He was coming back...?

Discuss the fabulous movie Lost In Translation!

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carlos333
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He was coming back...?

#1 Post by carlos333 » Fri Apr 12, 2013 1:33 pm

In the opening scene when we see Bob 'arriving' in Tokyo does anybody think like me that maybe he had a change of heart at the airport when leaving and decided to go back to the hotel? He was wearing the same clothes as he did when leaving, plus maybe this explains why he saw the poster of himself that would have been shot days earlier. I also think the close-up of the neon sign that looks like a time warp is supposed to be more important than just an artsy shot.

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SunsetOdds
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#2 Post by SunsetOdds » Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:16 pm

I've never thought of it that way,
I love that I'm still understanding things in new ways through different interpretations after so many watches!
I think that you're idea is entirely plausible, but it would mean that Bob would have to be stuck in the airport or a traffic jam as he left in the morning but that cab ride where he sees the poster is at night(?). Also lets not forget that John is coming home that night, which would be a funny encounter between him and Bob.
I've recently had an idea in my head for the past couple of weeks, that perhaps John in that cab ride is him returning to Tokyo after a year or two(it would explain the posters). What we see in the film is him recollecting the week he spent with Charlotte whilst walking around Tokyo once more. The awkward conversations between him and his wife is maybe him thinking through the events of the year before and understanding how its affected his marriage.
But that's just whats came up in my mind. I'm still fairly confident and happy with the generally accepted chronology.
Thanks if you've read this far,
SunsetOdds

jeffyen
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#3 Post by jeffyen » Fri May 10, 2013 11:32 pm

Interesting take but I don't think so. In the opening scene Bob looked like how we will react if we saw Tokyo streets for the first time... waking up, puzzled with surroundings, wiped his eyes when he saw his poster etc. (He won't be wiping his eyes if this hypothesis is true; he saw the poster with Charlotte before!)

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SunsetOdds
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#4 Post by SunsetOdds » Sat May 11, 2013 5:13 am

Oh yes. I forgot about that cut.

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onesmokin3g
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#5 Post by onesmokin3g » Sun Sep 22, 2013 3:34 am

Carlos, I really like your hypothesis.
1st - although we are led to believe the flight was in the morning from the conversation in the lobby, etc. It clearly looks like the sun is setting, not rising, when Bob is in the cab on the way to the airport.
2nd - the airport he is flying from is almost a 2 hr drive from Tokyo.
3rd - most trans-oceanic flights do take place overnight.
So this leads to it being night when he finally arrives back in Tokyo as completely plausible. That, and I would think waking up to a poster of yourself no matter what the chronology, would cause you to rub your eyes in surprise. The fact that the poster clearly is from the photoshoot that already took place is a damning piece of evidence in your favor. So either chalk it up to Sofia being a genius, or chalk it up to a blatant continuity error like the duck, or cigarette scene.... I'll subscribe to the former. I really love the hopeful idealism that your idea brings. Now as for John.....maybe he'll get chased out of town by awesome BB guns!

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Kayin Kincaide
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#6 Post by Kayin Kincaide » Tue Nov 19, 2013 6:44 am

Haven't been on this forum in a while, but damn this is just the greatest idea.
Thank you for this.
We are what we accept...and sometimes we just accept bad things...

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Watching Music Transform
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#7 Post by Watching Music Transform » Sun Dec 22, 2013 7:07 pm

Brilliant idea! -- This of course means another re-watch! :D
Yes, it gets easier

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