Published by: Katrina Sophia Eustaquio
Date Published: August 21, 2023
Time Published: 3:46 PM
A visual symphony entangled by loneliness and Tokyo lights. A story of strangers forming a connection, creating distractions, and getaways from their unsatisfying marriages. Lost in Translation was Coppola’s take on fleeting moments in life with an impression that stays, and did stay as one of the best films of the 2000s [1].
In 2003, Sofia Coppola released her sophomore film, Lost in Translation, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. The movie garnered critical and commercial success, grossing over $119 million, earning Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay [2]. The film became a showcase of Coppola’s unique filmmaking skills, capturing an audience’s attention with minimal dialogue, great cinematography, and killer music, all maintained under a $4 million budget. Embracing the beauty of sadness from short romantic encounters. Making the film one of the most notable works of the 2000s, being loved 20 years ago and until now.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
The movie isn't rushed but is a beautiful slow process, a process of introduction of the characters, to their dilemma, to their story. The theme of alienation doesn't only come from the foreign city but also from their significant others. Lost in Translation isn't a common love story as both characters aren't falling in love as a couple but as friends, similar to Wong Kar-wai’s In The Mood For Love. Physical affection isn't something they reach for, but a feeling of understanding and sharing a current situation happening in their lives.
𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻
The serene atmosphere adds to the beauty of the film. A factor of the film’s serenity comes from its ethereal shoegaze-driven soundtrack that mainly comprised My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields. The streets of Tokyo, filled with the indistinct sound of Japanese chatter in the background that adds to the relevance of being literally lost in translation. The streets filled with unfamiliar yet beautiful glaring neon lights flashing in Japanese characters. The film floods the viewer's senses with ambient lights and sounds, nothing but a scene of being lost yet calm.
𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
A film can unravel the viewer’s emotions. The way conversations are held deeply affects how the audience feels about the film. As the film perfectly shows natural scenarios since Coppola allowed the actors improvise in some lines. These naturalistic scenes such as knowing a stranger, gaining a friend, and the difficulty bidding farewell are portrayed with the sense of sincerity. Coppola mastered the art of capturing the viewers’ feelings as if getting them wrapped around her fingers, letting the movies speak for itself letting emotions flow and linger.
With a film delivering such soul and beauty, it wouldn't be surprising for it to earn 30 times its budget. Two decades along the road, Lost in Translation is still one of the movies that keeps you wanting for more. A film that could be described as more than a film, but an experience. Beauty with a side of loneliness and melancholia that shockingly scars a viewer’s mind forever.
“Let's never come here again because it would never be as much fun,” [3].
References:
[1] Coppola, S. (2003, September 18). Filmmaker and screenwriter Sofia Coppola reflects on pursuing Bill Murray as the only possible lead for "Lost in Translation," and describes the main themes in the film.
https://charlierose.com/videos/13710
[2] IMDb. Lost in Translation (2003) - Awards
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335266/awards/?ref_=tt_awd
[3] IMDb. Lost in Translation (2003) - Scarlett Johansson as Charlotte
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335266/characters/nm0424060
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