Lost in Translation

Lost in Translation

2003

Sophia Copolla daughter of director of the godfather

Set in Tokyo, Japan  one of the world’s largest economies and has strong links to USA and Australia through military and strategic ties

Aware of economic paradigms  industrial capacity, communication, factories

Japan is one of the worlds economic superpowers

Reference to traditional Japanese arts (Ikabana) and Tokyo as a character within itself

Challenges in navigating
The idea of empty spaces that can arise when attempting to navigate an environment
Transience and loss
Murphet  the idea of liminal space
Baudrillard  simulacra and assimilation
Language can be a tool for navigation but also has the ability to hinder
The idea of loss
Detachment from others when you don’t have the tools to navigate
Characters are both at transient stages in their life
The search for feeling for emotions
Challenge to find a sense of connectedness/feeling
A sense of homogeneity about certain spaces in the global
Search for an unadulterated and pure culture amidst a local world

Look at the idea of connection welt schmerz
Film is regarded as successful but makes minimal efforts to portray Asia
Audience becomes an aloof tourist also
Feel like we’re travelling but never understand the characters fully
The use of signifiers
Lots of things that the audience can identify with Japan
Bob and Charlotte connect because of their alienation  paradoxical relationship

“The whole film has a sense of fragmentation, dislocation, melancholy and romance”

Idea of transience and non places of travel

Bob Harris

-Filming an ad

Charlotte

-Left in her hotel room

Film Analysis

Intertextual references
Woman lying on the bed is a direct reference to Le Mepris (1963)
Looking at her from an intrusive perspective, she is exposed
Audience is being given access to her private experiences
Desensitisation of her, the anonymity of the global
The camera tends to invade the privacy of the characters
Disconnected from the environment
Welt Schnez
World pain, pain from the world
The symbolism of the window in the taxi highlights the idea of a barrier between him and the world. The slightly blue tone to the scene ads a melancholy sense and is emphasised by the hyper reality created by the lights. The jump cuts to handheld images of the city allows the audience to travel around the city and place them in his perspective
Height difference  emphasises the idea that he is different to them
Disconnection

Monotonous/monochromatic colour pattern
Disconnected from the natural landscape
Exchange of interaction between the two business men
Recognised for his action hero status
Identification is often something to do with performance or visual media/film (a global language)
Chiaroscuro
Blue filter
White colour symbolism  sterile and clean
Economic paradigm
Charlotte behind the glass
Symbolises she’s being held back
Rapid pull focus shows disconnection between the outside world
Juxtaposition between the bright light and melancholic tone of the interior
Body language
Closed off and restricted
Restless, clearly tired
Young
Low key lighting
Discomfort in the shower
Having to adapt to different cultural practices
Charlotte framed between the two bars of the window highlights her sense of entrapment
Anonymity of the city
She is disconnected from it
The language barrier disconnects the two men from being able to understand each other
Element of the idea of performance
Parodying a typical English
Ironic representation of the Western world through Japanese eyes
Mixed internal global culture
Sense of class, style and old world elegance
Connotations of James Bond
A world without passion  lack of fireplace
Impassivity of his reaction
The idea that he is only active when playing a role 
Disbelief and refusal to trust
Lack of education
The direction makes allusion to western film to try and make him identify with his character
Film as a global language
Interpreter
Religious paradigm
Emphasised by the temple
The Heianjingu shrine
Almost as if she enters intrusively
A community she is not a part of, she is on the outside and looking in
Flanner  sense of her being disconnected from the local
She creates her own self imposed barriers
The idea of meditation, emphasised by the sing bowl
Isolation that builds up if you’re in liminal space
Overwhelming and lonely feeling
Feeling displaced
Fragmented phone conversation
Short conversation
Rapid nature
The expected sense of feeling uplifted of a peaceful religion
Dismissive tone of Charlotte towards her husband
Doesn’t really care about what he’s saying
No interest
Mirrored self is carried on throughout the film(?)
Can’t focus on one thing, flipping through TV channels
Peripatetic (moving constantly)
Images become a reference point for him
Global exchange of media but the world doesn’t move together
Recycling of old TV shows/movies
Fantasy woman  Western parody of a Geisha
Misunderstanding of “lip my stocking”
Element of parody and humour
Alternating scenes to compare and contrast the different experiences
Importance of visual imagery
Pushed to one side of the table
Cluttered
Lonely traveller
Mirage of the senses
Awkward but humorous connection between him and the director
Slightly racist as he doesn’t make any sort of effort to immerse himself in the culture, doesn’t learn any basic words
Japanese value respect and they are attempting to be respectful to him by speaking in his language and making references he understands whereas he doesn’t make any attempt to engage in their language/culture
He becomes a global commodity
Ominous view of the city
Scarborough fair
The first interaction between Charlotte and Bob
Transcends cultures, known globally
New age spirituality with mysticism of the voiceover on TV or radio
Ikabana symbolises culture and juxtaposes the superficial press conference, very stereotypical
Press conference  quick pace, direct and superficial nature of the global
Ikabana workshop  traditional valuing of women, value of nature and relaxation. Ikabana is 600 years old, structured decoration of flowers
The idea of understanding nuances of cultural practices and what is appropriate
Charlotte picks up a flower that does not suit the bunch
Transience  Charlotte moves between different places in hotels, can’t stay put
Bob and Charlotte meet  symbolises two ‘lonely’ souls
Both characters have lost their bearings
Both searching for direction in their life and a sense of ease
Pool  symbolic window
Barrage of sound
Harsh sound
Neither character understands what the people of the culture are doing
Water-aerobics class vs. Japanese arcade
Wester gaze upon non-Western
Bar becomes a motif
Prison break  demonstration of trust
Acknowledging that the hotel is somewhere Bob wants to escape from
Synthesised music links with the outside world and the desire to explore
Atmosphere in the bar with Charlie Brown has more intimacy and warmth than the bar in the hotel
Western music karaoke
Absence of noise in the corridor
Connection in the global
Bob touches Charlotte slightly
Chance encounters; intimacy that is in seclusion
Charlotte lies in foetal position
Fatherly relationship
Quite vulnerable
Enters another temple  different to her first encounter at the beginning
An anonymous person drifting around
Anonymity of the global
Shots with her on the side of the frame or her back
Proximity of the larger temple with a moving figure
Culmination of a spiritual journey
Handheld camera watching and observing her
Adds a sense of authenticity
Steps lightly on the stepping stones
Adventure but mindfulness
Not leaving a trace of herself anywhere
Starting to become familiar
Simulacra
No interpretation for the audience (during the talk show)
“I’m completely lost”
Disinterest in conversation
Transitory relationship  nothing being permanent
Whispering in her ear
Nobody knows what he says
Creates a sense of intimacy
Hugging surrounded by the city