Shall we dance?

My main ISP has been down for over two days, so only the typepad part is working. I am still surviving here!!

Anyway, On this weekend, Richard Gere & Jennifer Lopez new movie "Shall we dance" will be in theatersin the U.S. The Japanese original "Shall we dance?" was released in 1996. Story is almost same, but in original the main character was not workaholic lawyer, it was more dowdy Japanese salaryman. Well it seems every movie should have one lawyer at least in Hollywood. Is that the rule? :-p
By the way, in the original the point was our poor image for classic dance school. Most of them are 3 or 4 floor of old buildings near the station, there are full make up old ladies with colorful
dresses, Since men are short on numbers, women have to dance together etc,. You know we have such drab, mysterious image for classic dance school. That movie was interesting, because it keeps such negative image, never say classic dance is wonderful or school is nice place. But the guy has to get wrapped up to it. In North America you have the same image? So that they remake it?.

Regarding remake movies, I did not see the U.S version "the ring". Did you see it? Original Japanese movie Ring was so so, Nanako Matushima(rm) on green tea CM and Hiroyuki Sanada on "The Last Samurai". I must tell you the novel was the best. The point of the novel was dark and heavy mood of after ww2 (maybe..I do not remember well), Jane Crow, deep grudge and sorrow of psychic. Japanese horror is scary because we say it is "wet","wetty" like that. There is no Jason, Freddy, Scream,
no blood, just a unspoken bitterness.

Anyway I do not see Japanese movies usually. I love to see Hollywood movies!!. So I don't need Asian remakes any more.

Comments

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[robert]

I think what made the original movie work was the setting within Japanese culture. I am less than interested in seeing Richard Gere flirt with Jennifer Lopez since it seems the pairing would only be viable to stir box office sales. The Japanese version is responsible for me learning ballroom dance..indirectly. A former girlfriend saw the movie and was inspired but could not afford lessons. I answered a want ad for a male dance instructor that said "no experience necessary" I learned and then taught group classes every night for 6 months. It was alot of fun, but unfortunately it meant that I did get to spend as much time with my girlfriend and so she found someone else. Let this be a lesson to those who think Hollywood endings are real. ;) My biggest gripe about Hollywood is the way you'll know the ending five minutes into the movie. I like to be mindlessly entertained sometimes, sure, but if it's too painfully obvious I feel cheated no matter how many special effects and car chases are thrown in. The Ring was not as good as Ring, but even so I suppose I am not moved by this genre. I get the subtlety but sometimes it seems more like a whisper when you compare it with current events. I recently watched "Audition"..dont know the Japanese title..and "Suicide Club"..both of which just left me feeling a bit nauseated and sad and thinking about the quality of life that makes this a topic to explore. Not to say it's without value, but I wonder about the deeper implication with these themes. Perhaps I just have "Sazae san syndrome". ;)

[nicole]

Hi Mari. I'm a bit skeptical about seeing the Hollywood version of 'Shall We Dance' because I loved the Japanese version so much!
PS find my post about this here - http://nicole1980.blogspot.com/2004/10/shall-we-dansu.html

[Cabbie]

Talking about ballroom dancing. Is it popular in Japan at all? I'm guessing back then in 1996 when the movie "Shall we dance" became a big hit there was some renewed interest in ballroom dancing. I wonder what is the ballroom dancing scene in Japan right now? Would you care to investigate, Mari? :)

Anyway a Hollywood rendition of "Shall We Dance?" will only bring good publicity to the franchise. Maybe after watching the Hollywood version, people, especially movie buffs would go and look for the original Japanese film.

[cecile]

i've grown weary of watching mainstream hollywood films. maybe its because i grew up watching them that it feels too familiar already. the storylines, stereotypes, even the jokes seem rehashed. i've been avoiding hollywood films for some time now and concentrate more on indie, european and asian cinema. so far, i'm really enjoying it coz these films always give me a fresh perspective and are able to evoke new feelings in me. hopefully, when i start watching hollywood movies again after a year or so, i'll be able to enjoy them like i did when i was younger.

oh, i did watch ringu. i was actually disappointed. maybe it was because i had such high expectations. everyone i knew who watched it was really scared but it didn't affect me that way. maybe my brain wouldn't accept the premise that a woman could actually come out of a television set. i'm not imaginative enough in that department.

i love takeshi kitano's work. especially hana-bi and dolls. I couldn't stop crying after watching both films. i wish hollywood could come up with films like that.

[teejay]

not too crazy about pure hollywood movies. i used to be but lately it seems they are running out of ideas, hence all these remakes. i don't think you can really remake shall we dance since the movie lives off of the japanese cultural nuances. maybe i am too quick to judge but i don't think it makes sense to remake this movie but then again they looked at the popularity of the movie and the money making potential i assume and said "let's do it !".

japanese horror movies are so scary i find. I saw "dark water" but didnt dare to see "ring". other japanese movies are also very good. i love the movie "dolls" by kitano takeshi, really superb. his way of making movies without too much use of spoken words i find amazing. these days i watch mostly independent movies, such as the newly released german movie "gegen die wand" (against the wall) which deals with german/turkish cultural aspects, especially as far as family and relationships. i hope the movie can make it to japan as well.

[Jo]

nope, didn't see The Ring, but saw "Ringu". Yes, not perfect, but not so bad. Lately every Friday local MTV network is broadcasting the complete original Japanese saga, ringu, ringu2, ringu0. Pretty popular in Italy lately...hollywood movies can be wonderful sometimes...sometimes are just so damned obvious. On the other side there are a lot of underground or not so known Japanese directors making not ordinary movies (but this is true in ever country). "Hero" is maybe a way to asian-hollywood-movie, but better than hollywood movies. did you see that?

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Hi, Jo I will reply here, oh you say ringu, but in Original version we write ring officially. I little bit strange title magic on movie. We have this type of strange changing a lot.
I will write about it in the furuer. I do not see Asian movie usually. but this year memory of muder, Korean movie was best for me.
THank you for leaving comments.