KINEJAPAN digest 797

[Mark Anderson]

Dear Chuck Stephens,
Gosh, I guess in your neighborhood being dismissive and condescending passes
for pleasant, informative conversation.

Best,

Mark Anderson

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chuck Stephens" <cougar71 at well.com>
To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Sent: Sunday, July 28, 2002 5:19 AM
Subject: Re: KINEJAPAN digest 797


> 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?
>