and an emotional explanation of the scene. Which the traslator translated as simply "he said to turn and look at the camera when you say it" Now that was funny (the people around me looked concerned when i busted out laughing) I really thought this was done well but I actually understood everything the director said....so i got it... there were no subtitles (at least on the version i saw) I have to think that scene wouldnt have been nearly as funny if you didnt understand both sides of the conversation... and since that was one of the only good parts...

it was a disappointingly blah movie that could have taken place anywhere, the movie makers were merely capitalizing on the current wave of japan-chic (ala the movie singles when Seattle was all the rage in the 90's)

[Andocrates]

Sometimes when we are out of our normal movie watching envoirment we can miss a great movie, you missed a great movie. You should watch it again on DVD there are a lot of layers to the film.

[Caustic Saint]

There was really only one scene that impressed me at all. The scene when he has first arrived and is shooting a comercial, the director goes of and talks for a couple of minutes giving him detailed instructions and an emotional explanation of the scene. Which the traslator translated as simply "he said to turn and look at the camera when you say it" Now that was funny (the people around me looked concerned when i busted out laughing) I really thought this was done well but I actually understood everything the director said....so i got it... there were no subtitles (at least on the version i saw) I have to think that scene wouldnt have been nearly as funny if you didnt understand both sides of the conversation... and since that was one of the only good parts...

Really? I thought that scene was extra funny because there were no subtitles. I don't speak Japanese, so I thought it did a great job of making the viewer identify with Bob. When Bob says, "was that everything?" I totally get how he's feeling.

[mercutio]

Really? I thought that scene was extra funny because there were no subtitles. I don't speak Japanese, so I thought it did a great job of making the viewer identify with Bob. When Bob says, "was that everything?" I totally get how he's feeling.

hmmm...I could see that too. But my point was really that with just a few scenes worth watching, I really felt the same way about the movie as I do about the jetlag/discconection that the movie portrays.... I just wanted it to be over.

That being said... I had an LIN moment this weekend. I was in Hong Kong to meet a buddy from the US to go drinking. My friend is fluent but I can only gamble and curse in Cantonese. Unfortunately, he was also delayed an extra day in mainland China. After wandering around and having no idea where to go, or even the ability to effectively order a Whiskey and Coke. I kept returning to the safety of the hotel bar and as I found myself sitting there talking to the female lounge singer, I couldnt help but think of that movie.

[Taro Toporific]

You folks really think anyone wants to see a movie about the 6-mat-freeze-your-ass-off gaijin life?

How about a gritty Korean version of "Lost in Translation" ?

Korean director to film 'Expats'Korea Herald, South Korea - Feb 25
... The film will follow the comical adventures of a young, underachieving American man straight out of college who becomes an English teacher in Busan. The story will depict his culture shock experience and his discovery of Busan's seedy and infamous "Texas Street" meeting a cast of 'odd' foreigners. The main character and his unusual band of friends decide to rob Korean mobsters - renown for not carrying guns.
"Korea is a very obscure place to Americans]Japan abuzz with 'Translation' reviews
Associated Press / Wed, Feb. 25, 2004
....The vast majority of Japanese will have to wait until the film's opening in May to form their own opinions.
Japanese distributor Tohokushinsha Co. said "Lost In Translation" is opening so late because it's not typical Hollywood fare. Big-budget films tend to debut in Japan within weeks of their U.S. premiere at major cineplexes, while smaller ones stay at obscure theaters.
Even with all the publicity, Tohokushinsha is playing it safe. The movie will open at one Tokyo theater with seating for about 300, and so far the only advertisement is a Web site with a trailer and a brief plot introduction, company spokesman Yosuke Watanabe said. Depending on ticket sales in the first two weeks, other theaters may show it for about a month....[/quote]

[Caustic Saint]

Hey, that sounds just like Disney's marketing and release campaign for Spirited Away!

[Taro Toporific]

"We had to get beyond getting a laugh. They may roll in the aisles, but that doesn't mean you have a great picture. You have to have pathos in the thing. " - Walt Disney

Well there's PLENTY of pathos in here---it's the National Ethic.
Here's a new radio report which I can't listen to this at work but it sounds interesting....

Japan and Hollywood: Lost in Translation?National Public Radio (USA) March 16, 2004
Bryan Shih reports from Tokyo on how Hollywood movies about Japan, such as Lost in Translation and The Last Samurai, tend to reflect America's changing perceptions of a former "enemy state" and often get mixed reviews by Japanese audiences.
--Listen to the Real Audio or Windowz Media...

[Big Booger]

Japan abuzz with 'Translation' reviews

Associated Press / Wed, Feb. 25, 2004
....The vast majority of Japanese will have to wait until the film's opening in May to form their own opinions.
Japanese distributor Tohokushinsha Co. said "Lost In Translation" is opening so late because it's not typical Hollywood fare. Big-budget films tend to debut in Japan within weeks of their U.S. premiere at major cineplexes, while smaller ones stay at obscure theaters.
Even with all the publicity, Tohokushinsha is playing it safe. The movie will open at one Tokyo theater with seating for about 300, and so far the only advertisement is a Web site with a trailer and a brief plot introduction, company spokesman Yosuke Watanabe said. Depending on ticket sales in the first two weeks, other theaters may show it for about a month....

This kind of crap is why piracy is on the up all over the world.... What a load of shit.. LIT is one of the better movies to come out of the sess pool of films that Hollywhore produces...

Lost in Translation commercials have been on Skyperfect TV quite a few times.. I'd think this show might do well in Japan... after all it is about Japan..

Oh well, thanks to Amazon, I have already seen it.

Lost in Translation WIdescreen

[Watcher]

Edited by mod.. My thoughts on the movie... as some said: 1) too accurate. I felt like it was happening right outside my window. The noise, the pachinko, the neon lights, the sound of the elevator, thestraight faced sushi master. 2) Nothing special... other than the fact that it's happening in Japan. Very subdued. But then the more you think about it the more you enjoy that touch. We've all been there or none someone there. Especially the talk about fatherhood. 4) The night out was awesome and brought up so many memorys (karaoke, laid back younger Japanese, and weed... oh wait! There are no drugs in Japan ). 5) Waiting so freakin' long to see it.

4 Stars outta 5
Would be 5 but they didn't get near enough sex, love hotels, wacky fashion, and the karaoke scene was too long.

[Caustic Saint]

Edited by mod..

Way to not read, jackhole.

A few of the prohibited topics include:

bootlegs or illegal downloads of commercial software, movies, music
filesharing copyrighted material

[mr. sparkle]

Lip Them?

One of the best scenes - without a doubt!


For Relaxing Times-
Make it Suntory Time

L.I.T. translated

DIRECTOR (in Japanese to the interpreter): The translation is very
important, O.K.? The translation.

INTERPRETER: Yes, of course. I understand.

DIRECTOR: Mr. Bob-san. You are sitting quietly in your study. And then there is a bottle of Suntory whiskey on top of the table. You understand, right? With wholehearted feeling, slowly, look at the camera, tenderly, and as if you are meeting old friends, say the words. As if you are Bogie in "Casablanca," saying, "Cheers to you guys," Suntory time!

INTERPRETER: He wants you to turn, look in camera. O.K.?

BOB: That's all he said?

INTERPRETER: Yes, turn to camera.

BOB: Does he want me to, to turn from the right or turn from the left?

INTERPRETER (in very formal Japanese to the director): He has prepared and is ready. And he wants to know, when the camera rolls, would you prefer that he turn to the left, or would you prefer that he turn to the right? And that is the kind of thing he would like to know, if you don't mind.

DIRECTOR (very brusquely, and in much more colloquial Japanese):
Either way is fine. That kind of thing doesn't matter. We don't have
time, Bob-san, O.K.? You need to hurry. Raise the tension. Look at the
camera. Slowly, with passion. It's passion that we want. Do you
understand?

INTERPRETER (In English, to Bob): Right side. And, uh, with intensity.

BOB: Is that everything? It seemed like he said quite a bit more than
that.

DIRECTOR: What you are talking about is not just whiskey, you know. Do you understand? It's like you are meeting old friends. Softly, tenderly. Gently. Let your feelings boil up. Tension is important! Don't forget.

INTERPRETER (in English, to Bob): Like an old friend, and into the camera.

BOB: O.K.

DIRECTOR: You understand? You love whiskey. It's Suntory time! O.K.?

BOB: O.K.

DIRECTOR: O.K.? O.K., let's roll. Start.

BOB: For relaxing times, make it Suntory time.

DIRECTOR: Cut, cut, cut, cut, cut! (Then in a very male form of Japanese, like a father speaking to a wayward child) Don't try to fool me. Don't pretend you don't understand. Do you even understand what we are trying to do? Suntory is very exclusive. The sound of the words is important. It's an expensive drink. This is No. 1. Now do it again, and you have to feel that this is exclusive. O.K.? This is not an everyday whiskey you know.

INTERPRETER: Could you do it slower and ?

DIRECTOR: With more ecstatic emotion.

INTERPRETER: More intensity.

DIRECTOR (in English): Suntory time! Roll.

BOB: For relaxing times, make it Suntory time.

DIRECTOR: Cut, cut, cut, cut, cut! God, I'm begging you.

[KingGorman]

Lost in Translation is a great movie to me for my personal experiences in Japan. When i first came here a few years ago I went through all of the same things he did. Only I was 20 and totally, completely culture shocked. I had made the mistake of coming here to visit a j-gf I had back in NYC, where I grew up. She moved back to Japan about a month and half before I came to visit her. So here I am all the way across the world with no knowledge of japanese or anything Japan at all. The only thing I had was my cousin, who was with his j-wife up in Nikko while I was here. So I meet my gf the night I got here...was staying in the Hotel Ibis in Roppongi haha...We got into a fight after 3 hours together and I told her to go back to Shizuoka and not bother me for the next week.

As far as I knew I was fucked...I was lonely, lost, and scared. Then I met a girl in Motown House (I didn't know how shitty that place is back then) and then we hung out the entire week i was here...did all of the things that Bob and Charlotte do in Lost in Translation...to the point that I was at the Sushi counter at a sushi place in Naka-Meguro making those silly jokes with Miho (girl I met) laughing her ass off...(coincidentally, they shot the whole party scene in Naka-meguro...that Pachinko Parlor they ran through is right across from N-M eki...

Over the course of that week we grew closer and closer, going through all of the things they did...only difference being I had a j-girl to ease me into certain things...but I made all those corny jokes and did all the stupid things Bob and charlotte did in the movie...its hard to appreciate something that means nothing to you. I can understand why people would not like that movie...but it gave me chills in some scenes.

Including the ending...That's pretty much how I said bye to Miho...we said goodbye in my hotel and then I somehow remembered where she worked and caught her on her way to lunch with co-workers on my way to tokyo station to catch the Narita Express...of course I purposely went that way so I planned it...but didn't think she'd be walking out the bldg right when I drove by it...I hopped out and basically did what Bob does to Charlotte at the end.

Only difference is that I came back to Japan a month later...but that movie is fairly accurate in portraying how Americans see Japan...of course there are inaccuracies...but overall it is one of the best movies I have ever seen. If you take it for what it's worth and what it tries to be instead of analyzing it and looking for the mistakes in it you might enjoy it much more.

[KingGorman]

4 Stars outta 5
Would be 5 but they didn't get near enough sex, love hotels, wacky fashion, and the karaoke scene was too long.

You obviously missed the whole point of the entire karaoke scene...it was perfect in length, set-up, everything...even the songs sang were perfect...that was one of the most important scenes in the whole movie...it could not have been done any better[/quote]

[Taro Toporific]

I love Bill Murray, and I love Japan... "SUNTORY TIME!!"

Bill Murray, the legend...

Bill Murray Stops Bank Robbery In Tokyo, Accidentally
wacko* nationalreport.net / March 25, 2014
Bill Murray stopped a bank robbery in Tokyo today when a fan stopped to talk with him. That fan also happened to be the bank robber.
Tokyo, Japan — A bank robber was apprehended today in Tokyo after stopping to talk with none other than Bill Murray.
“The man robbed the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, ran out, saw Bill Murray walking on the street and stopped to talk with him. This is when authorities were able to arrest the suspect,” Tokyo Police Chief Hideyoshi Mori told reporters.
Bill Murray who is in Tokyo promoting a new movie told reporters about the incident. “I saw this man in the street running towards me with a bag in his hand. Then he suddenly stopped when he saw me. He asked me if I was Bob Harris, the character I played in Lost in Translation. I told him, ‘sure, why not’. Then he started telling me how much he loved me and how great he thought I was. I was polite, I told him that was very nice of him to say. Then kind of out of nowhere, police showed up and tackled the man,” Murray said.
m0Ar!~

Murray-sushi.jpg

Actor Bill Murray Pulls Woman From Certain Death
wacko** nationalreport.net / March 25, 2014
Actor Bill Murray, the Hollywood superstar and Saturday Night Live sensation of the 70s who appeared in comedy classics such as Meatballs, Ghostbusters, Caddyshack and who portrayed Hunter S. Thompson, in the leading role in the 1980s film Where the Buffalo Roam has been traveling lately and seems to be in the right place at the right time.
Following a dinner at the swank Gundam Cafe in Tokyo last night Murray with a small entourage and a local reporter was returning to his hotel when he rescued a woman from certain death.

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**Bill Murray ‘Stops Bank Robbery in Tokyo Accidentally’ is ...Epoch Times | March 27, 2014