Movie Club—Lost in Translation

This month the Movie Club will be screening Lost in Translation, written and directed by Sofia Coppola and starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson.

Washed-up Hollywood actor Bob Harris (Murray) is in Tokyo to film ads for Suntory whisky. Not knowing the language and not being familiar with the culture, he finds the exercise difficult, with the translations lacking. In the hotel he meets Charlotte (Johansson) a recent graduate from Yale with a degree in philosophy who is accompanying her photographer husband, John, who is in Tokyo on assignment. Charlotte has not found her purpose in life, and is stranded in the hotel while John is out working. This leads Charlotte to explore what Japan has to offer, but she often finds these experiences have little impact with her, reflecting after one visit that she "didn't feel anything". Together Charlotte and Bob make the most of their situation and find that they develop an especially strong bond that both need even if they can't explain it.

The film received much acclaim when first released, with 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and going onto many critics best films lists. It has the rare quality of a film that is both sincere without becoming over sentimental or sappy, maintaining a clear eyed, yet compassionate look at its subjects. It features subtle and stellar performances from Murray, revealing an ability to handle poignant as well as the more humours tone of his earlier career, and newcomer at the time Johansson, who was only 18 at the time of filming. 

The film will be screened on Wednesday 12 October at 6pm at Narellan Library, Corner of Queen and Elyard Street, Narellan. Tea, coffee, and biscuits provided, but BYO snacks are more than welcome. Stay after the screening to share your thoughts about the film and join in a discussion about the many heartfelt moments in the film.

Book Review - Child of Vengeance by David Kirk

Set in pre-Shogunate Japan, where the samurai live with death and with honour in a brutal feudal society. A boy is abandoned by his samurai father and raised by his uncle, a monk. When his father returns, Bennosuke must either accept the way of the samurai or deny his birthright. Life is not really that simple however, as he learns. Musashi Benkei was a warrior of ancient legend, a huge man who wielded a staff like no other. The tale went that he held a bridge single-handedly in order for his Lord and his family to perform dignified seppuku [ritual suicide], slaying dozens of the enemy as they came at him. He died on his feet with his staff still in his hands, run through a score of times and riddled with arrows. Not one man had passed him, and both his, and his Lord's honour were assured. It was held as a paragon of a good death. Bennosuke wondered whether Musashi had ever hit a man until his skull burst open. But then, the slaughter was always so very clean in the old tales; evil men came to the hero, and then they were dead. …. Bennosuke looked upon the blood spattered on his kimono, and saw it had dried a dirty, muddy brown. From Shogun by James Clavell to The Tales of the Otori series by Lian Hearn, I have been drawn to tales of this period in Japanese history. The juxtaposition of profound thought, appreciation of beauty, physical and mental discipline, family loyalty & love, political chicanery and brutal violence can be very powerful. David Kirk adds lustre to the genre, although action predominates over philosophy. Wendy

Book Review - Salvation of a Saint by Keigo Higashino

The cover blurb states "The Japanese Stieg Larsson" which is quite misleading and does them both a dis-service. This is a classical murder mystery with the main suspect, the wife, with a solid alibi, being many miles away when her husband dies. An interesting collection of detectives gather the evidence and interpret the clues. A friendly scientist works on the physical puzzles whilst others work on the psychology of the victim and his intimates. Intelligent and gently witty, this is more of an intellectual exercise than a thriller. A very satisfying read. Wendy

Book Review - Buddhaland in Brooklyn by Richard C. Morais

This is a gentle and funny clash of culture novel . Reverend Oda has been a Buddhist monk from childhood and has made a life in rural Japan with art and nature his constant companions in his predominantly solitary meditations. A change in the leadership of his monastery coincides with the expansion of their particular form of Buddhism into America and he finds himself in New York, thrust pell mell into a group of enthusiastic but ill-trained and ill-informed converts. A major supporter has been running lessons from Buddhism for Dummies and they don't show proper respect for the priest. Oda has to disentangle his religious beliefs from his established cultural practices and seek his own as well as his congregation's enlightenment. He also manages to find the joy in New York's noisy and crowded environment. This was a thorough delight. Wendy

Audition by Ryu Murakami

This is proclaimed to be the novel behind the "acclaimed cult movie'' which I haven't seen. A Japanese documentary maker, Aoyama, hasn't dated since his wife died seven years before and he is urged by his son and friend to seek a new wife. He advertises for actresses for a film he doesn't intend to make so he can look over many women with the characteristics he seeks. When Yamasaki Asami enters the room, "Aoyama had a very distinct sensation that something extraordinary was happening all around him. It was like being the millionth visitor to an amusement park, suddenly bathed in spotlights and a rain of balloons and surrounded with microphones and flashing cameras." When she spoke "it was a voice that poured into your ears and oozed down the nerves to the nape of your neck - neither high-pitched nor deep nor dusky, but round and smooth and crystalline". Beguiled by her beauty and intrigued by her troubled past, he ignores the warning signs and rushes headlong into a steamy relationship. Aoyama is a decent man getting though life the best he can but Asami-san is playing by different rules and she wants to be the only person in his life.
This novel is beautifully translated from Japanese by Ralph McCarthy. It is a short novel, lyrically descriptive, explicitly sexual and shockingly violent. It is truly said that you should be careful what you wish for!
Wendy