Orientalism in the Film "Lost in Translation"

There are many ways in which Orientalism is portrayed in the film Lost in Translation. The ways in which the Japanese culture and people are presented within this film are great examples of this. As stated in the article "'Con-fusing' Exotica": "The chief function of Orientalism [is] 'to control, manipulate, even incorporate what is manifestly a different world'" (Ghosh 2003: 275). This focus on creating difference as exotic and at bringing it to the forefront of importance is dealt with greatly in this film. Differences are portrayed as either inequalities or in a humorous way in order to make light of the Japanese culture and people. There are many scenes in which the Orientalist gaze is shown and used to create an "otherness" associated with the Japanese people in comparison with Americans.
Japanese identity is portrayed as advanced to the point of it not making sense. When Bob Harris is at his commercial shoot and the Japanese man directing the commercial is speaking in Japanese in order to give him directions on what to do the Japanese language is made fun of and shown to be too complicated. This is shown through the Japanese language using a significant amount of words in order to say very little (when translated to English). Another way in which Japanese culture is shown as too advanced is when Bob Harris gets stuck on the elliptical while working out because he can't figure out how to work this technology. Video games, casinos, and video screens on skyscrapers are also shown through an Orientalist gaze in this film. Japanese identity can also be understood as different through scenes such as when Bob Harris is in the elevator and taller than every Japanese person in there or when he is in the shower and the shower head doesn't move to a tall enough height for him. Making fun of the height of the Japanese people is also a stereotypical way to portray identity.
The main way in which Japanese identity is seen within this film is through the "absence, invisibility, and silence" of the Japanese characters (Ghosh 2003: 275). The storyline in this film focuses on the American characters much more-so than the Japanese characters. This absence is a way in which the American characters are presented as more important and the Japanese characters as inferior. The Japanese characters in this film "are at one and the same time wiped out as subjects but reinserted as objects of Orientalist gaze so that ultimately they are defined within the parameters of 'exotica' and the 'otherness' that so often demarcates Orientalist discourse" (Sanjukta 2003: 276). When the focus is on a Japanese character they are shown in the gaze of an American character. Some examples of this are when Charlotte is walking through the city and comes across Japanese youth playing video games that differ from the American video games. She watches them with amusement at their differences. This Orientalist gaze is shown other times such as when she is looking over the city in Japan from her hotel window. This scene shows a separation between her and Japan. This helps to define Japan as the "other."
Japanese identity is made light of through the portrayal of stereotypical ideas of Japanese people and culture. The names that the Japanese characters have are one way in which this is done. Most of the names are what Americans would expect Japanese people to be named such as "Miss Kawasaki;" however, when a Japanese character has an American name it is something like "Charlie Brown" in order to make light of their culture and attempt at Americanization. Japanese characters are also portrayed in positions of servitude to their white counterparts. This is shown through the people working for Bob Harris and at the hotel, restaurants, and other places that American visitors come across. This demeans the Japanese people and places them in positions inferior to Americans even in their own country. Japanese men are also feminized within this film through the effeminate characters such as the talk show host and the director of the commercial. The differences in height also seem to have the effect of feminizing Japanese men in this film.
American identity in this film is shown as superior and almost as a saving grace. It seems as if it is assumed that if Americans weren't visiting Japan that the Japanese people would have nothing better to do with their time. The presence of the Americans gives the Japanese characters in this movie a sense of purpose in their serving them. This is definitely an example of Orientalism in this film.
Overall, Japanese and American identities are forged together to make sense of one another in the film Lost in Translation. Without the portrayal of the Japanese culture as inferior to the American culture, the Americans would not be seen as superior. This is an effect of the Orientalist gaze. The differences shown between cultures and people in this film are used to produce the effect of differences that create positions of inferiority and superiority.

Following is the trailer for the film:

Works Cited

Ghosh, Sanjukta. 2003. "'Con-fusing' Exotica: Producing India in U.S. Advertising." Pp. 274-282 in Gender, Race, and Class in Media edited by Gail Dines and Jean M. Humez. Sage Publications in Thousand Oaks, California.

Comparing The Departed and Infernal Affairs

While most people have seen or at the very least heard of the movie The Departed (2006) few probably know that it was a remake of a Hong Kong produced movie called Infernal Affairs (2002). Each movie follows the plot of a cop undercover in the mob while another individual is undercover for the mob in the police department. While each plot is very similar the main difference is that the Irish mob is who is depicted in the American version while the Triads are depicted in the Hong Kong version. The Departed was full of a star studded and well respected class and the Hong Kong version was no different in that respect because a very prominent cast of well known Hong Kong actors were seen in Infernal Affairs. Each movie was well respected with Infernal Affairs being credited as the revival of Hong Kong film, and The Departed achieved great success at the Academy Awards garnering the Best Picture for 2006.

The Departed and Infernal Affairs each received critical acclaim from their respective audiences, but the great difference lies in the amount of money each made at the box office. According to imdb.com The Departed made a earned $289,835,021 worldwide, while Infernal Affairs made less than $5 million in total profit. Each film was a critical success, but the power of Hollywood changed the film into a commercial success worldwide when it was made into The Departed in 2006. It just goes to show the power of Hollywood because a film that was already regarded as successful was taken from Hong Kong and reproduced for an American market with essentially the same plot intact and the film sky rocketed to well known acclaim.