Lost In Translation

The Vertical Ray Of The Sun

In Tran Ahn Hung's (The Scent of Green Papaya) film The Vertical Ray Of The Sun (2000), the overall impression is one of a lush, sensuous summer day in the tropics. The film is big on atmosphere that is created by sublime cinematographer Ping Bin Lee (who has worked on films for Wong Kar-Wai and Hsiao-Hsien Hou) rather than plot. The story mostly takes place in Hanoi and Halong Bay among beautiful locations of sunlight apartments and among the picturesque islands that dot Halong Bay (this is where one husband  has his second family and often goes for his work). The story concerns three sisters and their love lives: the youngest (the director's ravishing wife Tran Nu Yen-Khe- see above) seems to be love with her brother, one sister's husband has another family, and the third is pregnant and suspects her husband has cheated on her. The film captures everyday moments like waking in the morning to the strains of The Velvet Underground, preparing meals, and having coffee in the coffee shop. It was an enjoyable experience to be in that atmosphere, but it doesn't have the same overall poignance of the other master directors that Ping has worked with (Wong and Hou).

A Taste Of Honey

Tony Richardson's A Taste Of Honey  (1961) is a kitchen sink drama of the British Realist school based on a play by the young Shelag Dleaney. It has recently gotten a Criterion release and is notable for providing lyric sand inspiration to Morissey during his time withe Smiths. Here is a ample of lyrics from the play/film: “That river, it’s the colour of lead” / “You can’t just wrap it up in a bundle of newspaper” / “And dump it on a doorstep” / “Oh well, the dream’s gone, but the baby’s real enough” / “I’m not sorry and I’m not glad” (This Night Has Opened My Eyes), “I dreamt about you last night. Fell out of bed twice” (Reel Around The Fountain), “I’ll probably never see you again” (Hand in Glove), “It’s a long time, six months” (Shoplifters Of The World Unite And Take Over), “You want taking in hand” (Barbarism Begins At Home),  “Sing me to sleep”(Asleep), “What would you say if I started something?” (I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish), “Put your arms around me” (Tomorrow), “Anyway it’s your life, ruin it your own way” (Alma Matters). Rita Tushingham won the British Academy Award for her performance as the young working class girl who has gotten herself pregnant in this, her debut role. (Both Tushingham and costar Murray Melvin, as Peter the gay artist, won awards at the Cannes Film Festival.)The story is also remarkable since two of the characters are a black sailor and a gay artist who are not mocked but portrayed realistically and sympathetically rather in an stereotyped manner. There is some excellent work by cinematographer Walter Lassally throughout the film as well.

Last Chance U

Netflix has yet another compelling original TV series in Last Chance U (2015), which follows the trials and tribulations of Eastern Mississippi Community College's football team. The team is a powerhouse that has won national championships four out of five years. The team is made up of troubled students who have been bounced or unable to make it through other programs for academic or behavioral problems. The show mainly focuses on the star players, the head coach, and their main academic advisor. The show reflects a lot about values in America, the South, and Mississippi in particular. It was a short six season series, but I will tune into Season Two as well.

Bitter Lake

Bitter Lake (2015) is a fascinating BBC documentary from Adam Curtis about how the simplified narrative of "good versus evil" has been applied to the situation in Afghanistan. He first focuses on how America's special relationship with Sadi Arabia created a chain of events that would lead to the rise of wahhabism and eventually led to the formation of the Taliban and ISIS. Other factors are considered, for example the wars int eh middle east between Israel and Saudi Arabia and later the wars in Afghanistan first between the Soviet Union and later in the war terrorism that included England and the United States. It has a strong narrative and excellent visuals along with an interesting soundtrack. It was something of a innovative documentary. I would like to see what Curtis does next-this was an informative, compelling, and entertaining film.

On The Narrow Road To The Deep North

I got Lesley Downer's book, On The Narrow Road To The Deep North: Journey Into A Lost Japan (1989) as background reading for a trip to the Tohoku region (this time Sendai and surrounding areas-Yamadera and Matsushima). I also read Matsuo Basho's book The Narrow Roads to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches knowing that Downer would refer to them in her travels. And I am glad that I did, she relied on that book and the diaries of his companion Kawai Sora's diary in which he noted the weather, price of accommodations and other mundane facts of the journey-I learned that Basho only highlighted the more memorable stops and occasions embroidered with poetry. Her journey was undertaken in 1985, so it was rare for foreigners to be undertaking the journey she did, however, unlike Alan Booth who walked all of Japan and wrote about it, she walked, hitchhiked, and took trains to complete the journey and hers was following the route of Japan's most famous poet. And perhaps this trip inspired Booth's later travels in which he followed Osamu Dazai's travels in Tsurugu, Saigo Takamori's retreat, and the searched for the final home of the defeated Heike clan. Downer's book is rich in detail about her encounters with local people and the history of the region in regards to the famous and historical figures who spent time in this region. Unlike Booth's book, she is less forthcoming about herself-sometimes she gets exasperated with people she meets, but she is less humorous and forthcoming about her travels. I understand that she was looking for the world that Basho encountered, but I still don't have a strong feeling of what it was about the journey that inspired her. Unlike Booth, who has a great love for Tohoku, where he initially lived when he came to Japan, Downer had lived further south in the mountains of Gifu, before returning to Japan. That being said I enjoyed having Downer around as I visited some of the places (Yamadera, Sendai, and Matsushima) that she did retracing Basho's footsteps. I intend on coming back and seeing more of Tohoku and I might even re-visit this book when I do.

Tagajo City Library

I saw a sign for a cool looking library on the Senseki line that I was taking out to Matsushima and researched it and found this article, which states that this is the second collaboration between Tsutaya and a public library (the other city is Takeo in Saga prefecture in Kyushu). It has a Starbucks and restaurant in addition-the library is next to the station and is the kind of "third place" that I like to hang out at. So since it was raining I stopped for a coffee and checked out the cool design-lots of light and space. It seems to be a successful idea, so I hope to see more of these collaborations in Japan in the future.

This is the public library space adjacent to the commercial space.

A view from Starbucks.

Matsushima

I decided to take a boat from Honshiogami to Matsushima, one of the three great scenic views in Japan.

The 50 minute cruise passed many of the pine covered islands that dot the bay.

Kanran-tei, a traditional teahouse with a view that was completely filled by a bus tour.

Lunch was seafood tempura and local vegetables on rice with pickles, seaweed, and miso soup for ¥1650.

Godaido.

Fukuurajima.

Sendai

In Sendai station. I got in town too late to do any significant sightseeing, but will do some sightseeing before my planned trip to Matsushima.

Always see lots of these outside of Tokyo.

A local beer, Sennan-Craft Sasanishiki IPA, at Craftsman Sendai.

Fresh oysters from the Sanriku Coast.

Sendai Ginza.

Local nihonshu.

The local specialty is Gyutan (grilled beef tongue).

Nehanmon, the main gate for Zuihoden Mausoleum, the first stop of the second day in the pouring rain.

Zuihoden, the resting place of Masamune Date.

Approach road.

Kansenden and Zennoden.

Aoba Castle Ruins-statue of Date on horseback.

Cloudy, misty view of Sendai.

Approach to Osaki Hachimangu Shrine.

Late night snack.

Yamadera

Yamadera in the hills from the station platform. I went to Sendai and then took a local train to Yamagata to visit this temple-famous for one of the places in Tohoku (the Northeast) that Matsuo Basho wrote a poem at.

Basho above and his companion Kawai Sora below.

Castle In the Sky

I recently went to a Gibili Studios exhibition in Tokyo and I was fascinated by a model of an airship that I incorrectly guessed it as being from Howl's Moving Castle. It turns out to be from a different Hayato Miyazaki film, Castle In The Sky (1986). A film that also interested me due to the fact that a theater in Asagaya is named after the floating castle, Laputa, in the film. It seems to have the hallmarks of a Ghibili film with children as protagonists with flying machines, evil villains, quirky sidekicks, etc. I guess I come to these films more as cultural touchstones rather for the mere entertainment of the films that seem to be geared for younger audiences in my perspective.