January 26, 2004
Lost in Lost in Translation
I am currently Lost in Translation.
I am, of course, speaking of the movie with Bill Murray and Scarrlett Johansson, by Sofia Coppola. It is about about Bob and Charlotte, two Americans who meet in Tokyo and become friends in this strange foreign city. Coppola paints an amazing picture of the city, and it's influence on the characters is the most fascinating part of the movie. Most scenes have long lapses of silence, where people stare around, unsure of what to do. When Johansson explores Japan, she is never alone, surrounded by hundreds of people, but always lonely. There is a pervading feeling of disconnectedness, solitude, and calmness, while people and life rush by. The characters never reveal their thoughts and much is left to our imagination, everything is a collection of still shots, glances, and bursts of conversation, lost in the enormity of the surrounding city.
I find it hard to exactly explain my fascination with this movie, but many of the scenes are just so intensely beautiful and touching. The individual lost in a crowd has always fascinated me. Whenever Charlotte looks out the window, I realize that there are millions of people below, each living there lives, but fundamentally, whether abroad or not, we as individuals are separated from them, living our own lives. But then we meet someone to live them with us.