Discussion Sheet #1

Hisataka Kuzumi  8 November 2010

Source of the Article:

“First-time director takes on Murakami”. The Japan Times. 22 October 2010

<http://search.japantimes.co.jp/print/ff20101022i1.html>

Who? ----- Robert Logevall

What? ----- adapted a story by a best-selling novel to the screen

When? ----- finished in 2007

Where? ----- Los Angeles, America

Why? ----- Logevall wanted to use Haruki Murakami’s story to craft his first film

How? ----- made it depart from the original work

Vocabulary:

Embark – to start something, especially something new, difficult, or exciting

Intriguing – something that is intriguing is very interesting because it is strange, mysterious, or unexpected

Protagonist – the most important character in a play, film, or story

Surreal – a situation or experience that is surreal is very strange and difficult to understand, like something from a dream

Detachment – the state of not reacting to or being involved in something in an emotional way

Summary:

Many filmmakers say that adapting a story by a best-selling novel to the screen is quite difficult. However, Robert Logevall used one of Haruki Murakami’s novel to craft his first film as a director. The movie made significant departure from the original work. He set the story in Koreatown, Los Angeles, and handpicked actors and actress from many different countries. The film has already made it to Japanese shores.

My Opinion:

I love Haruki Murakami’s novels, and of course, I have many of them. Also, I’m reading novel of him. That’s why I chose this topic for this discussion sheet. Actually, I don’t like his works to be made into movies. The spiritual and mysterious world that he portrays is the great point in his works. Readers can’t imagine the exact view in his world, so they can develop the scene in their own style. If his stories are made into movies and people can see one fixed view and the figure of a character, his works will lose their good points. It was good that Logevall challenged the difficulty of making best-selling novels into movies. Challenge makes people stronger and tough. However, though I want to see the film that Logevall made, I don’t want my favorite author’s masterpieces to be made into films.