Random thoguhts from a 1st time poster

Discuss the fabulous movie Lost In Translation!

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cmusic
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Random thoguhts from a 1st time poster

#1 Post by cmusic » Wed Sep 07, 2005 3:07 pm

Hi all. This is my first post on the forum but I have been lurking around this site for over a year. LiT is one of my favorite (if not my favorite) films I have ever seen. After watching it for the umpteenth time last night here are some of my random thoughts:

As discussed on other threads on this forum, the Club Orange scene does not fit in the movie for me. I know that SC wanted to make sure the movie got an “R” rating so that kids would not see the movie and dislike it for not understanding it. (Her father does the same thing in many of his movies.) I know that there had to be some way of exiting Charlie Brown from the movie. I also find it ironic that a grown man would be bored in a strip club. But to have a smooth flowing movie interrupted by nude dancers and explicit music seem out of place to me. I just think that having the scene in a disco, arcade, or other entertainment complex would have had the same effect on the movie.

The red haired lounge singer is definitely a surrogate lover in place of Charlotte. If I were to redo the sequence of events leading to her being in Bob’s room I would have Bob and the singer in the elevator going to Bob’s room. They would be in a corner of the elevator flirting with each other. The door opens and Charlotte gets in, maybe going to the pool for a swim. Bob does not notice Charlotte until he and the singer gets off the elevator. As the doors start to close Charlotte says “Having fun?” or something to get Bob’s attention in a sarcastic way. As the doors finally close Bob realizes what he is doing and feels regret. Then in the morning we hear Charlotte knocking on Bob’s door. As Charlotte thinks Bob had a one-night-stand with the singer, Bob never lets Charlotte know it never happened.

If John and Kelly was supposed to be Spike Jones and Carmon Diaz, does that make the “hella large” rapper guy (at the table with Kelly, John, and Charlotte) a caricature of Justin Timberlake?

I agree that the sequence of all the scenes in the movie is much better than the working script posted on another website. I greatly approve of the unscripted dialog in the movie more than what was in the script. I did notice that John and Kelly stayed more closely with the script than Bob and Charlotte did. However with the obvious “mistakes” in the movie (Charlotte taking about ikebana before the movie showing her doing it, Charlotte’s “healed” toe shown while she is sitting in the window, etcetera) due to the finished movie not exactly matching what was shot, should SC have spent more time editing the script before filming began? Was this from a slightly inexperienced director being too excited about working with an actor she has a crush on?

I do agree with others on this forum that the viewer has to be a certain state of mind before they should view the movie. While I am not obsessed by this movie, it does have an impact on me.

I totally got the movie from the first few scenes while friends I recommended the movie to thought I was crazy for liking it. While most movies tell a story LiT seems more like real life. I guess the ones that did not get it were looking for a story to entertain them.

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52FM
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#2 Post by 52FM » Wed Sep 07, 2005 3:36 pm

Welcome! I haven't posted on the movie itself for a long while, so I appreciate the chance.

Generally, I agree the nudity was put there to get an R; but not the club scene itself. After all, it could have been done without nudity. It was put there to show the respect Bob had for Charlotte - he wasn't going to get all into it knowing she was going to show up. I'm sure he'd been to a club like that many times before - but this was not an occasion that he wanted to get into that kind of state of mind.

The singer was the most important part of the film for me. It may of may not have been a pseudo-release of what he felt for Charlotte; I don't know how I feel about that; but I think it was put there so we would know beyond ANY doubt that Bob thinks nothing of cheating on his wife. So if we think "well, Bob didn't move on Charlotte becuase he doesn't do that kind of thing"; we'd see that in fact he thinks nothing at all of doing it. But Charlotte was too special to do that.

I think I posted this before: Even if it occurred to Bob to make a move liek that (and I'm not convinced it really did - I think the relationship was platonic love) Bob would never force Charlotte to say no. He would also not want her to say yes and regret it. And he woudl not want her to say yes and then deal with not regretting it.

Again - welcome and post often!
"Willoughby. Next stop is Willoughby."

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#3 Post by thehardestwalk » Wed Sep 07, 2005 3:40 pm

Hi cmusic

First post also, after a long time watching from the sidelines.
I see what you mean about the Club Orange scene, but perhaps SC intended it to have that jarring effect. A brash counterpoint to Charlotte & Bob's more tentitive, human relationship? I am glad the song was left off the sountrack though...might have spoiled the mood a bit!
I can relate also to other peoples reaction to the film. It's sometimes like admitting to a secret vice! I can honestly say that Lost in Translation has effected my more deeply than any other movie I've seen, and yet I can't explain why. And yet, of all the people I've recommended the film to, not one has enjoyed it, and seem untouched as I'm filled with a strange longing. I suppose for a movie about isolation that's maybe fitting.
So where are the strong, and who are the trusted?..

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#4 Post by silvermoon » Thu Sep 08, 2005 6:45 am

i've given up on trying to convince other ppl it's a great movie. when ppl ask me for my favourite movies, i dont even bother including LiT even tho it's probably my favourite movie atm. some ppl just dont get it

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#5 Post by Autumn Child » Sat Sep 10, 2005 1:53 pm

silvermoon wrote:i've given up on trying to convince other ppl it's a great movie. when ppl ask me for my favourite movies, i dont even bother including LiT even tho it's probably my favourite movie atm. some ppl just dont get it
i always say LIT but noone i know likes it... :(
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#6 Post by silvermoon » Sat Sep 10, 2005 7:12 pm

lol used to be same here, but i got into a debate with a guy (who incidentally is looking forward to 'shoot 'em up') bout LiT, after several repetitious minutes discussing the absence of a detailed story (and action scenes!) my faith in mankind's appreciation of art took a heavy beating and now i just avoid pointless discussions outside of this forum. thehardestwalk is right in saying its bout a specific subject matter that ppl choose not to relate to, so i spose some ppls' ignorant worldview just limits the appeal of the movie. excuse the mood, but bringing up that debate infuriates me no end :x

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#7 Post by adrien950 » Sun Sep 11, 2005 12:44 am

Same with me. This movie is very special to me, but everyone I recommend it to finds it pointless. I heard all the hype about this movie while it was in the theaters but from the previews it didn't seem like something I'd be interested in. So I decided to rent it one day THIS year and with no memory of what it was about... just started watching it. And that was it...I was hooked! So maybe years from now my friends will appreciated it. :)
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#8 Post by findingcharlotte » Sun Sep 11, 2005 1:38 am

Anyone I know thinks Im nuts for liking this movie ( few exceptions ) I say you either " get it " or you dont ..and youll know the first time out when you see it . The ones that draw a blank when they watch this movie...( again..people I know ) dont generally watch more than a steady diet of Hollywood mainstream...so LIT wouldnt make much sense to them I guess...Ive said it before in other posts..I partially blame the way the film was marketed after it was decided to mainstream the distribution...touting big ads that said " comedy of the year " etc...It was misleading advertising....lead people into 6 plexes thinking it was another
Meatballs or something........sad.

The film was found by its followers. I think Sophia is resting easy knowing it did.
Call me if you get lost...

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

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#9 Post by thehardestwalk » Tue Sep 13, 2005 6:37 pm

That's a good point findingcharlotte. I first watched LiT expecting a laugh out loud comedy and, while it does surely have it's moments, it turned out to be so much more. For that I'm glad. I'm not too sure how else it could have been marketed, although a trailer like the beautiful video in the other thread would've helped in capturing the mood a bit.

At least those of us who enjoy it really enjoy it.

Lost in Translation...It's the ultimate Marmite Movie.
So where are the strong, and who are the trusted?..

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#10 Post by LipYourStocking » Thu Sep 15, 2005 8:23 pm

I thought the strip club scene fitted into the movie well. It was probably intended to show japans sleezy side, which is profound. I loved the music with its heavy cymbals. The changes in music for different scenes for me created the variety of feelings that I so love about LIT.

Any guy that complains about a topless women needs to take a break and have a good long look at himself :)

Keep up the great posts guys!

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#11 Post by Congruous » Fri Sep 16, 2005 10:47 am

Oh, yeah, it's a great scene. It's short and to the point, and the music is fantastic.

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#12 Post by justlikehoney » Sat Sep 17, 2005 7:08 am

Sofia really wanted to capture the dichotomy within Japanese culture. Western culture and Japanese culture. Conservative ideas and not-so-conservative ideas. Remember the guy on the subway reading the cartoon porn? Also, I agree with the previous poster that the strip club scene shows Bob has some respect for Charlotte. He's not completely into it like Charlie and the others are. He just feels plain awkward there, and Charlotte clearly feels the same way. So they bond by doing something together away from the group of Japanese friends.

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