Life is filled with missed moments. Things we should have said. Things we shouldn’t have said. Things we should have done. Things we shouldn’t have done. Things we should have kept. Things we shouldn’t have kept. So when a perfect one comes along you want to savor it, even if it’s just in the movies. The ending of “Lost in Translation” is such a moment. Pristine in its simplicity and divine in its mystery, that indecipherable whisper is filled with the infinite complexities of hope. It works because we have no idea what he said to her, but in our minds ear what we hear will always be perfect. Which, now, I will totally ruin for you. ‘Cause I’m evil like that.
If you don’t want to know what Bill Murray whispered to Scarlett Johansson , for heavens sake do not click play. If you’re like me and just can’t help yourself, by all means click away.
If this audio enhancement is to be believed, another great mystery bites the dust. Still while the mystery will never be the same -- at least for me -- the moment remains picture perfect.
That does deprive the movie from its fabulously ethereal ending.
ReplyDeleteHe might as well have whispered "I'm going for groceries now. I'm thinking' pot roast for diner. OK?"
Lame.
It's like the movie Picnic at Hanging Rock which is ethereal and confusing in the best way, and offers no explanation whatsoever, I love it very very much. And then I find out that the author of the book actually wrote a "lost chapter" explaining *exactly* what had happened, in a way that bordered on the ridiculous. And I told myself before I read it that I would regret it, but since it was an actual official ending, I just couldn't not read it either. Argh.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Ms. Snarker, another perfect post. Thank u
ReplyDeleteI feel this movie is over hyped and overrated. I found it to be xenophobic and down right boring.
ReplyDeletehello dorothy or anyone who reads this...
ReplyDeletegreat post, beautiful movie...but is it just me who doesnt hear that?i remember when it came out someone said it was something like its going to be ok...which i think is better...
fallon-ash, im curious, what is the explanation to the book? i was so frustrated at the films ambiguity, i hate not knowing what happened...
i have just started a blog, inspired by miss dorothy, please feel free to check it out/comment/whatever...and if you likey tell your friends cus i have a lot more thoughts to post but i dont want to post if no-one cares...:)
its ani-time.blogspot.com
There is another theory, according to IMDB
ReplyDeleteFor years, no one other than Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson and Sofia Coppola knew what Bob whispered to Charlotte in the final scene, but according to BBC2's The Culture Show in October 2006, where special sound equipment was used to make the conversation audible, Bob most likely said: "I love you. Don't forget to always tell the truth."
@ ani_may:
ReplyDeleteI feel like I actually read the entire chapter online somewhere, but I can't seem to find it now. Wikipedia has an article on it, though, that tells a brief version of it. (I don't wanna write it out should someone stumble upon it and be spoiled.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_of_Hanging_Rock
i normally loathe and absolutely despise ambiguous endings, but i actually thought with this movie it's ok. he can say i'm gonna go home and divorce her or i'll love you forever and it wouldn't change how i feel abt this almost perfect movie.
ReplyDeletethanx fallon-ash...i checked it out, pretty bizarre if you ask me, i think its good they left the film ambiguous otherwise it would have become a completely different thing...
ReplyDeleteangie-that sounds more like what i remember...and much better than this new interpretation...
btw, ill be posting a list of my top ten l word moments if anyone is interested
http://ani-time.blogspot.com
:)
It sounds to me like, "to be honest with you... (can't get this bit)... don't forget, tell the truth, ok?"
ReplyDelete