Sunday, December 8, 2013

First Draft of "Lost in Translation" final paper



Christian Murillo
Professor Wexler
English 495
December 8, 2013
Lost in Harvey
            Of the three pieces of assigned reading, it felt that Harvey’s “Cultural Space and Urban Place: The New World Disorder,” resonated the most in regards to the film, “Lost in Translation.” Sophia Copolla’s masterpiece is about a man named Bob who is an actor that is dissatisfied with his life and career. For money, he takes a job in Japan reading lines for a commercial. While some might see this as an unforgettable opportunity to dive into a new culture, Bob sees this as a mockery of his profession and worse, as a waste of his time. His tone changes however, upon meeting Charlotte, a young woman who like Bob, finds herself in Japan; but even more like Bob, she soon discovers that they are occupying the same lonely place in time and space, and that together they create a whole that cannot be matched by the outside world. This is in part because despite being surrounded by millions of people and lights, the city itself is too big, too sharp and as such, too stifling and blinding. These themes come together notably in two key concepts of Harvey’s work; the idea of the public and the private space and the Chicago school’s definition of Urbanism.  
 
            When we first meet Charlotte, she is presented as a lonely housewife, occupying a nice hotel room with a beautiful vista of Japan. Her husband is a photographer that caters to celebrities and as a consequence, is consistently busy. His image is of a frail, forgetful but loyal husband who is too busy to pay attention to his wife who is finding herself wallowing in self misery. Charlotte does not have a job nor does she have any prospects other than existing in a city she doesn’t understand; a jab by her husband indicates that she went to Harvard and from that we can deduce that a woman with such distinct intelligence must be going insane in this situation. As such, Charlotte thus represents the Private Space which Harvey defines as the “Home” and the “Feminine” both of which apply to Charlotte. In this case, Bob would thus represent the “Public Sphere” which as Harvey notes is considered masculine due to its association with work, however, the film takes these concepts and redefines the roles. Bob is uncomfortable in his sphere due to his inability to understand the language and his refusal to compromise to their cultural norms. As such, it is interesting to see Charlotte take the lead in branching out from the domestic sphere and taking Bob with her; through her, she introduces him to Karaoke, Sushi, and even Japanese people Bob would have otherwise never met, despite his role as the masculine public figure.  

 
            As much as Charlotte and Bob are the main characters, it can be argued that the city of Tokyo, and by associated Japan itself, is also a character. The sprawling urban jungle is rife with experiences, amusements, and sensations that must be experienced in order to be remembered, and as stated above, Bob only gets to experience these things because of Charlotte. Given how the city is portrayed throughout the film, Harvey’s research of the “Chicago School’s” thoughts on Urbanization, seem to resonate well with the films portrayal of Japan. Ernest Burgess’ quote, “Urbanism is a way of life, social existence” (Harvey) is presented by the film as Tokyo itself; it is a massive urban complex that at times depicts a veritable sea of people crossing the street as a dinosaur crosses the window of a building. Automobiles (taxis in particular) and people seem to fill every shot as almost every scene is filled with residents living their lives with almost every person (whether playing games or working) given a purpose. This also explains why Charlotte and Bob feel so out of place; they have undefined roles in this city due to the language and cultural barriers. In addition, Chicago’s Louis Wirth’s definition is given more prominence when considering the portrayal of Tokyo; “Urbanism is large number of people in close proximity w/out knowing each other. City dwellers form associations bases on lifestyle, culture, and ethnicity” (Harvey). This is arguably one of the most strongest and enduring themes of the film; that you can be standing on the street in one of the busiest cities in the world and be utterly, devastatingly alone. While Charlotte has used this as an excuse to explore and gradually build an open-mind for cultural differences, Bob has used this as a reason to perpetuate his negative emotions from his career towards the Japanese people. We can see this by the way he mocks their pronunciation and the indifference he displayed in going on their talk show. 


            “Lost in Translation” is a masterpiece of cinema; it features a man and a woman so vastly different, yet so complete in their desolation of spirit and isolation of mind and body that their coming together is itself a miracle. This miracle is recognized by both of them in the way that they appreciate that their friendship is lingering only on a matter of a few days before they are torn apart and sucked back into the drain of their lives. It is only through Charlotte that Bob is able to feel comfortable in his Public Sphere and accept that Tokyo is a city with its own way of life that cannot be ignored or misinformed; it is a vital, living breathing creature that must be recognized and understood in order to appreciate what it has to offer, which is this case was a friendship that was the only thing not lost in translation.

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