Weird experience yesterday while shopping
Moderator: Bob
- Lost in Boston
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I went ahead and registered.
Here is the homepage for the website http://tokyoyakei.cool.ne.jp/. It contains hundreds of high-quality images of Tokyo. The images are not mine.
I travel to Tokyo for business once or twice a year and have always been mesmerized by the city's skyline, the blinking red lights, and the incredible sense of isolation one experiences as a foreigner in Tokyo.
Lost in Tranlsation captured the city perfectly and really resonated with me. A beautiful film.
Here is the homepage for the website http://tokyoyakei.cool.ne.jp/. It contains hundreds of high-quality images of Tokyo. The images are not mine.
I travel to Tokyo for business once or twice a year and have always been mesmerized by the city's skyline, the blinking red lights, and the incredible sense of isolation one experiences as a foreigner in Tokyo.
Lost in Tranlsation captured the city perfectly and really resonated with me. A beautiful film.
- lost in translation
- LIT Super Fan
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If you don't mind, what do you do for work that allows you travel their twice a year?Lost in Boston wrote:I went ahead and registered.
Here is the homepage for the website http://tokyoyakei.cool.ne.jp/. It contains hundreds of high-quality images of Tokyo. The images are not mine.
I travel to Tokyo for business once or twice a year and have always been mesmerized by the city's skyline, the blinking red lights, and the incredible sense of isolation one experiences as a foreigner in Tokyo.
Lost in Tranlsation captured the city perfectly and really resonated with me. A beautiful film.
And I wish the pictures on that site where of a higher resolution. but they're awesome nonetheless.
- Lost in Boston
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Marketing department for a biotech company. I travel all over the world and the sense of isolation is greater in Tokyo than in any other place I've ever been. It was the perfect setting for the film. The location heightened the isolation that both Charlotte and Bob were already experiencing in their marriages and gave a physical dimension to their loneliness which could be captured on film.
- lost in translation
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That's awesome. I would love to watch the movie IN Tokyo and then go out on the streets with a friend.Lost in Boston wrote:Marketing department for a biotech company. I travel all over the world and the sense of isolation is greater in Tokyo than in any other place I've ever been. It was the perfect setting for the film. The location heightened the isolation that both Charlotte and Bob were already experiencing in their marriages and gave a physical dimension to their loneliness which could be captured on film.
- Suntory
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Is this something you can elaborate on?Lost in Boston wrote:I travel all over the world and the sense of isolation is greater in Tokyo than in any other place I've ever been.
I wonder if the Japanese themselves feel this way or it's just something that
foreigners experience.
I wonder why it would be different there than lets say New York?
- Lost in Boston
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I’ve traveled extensively in five continents and Tokyo is unique in terms of the isolation that one experiences as a foreign traveler. In Europe things are only marginally different than the U.S. Same for Australia and Latin America. Even in China, India or other parts of Asia a smile is a smile and body language is the same or similar to body language in U.S. culture. As different as China or India are from the U.S. you can find common elements, overlap, connections.
In Japan body language is different. Customs are different. Social values and fundamental systems like the family are different. As a westerner I look different. I’m a foot taller than anyone else on the subway. My hair isn’t jet black. I’m isolated by my physical differences with those around me. I don’t speak the language. And I can’t even make eye contact and share a smile or a nod with someone like I can in almost any other country. The contact with Japanese is formal and not entirely understood by the westerner. The ritual of giving gifts is captured perfectly when Bob arrives at the hotel jet-lagged and is greeted by the same contingent of people who will pick him up the next morning. The exchange between Bob and the translator during the photo shoot captures the sense you have that more is going on than you understand. As a westerner in Japan you're left feeling a joke is being played on you and you're the only one not getting it.
I’ve traveled to maybe fifty countries and Tokyo is unique in terms of the isolation and remoteness I feel when traveling there. You arrive jet-lagged and spend the sleepless nights sitting on the window ledge at the hotel looking out at the skyline with its flashing red lights. You flip through the channels on the television and watch the bizarre talk shows or recognize a western movie that’s been dubbed in Japanese. You find yourself starring at other westerners in the hotel restaurant or bar, looking to make some connection. The film has all these elements.
Japan provided the perfect setting for the film. The perfect backdrop for two people, both isolated in their marriages, to meet and connect. The film wouldn’t have worked for me if shot anywhere else.
I also think Coppola is paying homage to Tokyo in the film, not mocking it as some have suggested. Just as Woody Allen’s Manhattan will always make me think of New York in black and white with Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue playing in the background, I will also picture Tokyo at night with Girls by Death in Vegas playing in the background. A stunning film.
In Japan body language is different. Customs are different. Social values and fundamental systems like the family are different. As a westerner I look different. I’m a foot taller than anyone else on the subway. My hair isn’t jet black. I’m isolated by my physical differences with those around me. I don’t speak the language. And I can’t even make eye contact and share a smile or a nod with someone like I can in almost any other country. The contact with Japanese is formal and not entirely understood by the westerner. The ritual of giving gifts is captured perfectly when Bob arrives at the hotel jet-lagged and is greeted by the same contingent of people who will pick him up the next morning. The exchange between Bob and the translator during the photo shoot captures the sense you have that more is going on than you understand. As a westerner in Japan you're left feeling a joke is being played on you and you're the only one not getting it.
I’ve traveled to maybe fifty countries and Tokyo is unique in terms of the isolation and remoteness I feel when traveling there. You arrive jet-lagged and spend the sleepless nights sitting on the window ledge at the hotel looking out at the skyline with its flashing red lights. You flip through the channels on the television and watch the bizarre talk shows or recognize a western movie that’s been dubbed in Japanese. You find yourself starring at other westerners in the hotel restaurant or bar, looking to make some connection. The film has all these elements.
Japan provided the perfect setting for the film. The perfect backdrop for two people, both isolated in their marriages, to meet and connect. The film wouldn’t have worked for me if shot anywhere else.
I also think Coppola is paying homage to Tokyo in the film, not mocking it as some have suggested. Just as Woody Allen’s Manhattan will always make me think of New York in black and white with Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue playing in the background, I will also picture Tokyo at night with Girls by Death in Vegas playing in the background. A stunning film.
Since this has gotten off the topic that was started and I wanted to pursue this new line of discussion (and have it available for people to find more easily), I have created a new topic on this subject here:
http://www.weareawake.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=858#858
thanks!
http://www.weareawake.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=858#858
thanks!
Nice music, isn't it!
Well it happened again. My husband and I were in the airport (JFK) and all of a sudden, in spite of the background noise I heard a familiar song. It was the Pretenders' "Brass in Pocket" (Scarlett's karaoke number). I asked my husband to listen what's playing, and being the "LiT" convert that he is, he came up with the answer.
The only disappointment came at the end of the song. I was waiting for "Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Bob Harris" followed by "Thanks, this is hard." It didn't come!!!! (Just kidding, but it would have been nice to have heard "More Than This" at that point).
If you consider the fact that I had never heard of these recording artists or songs prior to the release of the film, I would say that the soundtrack has definitely left its mark.
The only disappointment came at the end of the song. I was waiting for "Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Bob Harris" followed by "Thanks, this is hard." It didn't come!!!! (Just kidding, but it would have been nice to have heard "More Than This" at that point).
If you consider the fact that I had never heard of these recording artists or songs prior to the release of the film, I would say that the soundtrack has definitely left its mark.
- lost in translation
- LIT Super Fan
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- Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 6:26 pm
- lost in translation
- LIT Super Fan
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 6:26 pm
- lost in translation
- LIT Super Fan
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 6:26 pm
yeah that nighttime tokyo photo site really is amazing...thanks for that link.
i have a mac, and on it you can make the screen saver into a very nice slide show - it changes pics, zooms in and out of slides, has a nice flowing feeling to it. I downloaded about 45 of those great nighttime photos. i can start the screen saver and play some LiT music (Death in Vegas - Girls, MBV - Sometimes; the one that plays when charlotte is alone and looks out the window at the city makes me feel like im in her shoes...almost) and its great; very relaxing.
anyway, this post is kinda dumb if you have macs and already know about it, but i dunno how popular macs are on the east coast (since it seems so many members live over there...); macs are very popular on the west coast...tons of retail stores...ok im gonna shut up now, cuz im rambling...
i have a mac, and on it you can make the screen saver into a very nice slide show - it changes pics, zooms in and out of slides, has a nice flowing feeling to it. I downloaded about 45 of those great nighttime photos. i can start the screen saver and play some LiT music (Death in Vegas - Girls, MBV - Sometimes; the one that plays when charlotte is alone and looks out the window at the city makes me feel like im in her shoes...almost) and its great; very relaxing.
anyway, this post is kinda dumb if you have macs and already know about it, but i dunno how popular macs are on the east coast (since it seems so many members live over there...); macs are very popular on the west coast...tons of retail stores...ok im gonna shut up now, cuz im rambling...