a clarification

Mark Anderson ander025
Mon Jul 29 04:10:44 EDT 2002


Dear Chuck,
Thanks for the clarification. I look forward to hearing more of your
observations on contemporary Japanese film in our new cordial tone.

Best,

Mark Anderson

P.S. As for Kunikida Doppo, there is one out of print translation of his
work available at many libraries, River Mist and other Stories, but I'm
afraid I don't know if Unforgettable People is one of the stories included
in it or not. My non-hysterical wife, Christine Marran, informs me Wasureenu
Hitobito is probably included among the translations in Jay Rubin's doctoral
dissertation entitled, Kunikida Doppo, which he completed at the University
of Chicago. According to World Cat, the libraries at Stanford, Harvard,
Princeton, Oregon and U Penn as well as Chicago all have a copy. Assuming
this book has the story, it may be available through the University of
Michigan dissertation reprint series. If not, and you're interested, I'd be
happy to order the book through interlibrary loan and get a copy of the
relevant passages to you.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chuck Stephens" <cougar71 at well.com>
To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Sent: Monday, July 29, 2002 12:47 AM
Subject: a clarification


> Mark Anderson writes:
>
> >>Dear Chuck,
> Surely you would grant that a discussion of Japanese film might reasonably
> include a discussion of its Japanese title. That is not invention--it's a
> title, selected by the director, in his native language. It is precisely a
> question of taking Shinozaki seriously. Where is the know-it-all ism in
> discussing the possible connotations of the Japanese title of a Japanese
> film? You are effectively trying to enforce your institutional perspective
> on the rest of us. I thank you to refrain from that in the future.<<
>
> Mark, I never expressed any problem with the discussion of a Japanese
> title of a Japanese film. Indeed, I went so far as to call Joseph
> Murphy's association of the film's Japanese title with the title of
> "Kunikida Doppo's well-known collection of sketches from the Meiji
> period, "Wasureenu Hitobito"", fascinating. And I meant it -- even as
> I admit that I had to go and look up exactly who Kunikida was. Is his
> writing available in translation, do you know?
>
> My objection to what Murphy originally wrote was that he included the
> Japanese title of the film, and his own personal and very clever
> associative translation for it -- *Unforgettable People* -- but
> neglected to mention the English-language title the film already
> possesses, one approved by its director: *Not Forgotten*. I asked
> only that this, the "actual", "release",
> not-chosen-by-a-publicist/critic/academic, English-language title, be
> mentioned, if not factored in.
>
> (I also objected to what I perceived as a certain oneupsmanship in
> Murphy's first retort to me, but I'm now sure I over-reacted.)
>
> For the record, I heartily endorse and look forward to the discussion
> of Japanese titles of Japanese films, as well as various titles in
> various languages for films of various origins, including Saturnian
> and/or in Ye Olde Esperanto.
>
> As an individual, I don't believe I have an "institutional
> perspective" on anything, and certainly not the one you're attempting
> to pin on me here. Heck, you can't even qoute me properly: it was
> "know-better-ism", not "know-it-all-ism" -- a crucial distinction. I
> thank you to refrain from that in the future.
>





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