With an extraordinary movie like Lost in Translation, there will undoubtedly be many questions from fans. On this page, we collected the most frequently asked questions and provided answers for all of them.
What Does “Lost in Translation” Mean?
The phrase is used to indicate that someone didn’t understand what was being said because they have a different perspective on life rather than it being a difference in native languages, such as:
“I explained what I needed to my husband but it seems to have gotten lost in translation because he gave me completely the wrong thing.”
Is the Phrase an Idiom?
No it isn’t.
What is the Movie About?
The movie “Lost in Translation” tells the love story between the American actor Bob Harris (Bill Murray) – who is having a midlife crisis and appearing in a whiskey commercial – and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) – a young American lady who is just as depressed and accompanying her husband on a business trip.
What did Bill Murray say at the end of the Movie?
The director of the movie Sofia Coppola maintains Bill Murray’s last line in Lost in Translation was completely unscripted and that the only people who know what he said are Bill Murray himself and Scarlett Johansson. Sofia wrote a number of different lines for the final scene but wasn’t fond of anything she came up with.
The final draft of the script says that Bob attempts to confess his love to Charlotte but he is unable to muster the words. The plan was that Bill would improvise the ending as he wished. It’s also worth noting that the last kiss between the two was entirely improvised as well.
What was the Filming Location for the movie and the Hotel Charlotte and Bob Stayed in?
“Lost in Translation” was primarily shot in the two brightest and loudest districts of Tokyo; Shibuya and Shinjuku. Shinjuku is a large business and entertainment district that serves the busiest railway station in Japan and is also the location of the Park Hyatt Tokyo, the hotel where the pair meet each other.
Bob spends a lot of time in the New York Bar on the top floor of the hotel. While the bar does provide incredible views of the city, it’s worth noting that the most inexpensive item on the menu is a bottle of domestic beer which costs 1,000 yen, and that the bar has a 2,000 yen cover fee after 8PM (or 7PM on Sundays).
A number of other scenes were filmed in the Shinjuku district, including when Charlotte visits a small temple at the start of the movie, which she mistakenly calls a shrine. Keep in mind that you are unlikely to run into chanting monks most of the time when you visit.
LINK-BOX: For anyone travelling to Japan to see the locations from Lost in Translation, we highly recommended installing Hoverwatch, an app that allows you to track phone locations. It may help you if your phone is stolen. Of course, you can also use the app to track workers, spouses, or other people.
Shibuya was the location for most of the other scenes in the movie. Shibuya is an entertainment district packed with people looking for a good time. It includes the busy intersection in front of the Hachiko Exit of Shibuya Station, which is periodically stormed by the crowds and is surrounded by bright advertising screens reminiscent of Time’s Square.
Bob, Charlotte, and their friends enjoy singing karaoke at the Shibuya branch of Karaoke-Kan (30-8 Utagawacho), just a five-minute walk away from Shibuya Station. Shibuya is also home to the sushi restaurant where Bob and Charlotte eat; Ichikan (9-5 Daikanyama).
Some other landmarks shown in the movie are the Rainbow Bridge to Odaiba and the Tokyo Tower.
When was Lost in Translation Filmed?
The movie was filmed in 2003.
What are the Songs from the Karaoke Scene in Lost in Translation?
- Bill Murray performs More Than This by Roxy Music
- Bill Murray performs (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding by Elvis Costello
- Scarlett Johansson performs Brass in Pocket by The Pretenders
- Fumihiro Hayashi performs God Save the Queen by The Sex Pistols
How Old is Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation?
At the time that the movie was filmed Scarlett was only 17 years old, but her character would be around 22 or 23 as she recently graduated from college.
Movies Similar to Lost in Translation
- Her – Spike Jonze, 2013
- Ghost World – Terry Zwigof, 2001
- Amelie – Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001
- Sideways – Alexander Payne, 2004
- Me and You and Everyone We Know – Miranda, July 2005
- Melancholia – Lars von Trier, 2011
What Race is Scarlett Johansson?
Scarlett Johansson’s mother Melanie Sloan is from the Bronx and is from an Ashkenazi Jewish family from Belarus, Poland, and Russia. Her father Karsten Johansson is Danish.