DVD Review HTF Review: Lost In Translation (1 Viewer)

[Scott_MacD]

I think you are going to need more than one major dissenter to qualify a backlash, Vince.

The film that hit most top 10 lists, almost universally praised, and I personally adored. Sure, it'll get a wee backlash from non-cinephiles (most films do!), and even a few of us HTF members, but it's so pointless to worry about people's opinions, particularly when it's so difficult to help them change it. (even if we were so bold as to think we should..)

And then again, there are those who indeed have "quirky" tastes, who won't like it. So what? I'm truly sorry you hated it Joe.People deal with isolation in a different culture in many different ways. This made it merely seem more real to me. I may not concur with him, but I understand why he does as he does. What a pair of performances!

#3 of the year.. and a lock for my collection. Bloody brilliant..

 

[Michael St. Clair]

I also wish you hadn't.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Transfer?

Not great. Seemed awfully soft and some
scenes were borderline blurry.

But the film....priceless!

 

[greg_t]

Off to ebay with it!

 

[Ted Todorov]

Even if there is a lot of grumbling, I'm not sure why you care, Vince. Lost in Translation is great film, let the naysayers naysay -- it's their problem

I'm dying to see the DVD supplements of Sofia C. directing.

Ted

 

[JayHM]

For a short 11-minute making of, go look at the Lost in Translation page at rottentomatoes. It's very promotional, but there are behind-the-scenes clips and interviews.

 

[johnbud]

I am on the fence with this one. I have heard comparisons to Before Sunrise (which is one of my favorites) and to Rushmore (which did not work for me). Has anyone seen the above as well as LIT and have a recommendation?

 

[Rich Malloy]

It bears similarities to both movies. More visually lyrical and much less talky than "sunrise"; a similar sense of longing and dissatisfaction (but hope, always hope) animating the lives of the characters as in Rushmore (plus another great Murray role).

My recommendation: rent it from Netflix and see for yourself. There are few things I'd recommend you do in this world "blindly", and giving away your money is not one of them.

 

[Shane Martin]

I'm going to take Rich's advice and rent first. I'll probably like it as I like several movies like this so I'm definitely fighting the urge to not buy it. Too big of a risk on this one for me though.

 

[Jan H]

As a cinephile, a fan of Rushmore, art-house movies, Wong Kar Wai, etc., let me just chime in with an opinion. Received my copy yesterday, and with great anticipation I popped in my player. Conclusions? LiT is a well-made film, but the kudos and awards being heaped on it are wildly undeserved. It is a well-shot and atmospheric film, but the characters are inscrutable, at best, and unlikable at worst. I felt like a stranger to them, as much as they were strangers in a strange land. The dialogue is realistic, I suppose, but its wit and sensitivity only reveals itself intermittently. The performances? Again, very overrated. Perhaps my opinion of the film will improve upon a second viewing, but for now I have to confess my profound disappointment.

 

[Lew Crippen]

I’ve already written my opinion of this film over in movies and feel that it is not a film of the first rank. I do think that Murray has a strong performance.

 

[Rich Malloy]

Any more info on Canadian vs. US releases?

 

[ChristianB]

Alliance Atlantis Special Features:

"Lost" On Location

Matthew's Best Hit TV

Kevin Shields' "City Girl" Music Video

Deleted Scenes

A Conversation With Bill Murray And Sofia Coppola

Theatrical Trailer

Specs:

Video: 1.85:1 Anamorphic

Audio: English 5.1 DTS, English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital

Subtitles: French

 

[Rich Malloy]

It looks exactly the same (yes on the DTS track?), except no English or Spanish subs on the Canadian version?

That's news. Still, I suppose the transfers could be different.... hmmmm.

 

[ChristianB]

Look like the same DVD to me. I don't have the Focus Features one, but when you select "Languages" you can see;

www.universalstudios.com/home

at the bottom of the menu.

Does the Focus Features one have this?

I could upload a screenshot if I knew how

 

[Dave Mack]

Interesting... From DVDFile's review...
" Blacks are solid and contrast crisp, resulting in fine detail and generally excellent shadow delineation. Edge enhancement is thankfully not a problem and I noticed no real compression artifacts. A very sharp transfer..."

Perhaps the lack of EE is giving the impression of this being a "soft" transfer. Anyone with a FP or say 55" and up think it looks soft? Curious...

D

 

[ThomasC]

Or what?

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I was surprised by DVDFile's review.

To say that this is a sharp transfer goes
against what I saw.

The transfer isn't awful, but some of the
scenes were so soft that it could almost be
considered borderline blurry.

Interested to see what others here think.

 

[Edwin-S]

Why the difficulty with someone having a negative impression. His main complaint seems to be with Bill Murray's character being an ignorant jackass in another person's culture.

I will reserve judgement until after I see the film.

 

[CraigF]

Very OT, but you might consider checking for Sofia Coppola's first directorial effort "The Virgin Suicides" in the Wal-Mart $5.50 bargain bins. It's ana/WS/5.1, decent flick, IMO better than LIT, both are interesting and somewhat offbeat, she's certainly on a slight roll...