What was it about this movie?

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What was it about this movie?

#1 Post by Guest » Fri Oct 08, 2004 10:00 pm

It was a year ago when I first saw Lost In Translation. I had no intention of seeing this movie; watching the preview trailer I thought "this looks weak and corny, I'll skip it." But it received positive reviews on "Film Week" the movie review program on my local public radio station.
( Go to www.kpcc.org Fridays 11:00 AM West Coast time
to hear the show live. You can also read transcripts of
past broadcasts. )
Having also read a couple of favorable notices I begrudgingly decided to go check it out.

I went to a multiplex and did some theatre-hopping, watching three movies that day, LIT being the third one. I guess I was a little bleary-eyed from the first two movies because I was not blown away by it. I do recall thinking "this film was different maybe I'll go see it again sometime." But something happened over the next few days, I can compare it to down-loading a virus that slowly takes over your system. Forget "maybe" now it became "absolutely must see it again."

I came back a week later, a Friday, and watched it twice. I returned on Sunday and sat thru two more viewings. By this point the effect LIT was having on me became physical: before each screening I would begin to feel some shortness of breath and had to tell myself to calm down. How could this movie exist, was it a dream, a hallucination?

I floated out of the cinema and washed up at a nearby bookstore. Browsing the magazines I noticed all the copies of one particular title were
individually sealed in plastic bags. I pulled up one of the copies to get a look at the cover--and there she is. It's the Sept/Oct. issue of "res magazine" and on the cover is a close-up of Charlotte from the fire-alarm scene. She's gazing at Bob, the wind has blown her hair across her face, and she has that sad smile. A coup de foudre! I stood there dazed, my surrender complete and unconditional.

The rest of last fall and winter I experienced as some kind of blissful disorientation, not to say derangement. Outside I seemed no different but inside LIT had taken the shape of Mt. Fugi: dominating my mental and emotional landscape. I was insatiable, a LIT stalker, a LIT vampire feeding off the emotions of the audience as they responded to the action on the screen.

No film has ever so intimately captured my sensibility, focused my scattered sentiments into a singular work of art. It has transcended the medium of its' physical existence and become a muse, an inspiration. Like Bob and Charlotte's memories of their brief encounter it will always be a part of me.

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jml2
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Re: What was it about this movie?

#2 Post by jml2 » Sat Oct 09, 2004 5:20 pm

I find it so fascinating that this happens to so many people as it does, and that the effect is very much the same in all these people.
Sometimes it seems to me that the story in the movie and its treatment makes people have the "in love" experience in a very visceral way, the feeling of being in love. Only there is no person as the love object so the feeling floats without a focus.

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Chicken
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#3 Post by Chicken » Sun Oct 10, 2004 12:15 am

Wow. I think you successfully put into words the power of this movie, something many of us have failed to do. Reading your post, I couldn't help but notice the similarities between my own feelings. The LIT experience really can't be described, but I think you did as good a job as any I've ever seen.

Drood

#4 Post by Drood » Sun Oct 17, 2004 6:08 am

I first saw the movie when I downloaded it. (Was 5 hours from the nearest theatre.) I saw the teaser a few months earlier and that was it. I knew NOTHING about the movie, and that was how I wanted it.

I watched it and really liked it. It wasn't until I got it on DVD that I really started to get that feeling described. It's like sailing through someone elses dream. Being given permission to follow these two people's lives for a while before drifting off again.

The scene that ALWAYS gets me is the opening. (No, not Scarlett's lovely rear). Bob, bleary eyed in the taxi, marveling at the Tokyo lights.

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findingcharlotte
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#5 Post by findingcharlotte » Wed Oct 27, 2004 1:04 pm

I cant imagine even Sophia C herself could have predicted how deeply this movie has moved so many people from all over the world in so many ways..

Its said that people laugh at a joke because the content is something they can relate to directly....So if just one of the many emotions in LIT exists inside you somewhere...you found it...embraced it..then it overtook you...the road from there led you here.....wondering where to go next...
Call me if you get lost...

" before we go, Im not as brave as I told you.."

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#6 Post by Guest » Fri Oct 29, 2004 9:00 pm

I have a similar story, as does everyone.

Yes, this film probably strikes me harder than anything I've really ever seen. I'm not necessarily saying it's the best movie ever made, but it most likely is the most mesmerizing for me.

It's an odyssey, a visual and emotional feast.

The first time I saw it was on a rental. I had interest when it was in the theaters, but I never got around to it. I finally rented it and I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I thought it was kinda slow, didn't go anywhere.
On the other hand, after the credits struck, I felt something much different.

I forgot about it when I returned it, but it soon came on again on tv and I had to watch it. After that, I was hooked for life.

So basically, a DVD purchase and 30+ viewings later, it's probably my favorite movie (or at least top 5).
I think it shows the human connection in a truer and better light than its ever been shown in the past. What an amazing experience.

And I do agree that it's best watched late at night before crawling into bed and turning on some music. It's a wonderful way to go to sleep.

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#7 Post by jeffyen » Thu Nov 04, 2004 8:59 am

"blissful disorientation"

I've been searching for these two words for a while now. Thanks!

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Blissbomb
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#8 Post by Blissbomb » Fri Nov 05, 2004 4:56 am

you called? ............. just blissing out!
Lost in World

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Re: What was it about this movie?

#9 Post by jml98 » Sat Nov 06, 2004 7:09 pm

jml2 wrote:I find it so fascinating that this happens to so many people as it does, and that the effect is very much the same in all these people.
That is so true! I have that same feeling...three months later and I'm still affected by it. I still sometimes feel empty and sad like I did right after I saw the movie the first time. What is it about this movie that does this to so many people?

I think it is interesting too how people either reallly love it, like most on this site, or really hate and think it is boring. It's interesting too: people that I know that hate it say that its boring because "nothing ever happens". But when I ask most of the people that love it what happens in the movie, they have to think about it for a minute. I think that the movie speaks to people in a way that others do not. It's so genuine and real and heartfelt because we can relate to the movie. We all desire the kind of bond that Charlotte and Bob had (consciously or subconsciously) I think seeing that kind of friendship "take place" makes us feel this way. The movie, similar to Bob and Charlotte's friendship, does not and cannot last -- yet stays with us forever.
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