IAC DISCUSSION FORUMS

Hi to all. We have just been to see "Lost in Translation" over the weekend
following a lot of good write-ups and the fact that we like Bill Murray-
especially after "Groundhog Day". What a strange film. A lot of hand held
shots- some out-of-focus stuff; all very pseudo-documentary. Not a bad idea.
Steady (bit slow) "story". A nice change from shoot-ups and car chases..
but at the end??? Well not really much of a story. Performances were good
and it kept us watching... but??? Well, what was it trying to say? One of
these "slice-of-life" films which students like. Or, a film without a story.Perhaps
someone can enlighten me.

Ken.

"Ken Wilson" <forums@theiac.org.uk> wrote:

Hi to all. We have just been to see "Lost in Translation" over the weekend
following a lot of good write-ups and the fact that we like Bill Murray-
especially after "Groundhog Day". What a strange film. A lot of hand held
shots- some out-of-focus stuff; all very pseudo-documentary. Not a bad idea.
Steady (bit slow) "story". A nice change from shoot-ups and car chases..
but at the end??? Well not really much of a story. Performances were good
and it kept us watching... but??? Well, what was it trying to say? One of
these "slice-of-life" films which students like. Or, a film without a story.Perhaps
someone can enlighten me.

Ken.

Its the story of two lonely people disoriented by a combination of jet lag,
culture shock and the mind numbing difficulty of communication for Westerners
in Japan, finding a friendly comfort in each other's company. What it says
is that in the real world middle aged men and young women can have a friendly
supportive relationship without all the bumping and grinding. It is a slice
of life movie, a genre that I like since it presents well rounded characters
who have an existence outside the slice we have shared with them, this is
a film completely about people and their interaction - no McGuffins and as
you say a nice change from shoot ups and car chases. Too many film characters
are "constructs" designed to fullfil just the needs of the film. This film
will do well in the Oscars (I hope) when compared with such overblown offerings
as the last episode of the Lord of the Rings - 30 minutes too long and oh,
those endless battles and the weird disintegration of the final scenes.

Ned C