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How does the movie Lost in Translation.. 2008/4/14 09:32
compare to the real Japan?

I know a lot of Japanesse didn't like the movie and thought that it misrepresented them as a country. I disagree. I found that it should the country to be beautiful and inviting. The very title ''Lost in Translation'' seems to denote that the only reason that things didn't make sense to the Americans was because everything that they needed was lost in the language barrier. If the real Japan was like that movie sign me up.
by Style of Mr Barry Lyndon  

in which way? 2008/4/15 01:24
do you mean culturally or visually??

Culturally speaking, I don't think the movie spent a lot of time on Japan's culture and interactions with Japanese people. So in that, the movie lacks. Though I did enjoy Bill Murray being the tallest man in the elevator.

Visually, however, I think the movie represented Tokyo well. They don't really point out where the characters are unfortunately... but the karaoke scene seemed accurate.

I think the movie focused too much on the American characters in order to get a better feel of what Japan really is. I think it could have had more cultural/linguistic "slip ups" on the American characters' part in order to get a sense of Japan. Make them embarrassed so you won't make the same mistakes when you visit... :-P
by Miyuki rate this post as useful

I think so... 2008/4/15 02:11
I watched it with my Japanese girlfriend the other day and she commented on many of the places that she recognized. I've only been here 8 months, but I think visually it's very accurate. I also agree with the post that it didn't deal so much with the Japanese culture.
I haven't been able to find those cool air guns that they were shot at with though :)
by Jonathan rate this post as useful

I thought it was a great movie! 2008/4/15 08:12
I thought it captured the essence of Japan pretty well. Tokyo was seen as very fast-paced and dense, and Kyoto was seen as tranquil and historical -- just as it is in real life. The actors did a good job, as well, especially the frantic, neurotic, commercial director! LOL. Japanese people can be so animated.
by Kaye rate this post as useful

Hope these help 2008/4/15 10:21
by Uco rate this post as useful

it does not 2008/6/15 13:37
LIT was a great movie, in my opinion. Myself, I was once in a similar situation in London.

However, the film seems to be about 2 unhappy, yet attached people who meet, but realize they can never be together. They enjoy each other's company, and part at the end. In short, Tokyo was the background, but the movie could have taken place anywhere in the world. It was about the interaction and loneliness that the 2 characters felt
by Kazuyuki rate this post as useful

... 2008/6/15 13:43
I agree completely with Kazuyuki-san. The story in a way had nothing to do "with" Tokyo, it was just set in Tokyo. The story was more about two lost souls, who'd lost touch with their own folks and their lives - and find each other's presence precious.
by AK (Japanese) rate this post as useful

well.. 2008/6/16 05:10
as a white dude living in tokyo (and i came here by myself with NO friends here to help either) i can relate to a few of the things in the movie.

for the most part it exaggerates a lot of small japanese stereotypes but there are a few things that are pretty funny and true. the business card exchanging scene was pretty funny to me, and the bad translator was also funny because it echos reality, there are a ton of people here translating that don't have the skill to do so.

on the whole though it's just a movie, hollywood's creation.
by winterwolf rate this post as useful

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