Sofia Coppola’s Lost In Translation has risen to a cult classic status. The plot, the characters, the cinematography, the drama, and the comedy are simply too iconic for the movie to not enjoy the level of popularity it does.
Fans often pride themselves in knowing the film and related information in and out. However, there might be one Lost In Translation trivia, which might be unbeknownst to many. One particularly hilarious scene from the film might have taken inspiration from an old Japanese advertisement that featured legendary filmmakers Francis Ford Coppola and Akira Kurosawa.
Lost In Translation: The Suntory Whiskey Scene
The reason Lost In Translation is loved unanimously is because it manages to capture the complexity of human emotions while staying true to the nuances of being in a foreign environment with a language barrier. Coppola manages to blend in some humorous tones as well. It’s not an easy mix to pull off, but the film hits all the right spots.
One particularly hilarious scene finds Bill Murray’s character in a complicated situation where he is stuck filming an advertisement for Suntory Whiskey, with a director who only speaks Japanese. A translator who is a bit inept at her job doesn’t make it any easier.
Staying true to the title of the film, a lot of conversation in this situation gets lost in the translation. The back and forth between the characters makes for a good laugh, but the scene could be more than just a brush of comedy.
Written by Coppola as well, the film is essentially interpreted as a reflection of the struggles she faced in her marriage with Spike Jonze. In the same vein, it is possible that the Suntory Whiskey scene was inspired by her father, Francis Ford Coppola, working with the brand earlier.
Francis Ford Coppola Worked with Suntory Whiskey
Francis Ford Coppola shared a strong friendship with infamous Japanese director Akira Kurosawa; who at the time was working on what would become his biggest film, Kagemusha. To help him with the expenses of the film, Coppola filmed an advertisement with Kurosawa to help him raise money (via DepressedBergman on X).
Suntory Whiskey is a premium brand of whiskey, and it could just be a coincidence or a sponsorship deal that it be used in the film. However, it’s just a tad bit interesting how strangely it ties things together.
Inspiration strikes at no given time and in ways unimaginable. Sofia Coppola could have written that scene as a brand incorporation, or it could be based on her father mentioning his experience of working in a similar setting. The latter possibility is quite heartwarming.
Watch Lost In Translation on Max.
