#for context: the original idea was to carry the story to the airport hug so we'd get

[theobot]

(don't tell me "only if you want!!" because either way i'm only gonna do it if i feel like it lmao i just wanna know if there's interest)

[wa-sabi]

Once upon a time in...Hollywood.

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

I am very happy with Once upon a time in Hollywood, a plotless movie. The absence of a specific storyline made totally sense in my opinion as this isn’t a movie about people, but rather a movie about a microcosm that is cinema, with its ascending and falling stars in a very specific time in history, 1969, which becomes the perfect laboratory to observe dynamics that are as old as Hollywood: the rise and fall of an actor’s career. I believe it’s important to stress that in the case of Rick Dalton’s, it doesn’t occur because of a specific reason. Nothing or no-one can be blamed for the descending path of his career, actually when we see him he is in the middle of his professional crisis. Yet never is implied that he lacks talent, professionalism or that someone came to replace him. His alcoholism is the consequence rather than the cause of the crisis he goes through and, again, is not a personal crisis but much wider as it involves a whole genre. I believe this is well portrayed through Rick and Cliff’s friendship and even if at first I had the impression of the latter being nothing but the mirror of Leo’s character, the ghost of his past career lingering around to give him something to hold onto when his success slowly disappears, actually he is far from being Dalton’s mere acting double. Cliff has a distinctive personality and we see the story even from his perspective. He is much diverse from Rick, remaining solid through the struggles he is evidently facing no differently than his fellow friend: indeed he is suspected of murdering his wife, his frustration is violently released against the hippies he meets at the ranch, but I believe he was given the most beautiful piece of metaphor in this movie. If Rick lives on top of Hollywood, Cliff’s house is a caravan instead, one that happens to be located behind a Drive in: just like on set we can find him behind the scenes, so his home is behind a screen. 

Their roles in the industry are different and so are their reactions: Cliff doesn’t despise the idea of making spaghetti westerns in Italy to keep working, but Rick Dalton rejects the possibility of it because he is deep into the myth of his own persona. He wants to defend his status in Hollywood more than his career, it seems like he isn’t clinging onto acting itself but on the fame it brought him. Yet his character experiences an evolution, as we see him put his greatest effort in the scene he acts out with the little girl and Luke Perry. It’s where we see in him a passion for acting, the wish to prove his talent to himself and his on screen partners before exiting with dignity the scenes as he finally comes to terms with the end of his era.  But even if at opposite stages of their careers, Sharon and Rick are somehow comparable. They both experience the feeling of “not being recognized”: we see Rick in the changing room, talking with Lancer’s director about his costume and he complains that with the hair and the mustache Sam Wanamaker suggested to put on him “people wouldn’t recognize his face”. On the other hand we see Sharon Tate at the cinema hall, to watch the movie she stars in The Wrecking Crew, taking a minute to have herself recognized as one of the actors. It was an interesting juxtaposition, showing how a the beginning and the end of a career collide right in the moment when not many people recognize you: not as many as before or not many yet. A further parallelism can be seen during the airport scenes (hello Jackie Brown!): Sharon is returning to LA with Polanski at the beginning of the movie; later in the movie Dalton and his Italian wife do the same, but within a much different context. Sharon is received by a crowd of photographers, Rick passes by unnoticed while Cliff is carrying his baggage, both material and emotional.

Yet if Tarantino could rewrite history, we owe it to Rick Dalton and his successful series Bounty Law: the members of the Manson cult can readjust their murderous intents and target him instead (with no success) just because they recognized him, after being redirected away from the private street where he and Tate live.  So no differently from what he did with inglorious bastards, Tarantino changes the turn of events to serve his narrative intent and in this case, saving Sharon’s life was the only correct epilogue to a story meant to celebrate cinema and its ability of making everything possible. Just like Tarantino proved by changing Sharon’s fate.  If the title of the movie is supposed to recall a fairytale, it’s exactly a happy ending what we get: Rick is not discarded as only a memory of the past, as both him and Cliff triumph as the heroes of the night. At the end of the movie he is invited to Tate’s house and he is reminded as a great actor, praised for his talent and received by Sharon herself, hugging him as if to welcome him on her side in the Olympus of the legends of Hollywood, where Rick earned his righteous place.   He lives on in the memory of the new generation, Sharon herself remains in our and they will know no death, ever,  because cinema, just like every form of art, is what made them immortal.  

I have to say this movie pleasantly surprised me because the Manson cult had no space in it, if not to be ridiculed as they were by the hands of a stunt man and the bite of a dog. There was nothing intriguing in the representation they receive in this movie because they are shown for what they actually were: a bunch of toxic freaks, lobotomized by the words of a charismatic leader who isn’t shown for longer than a couple of minutes. I loved the distance it was visually created in the movie between him and Sharon on the day he walks up the hill and peeks at her who is standing by the door: she appears high and unreachable, somehow holy as the light in the scene of her dancing in her house envelops her in gold, as if she was a goddess. I believe Tarantino to be helplessly in love with her. 

Lastly the theme of television and violence. It is very clearly explored in the scene where the four Manson followers are in the car, discussing on what to do after Rick scared them away from his house and one of the girls( which is supposed to be Susan Atkin, Sharon Tate’s actual murderer) comes up with the plan of killing Dalton. Indeed they recognize him as the lead of the series Bounty Law and decide to cast punishment above him: tv shows have taught them nothing but violence and killing, and so as a sort of counterbalance, they come up with the idea of killing one of their tv mentors, which is Dalton himself who made a career off the role of a bounty hunter. Now the motif they fabricate is absurd as it’s only meant to be an alibi for a wish of revenge that originates elsewhere, being it in a disturbed personality, marginalization or a profound social unrest. When Cliff visits the commune at the ranch we see Squeaky and others stuck in front of a television, but their perversions cannot be blamed on television they so avidly watch: It’s more likely that it was the isolation from society, the large use of drugs and being brainwashed by Mason’s prophecies to shape the members of that commune into murderers. But after all Tarantino’s movies aren’t meant to be a social or psychological analysis and in this movie, where he is dealing with real life people, there is no real violence. None of the real characters is hurt or is hurt for real: Sharon isn’t killed; when Cliff is fighting the cult members (which portray real people) he is tripping off a cigarette soaked in acid and Rick is hella drunk, giving us the impression of it all being an hallucination. I believe that Tarantino was very careful in dealing with the killings in this movie, making sure violence remained confined to fictional characters and fictional ways. Realistically, who would ever die by getting hit in the face with a dog food can and burnt in the pool by a famous Hollywood actor who happens to keep flame thrower in his backyard? It’s the absurdity of it all that makes it acceptable.  Real life violence on the other hand is a different matter, and Tarantino doesn’t even try to approach it.  

Conclusively, this movie was not the movie of my life, but it was something from a point of view I never saw and very fun to watch. It was romantic, yet realistic, and I’d love to watch it again. 

FUN FACTS!

In the credit scene Rick Dalton advertises a cigarette brand, Red Apple, which Tarantino invented and we can see in both Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill (and more). 

A special mention goes to Brandy, who won at this year Cannes film festival the Palm Dog award. Speaking of Tarantino’s brand, we find a new one dedicated to her: Wolf’s tooth. Good food for mean dogs! 

The movie is also FILLED with references to other movies, a lot of which are actual Spaghetti Westerns from Italian directors (Sergio Corbucci is a real director) and we find a reference to Polanki’s own movie Tess which is based on the novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles: we see Sharon Tate buy a copy for her husband the bookstore before going to the movie theatre.

[japansojournsummer2018]

A Sojourner’s Guide to Japan

So, you’re planning on staying in Japan for a while? If you need help figuring out what to expect and how to behave, look no further.

Where?

Japan is a small island nation located to the East of China and the Koreas, at the far Eastern edge of Asia. It is a traditional and ceremonial culture, and it celebrates its roots that go back for thousands of years. While it is not correct to loop it in with all other Asian cultures, it does share several similarities with its neighbors China and South Korea. For starters, the kanji system used in Japanese writing borrows thousands of Chinese characters that use the original Chinese pronunciation and the Japanese version. Both Koreans and Japanese people bow to each other as a sign of respect. All three have mixture of Buddhism, Christianity, and Shintoism, though Shintoism remains mostly in Japan. Japanese people often practice parts of both Shintoism and Buddhism. Most other religions cover a much smaller portion of the population.

How is it run?

Information taken from (https://www.eubusinessinjapan.eu/why-japan/regions-prefectures). Japan is divided into 9 regions and further into 47 prefectures. The regions are Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa. Japan’s capital is Tokyo City, located in the Kanto region. Other major cities include Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kobe, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Kawasaki, and Saitama. Japan is a constitutional monarchy, where it has an emperor with limited power. It has an executive, legislative, and judicial branch, much like the US. The Prime Minister acts as the official head of government. The emperor acts as a ceremonial leader, which is the only real area in which Japan’s government involves religion. Japan’s government is very modern compared to the ancient feudal times when much was decided by war and conquest.

Major Historical Events

Japan has experienced several significant events in its history, concerning both itself and the rest of the world. Information taken from (http://miner8.com/en/13587) The US dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6th, 1945, taking tens of thousands of lives and forcing Japan’s surrender in WWII. Japan’s constitution was put into effect on May 3rd, 1947, under the United States’ supervision. Japan gained its independence from US control on January 1st, 1952. It joined the UN in 1956. It was the host of its first summer Olympic games in 1964. Some historic battles include the Battle of Sekigahara and the Battle of Tsushima. (https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/features/2017/jul/ten-moments-that-shaped-japan/) The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 killed 100,000 people and leveled Tokyo and Yokohama. The attack on Pearl Harbor was orchestrated on December 7th, 1941, triggering the US’s entrance into WWII. Matthew Perry was responsible for the end of Japan’s isolationism, when he signed a treaty with Japan to allow the US to sell goods in Japanese ports.

Society

HeirarchyStructure.com (https://www.hierarchystructure.com/japan-social-hierarchy/) describes Japan’s class system as a 3-class system. The upper class, comprised of royals and business owners, the middle class, full of small business owners and servicemen, and the lower class, comprised of laborers. This follows a similar structure to the US, bar the royal family. One could ascend or descends the classes based on their income, and the system is not a strict one. Gender roles in Japan typically follow the same blueprint. Men are expected to work and bring home the paycheck, and women are expected to stay home as a housewife. As with many cultures, this has been challenged in recent years, with the roles being reversed or completely ignored in some cases. Despite this social progress, the work-oriented mindset still dominates the culture regardless of sex and has led to a lower birthrate in the country. To continue to work and contribute to the company takes place over family matters in most all situations.

Japanese people are taught to save face in public situations, which means that they will avoid confrontation at all costs. They will avoid discussing hot button issues as arguing in public would be disruptive. You can expect a Japanese person to agree with you or appear to even if they do not, as saving face takes priority over honesty if it means causing discomfort. In this sense, Japanese culture is very high-context, as you will have to rely on one’s body language and behavior more than what they are saying to truly understand what they mean. Their communication is very neutral, and this can often lead to misunderstandings with foreigners who are used to being very expressive. Choosing to yell or openly voice your opinion will make you come across as a brash and loud person, so trying to be quiet and not stand out is usually the best route to take. It is also a good idea to study Japanese as much as you are able, as it is the only language outside schools that is officially used. School teachers are required to have a good amount of proficiency in English, so you will hopefully have less trouble there if you are traveling as a student.

The culture is also a very polite one, where greetings change based on who you are addressing. You might say “yo” to a friend you see on the street, but if you were introducing yourself to a stranger, you might open with 初めまして、私は_____ です (hajimemashite, watashi wa ____ desu), which translates to It is nice to meet you, I am ____. Clothing and posture are also very important in the workplace. You are expected to bow at different angles when thanking someone, which also depend on who you are thanking. Depending on the company, you will likely be expected to be dressed professionally at all times. Japan is a very monochronic culture, where punctuality is an absolute must. There is even a saying, “if you arrive on time, you are fifteen minutes late.” This simply means that you should always strive to be early as it is simply expected of you. You should also be respectful of others space, as touching is very rare in public among most people. In other situations, like drinking or on a subway, it may be different. Just don’t run up to hug your Japanese friend despite what you might be used to back home. (http://guide.culturecrossing.net/basics_business_student_details.php?Id=9&CID=104)

The fun stuff

Let’s start with the cuisine. Japanese people typically eat three times a day- breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are no cultural norms regarding who you must eat with and where, so go out and eat to your hearts content. I would advise carrying cash on you at all times, as not every store will accept credit cards. The Japanese currency in the yen (pronounced “en”), and it comes in numerous coins and paper notes. (https://www.oanda.com/currency/iso-currency-codes/JPY) It was made official in 1871 and has been the national currency ever since. As for where to exchange USD for Yen, you can find exchanges at airports, and most banks and post offices will have an exchange available as well. 100 yen is worth a bit less than a US dollar, so you can kind of estimate what something costs in dollars if you can round down a little. Food does not necessarily cost more over in Japan, but portion sizes are sometimes smaller and may have you buying more servings depending on your eating style. Much of Japan’s food is based around fish, as they are an island nation with fishable waters on all sides. Also expect to see lots of lobster, octopus, shellfish, and other aquatic foods you might not normally see. Beef will be more expensive, as Japan has limited access to supplies of it. Japan has thousands of ramen shops, and you won’t have trouble finding a quality sushi restaurant either. Sushi, curry, and ramen share a spot as the most popular foods in Japan. Most meals will have a bowl of rice and miso soup, with an assortment of other dishes. Pickled vegetables and some sort of meat will usually accompany them. Table manners are a whole different animal. I have shared a video earlier on my blog that you can use to get a decent idea of how to behave at the dinner table.

If you’re looking for entertainment, you likely won’t need to travel far (unless you’re out in the inaka, or countryside). You can sing karaoke with friends, go out to a bar (if you’re old enough), join a community group, go fishing, go skiing/snowboarding, sightsee, the list goes on and on. If you’d rather stay home and watch TV or listen to the radio, they have that too. NHK is a massive company funded by viewers that serves as a neutral reporting station. They are a good source for national news if you can get the information translated. There will also be local stations depending on where you are located, so check with the locals to see who is best to tune in to. Japan also has one of the largest film industries in the world. The movie Tokyo Story won Best Film produced in Asia in a Sight & Sound listing, and Japan has also won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film four times. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinema_of_Japan) Check out a studio Ghibli film for a classic anime masterpiece, or head down to the theater to see if you can find a movie with English subtitles.

Regardless of your reason for going to Japan, I hope that this paper helped you out, and maybe even saved you some embarrassment in an otherwise unfortunate situation. Be sure to check out Mount Fuji during your stay and visit an onsen (hot spring) before you go. Good luck!