KINEJAPAN digest 797

[Chuck Stephens]

Gosh, I had no idea this discussion forum was such hostile terrain. 
There I was, adding terms to a general discussion -- recent examples 
of the hysterical in Japanese film, evidence of factual omission in 
other contributory posts, the spelling of an actor's name when 
Professor Murphy requested it, etc -- when I'm attacked by someone 
previously uninvolved in the discussion who seems to have a rather 
rash urge to defend Professor Murphy. What gives?

>>Being put off by the name Laura Mulvey is like being annoyed at
someone dropping the words "polling" and "electorate" in a discussion of
politics. How anti-intellectual is anti-intellectual enough?<<

Uh...I didn't intend to appeal unevenly to either camp. Nothing about 
Laura Mulvey or her work puts me off. Indeed, I remember Mulvey's 
theoretical work as seeming rather relevant (to certain European and 
Hollywood, if no Japanese, films) back in the early 1980's, and Laura 
herself, during a teaching semester she spent at NYU in '87, as a 
perfectly charming person and an excellent instructor.

>>And why would
you be impressed if a Japanese film "already has an English title"? These
are made up by publicists and translators and typically approved by
directors who wouldn't know the difference.<<

Firstly, I'm sure Shinozaki would appreciate the benefit of the doubt 
you afford his intelligence. Secondly, once upon a time, you would 
have been right: English titles for some Japanese films were derived 
as after-thoughts, long after a director had finished his chores on a 
film. Today, however, with Japanese directors and producers planning 
-- nay, counting on -- the reception their films receive at 
international film festivals, some greater degree of care is given to 
the selection of English-language titles. It is my understanding, 
having been asked by the film's producers to contribute a minor essay 
to the brochure distributed in theaters in Japan during *Not 
Forgotten*'s release, that Shinozaki is quite comfortable with the 
title *Not Forgotten*. If you have other information, by all means 
bring it forward. I simply have a pet peeve against films which have 
a widely accepted English-language title being referred by some other 
title without reference to the title already in place -- no matter 
how clever or elaborative said other title's invention might be. It 
suggests a know-better-ism that smacks of arrogance.

>>Should we
make a rule not to use big words on the website during certain hours of the
day?<<

Only if they bother you. By the way, do you keep current with 
Japanese cinema, or are you strictly a hall monitor here?