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What do you think of the way that Hollywood historically has portrayed Japan? Do you think it is getting more realistic?

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WWII movies, Karate-kid, and yakuza related stuff like Rising Sun (I mean this movie http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rising_Sun_(film)) produced specially when Japan was strong economically and seen like a threat for the US economy.

Mainly a bad image, except for kiddy stuff about karate. Now what we have? Big Hero 6? San Fransokyo isn't Japan...And, of course, more WWII movies, like Unbroken.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I'm not sure it was ever that far off from reality. I mean back in the 80s I think Japan was portrayed a far off exotic place, but I think even people that move to Japan feel that way for some time. There is still the myth of the brave samurai, but even the Japanese believe that one.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Historically? Overall I'd say it's been nonsensical with reality so sporadic it actually surprises me enough to take me OUT of the viewing experience: "Hey, that's almost right! How'd that sneak in there?" Is it getting more realistic? No, we're just evolving our stereotypes. Of course movies tend to trade in the glamorous aspects or the "Japan is so weird!" kind of thing because that makes for audience hooks more so than a drama about some guy and his wife and their kid and they do pretty much what everyone else in the middle class no matter what country they live in does-- get up, go to work and school, eat food, watch TV, go to restaurants, shop, laugh, cry, live, age and die in a house or a school or an office. Minus giant robots or kaiju or genki girls with purple or pink hair.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It's never really been about realism in Hollywood. More about image...of course

In a recent example: While watching Godzilla, my wife pointed out to me in the opening scenes with the nuclear power plant that Fuji could be seen somewhat nearby in the background- she made it clear with Fuji that big, and with the city of that size on the ocean that it would be in the middle of everything and impossible to quarantine as some forgotten backwater as they did in the movie.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

That reminds me of You Only Live Twice (1967), where Bond and the woman he's with drive from central Tokyo to way out in the countryside in a matter of minutes. I can't imagine that was possible even back then. Still, filming in actual locations put that movie ahead of many portrayals of the country.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

In a recent example: While watching Godzilla, my wife pointed out to me in the opening scenes with the nuclear power plant that Fuji could be seen somewhat nearby in the background- she made it clear with Fuji that big, and with the city of that size on the ocean that it would be in the middle of everything and impossible to quarantine as some forgotten backwater as they did in the movie.

The movies love to show Fuji as the backdrop to any location in Japan. It's amazing how many places are either close to Fuji, or how close Fuji is to most places.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The Last Samurai was good...

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I'd say most portrayals of Japan by Hollywood have been mostly detached from reality and heavily adapted to Western ideals. Fact is, if they made it realistic, it wouldn't sell in the West. You just have to compare a Japanese film with a Western one to see the discrepancy

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Hollywood and reality don't really mix well, regardless of location.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

No, we're just evolving our stereotypes.

Hollywood and reality don't really mix well

Exactly. We're talking movies here - profit-making, fantasy-fueled ventures. Do you think that any American would have the slightest interest in a movie of Japan "as it really is"?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

After watching "Lost in Translation", I lost any remote interest in going there. The movie had everything I need to know about that place: city life, the temples, even a shot of Mount Fuji with a Bullet Train running in the foreground. Got to see all that that country has to offer for the price of a movie ticket.

-14 ( +1 / -15 )

"You Only Live Twice" featured an early glimpse of Japan and a little bit of its culture. "Black Rain" was pretty cool back when it debuted.

I think the the post bubble yrs saw a decline in Hollywood movies featuring Yaks. But recently, the Chinese Triads have stolen the limelight.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Japanese films can also detached from reality. Post WW2 films (50's and 60's) were brutally honest about the state of society at the time I would say that the majority of current films are escapist and tend to be "feel good". Nothing wrong with that. And the same realism issues of "our" country versus "theirs" plays out in Japan, America, and anywhere else.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So, Texas, what's your interest in posting here, then?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Hollywood doesn't even portray the USA accurately most of the time. How could anyone expect it to get a foreign country right?

It's not just Japan. Most movies just reinforce the stereotypes Americans have of a country - they're not interesting in educating the viewer. And really, why should they? They are making fiction. Presenting a different country than the viewers expect would be too distracting from the story. So expect more of the Chinese gong and erhu music in the background of scenes set in Tokyo and actually filmed in Vancouver.

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