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International Media



A Look at a Japanese Film

The western culture of films is so mainstream that America is known as the film industry capital of the world. "Hollywood" slips off the tongue of any who say it, with the aroma of class and culture escaping from the lips. The city for big dreamers who are trying to get lucky and catch a break seems American at its core.



As an American myself, I find it hard for me to remember the film industry outside of America. Below is one film that was both a commercial success and an amazing work of art.


Image result for spirited away

Spirited Away is the largest movie title to be released from Japan - both in sales and viewership. It has grossed $277,296,953 since its release on September 20th, 2002, and it is the largest commercial success ever for any film from Japan.

I interviewed Southern Arkansas University student, Rachael Schaefer, about her experience with the film.


First off, what do you think about the film Spirited Away compared to an American animated film?

It has a very interesting art style, it is very beautiful. I feel like most animated movies are targeted specifically towards children, but Spirited Away is a film where children are not the target audience. I feel like this film can be viewed and enjoyed by anyone.

Did you watch the movie in English or did you watch it with subtitles? How did this change the way you experienced the movie?

The first time I watched it with subtitles, but I was so young that I couldn't read the subtitles fast enough to understand. It was so rich it in content and the voices were so animated that it was able to keep my attention. I was able to understand a bit of what was going on by just watching, but it wasn't until after I got to the point to where I could read the subtitles that I truly understood what was going on. I didn't enjoy it more when I could read the subtitles, but it was like a different experience with the same amazing movie.

Is there anything people should prepare for before watching an international film?

It is going to be different than American movies. They have a different feeling to them. They tend to be a lot more emotional and focused on empathy rather than action. Most classic action movies are American, but once you move away from that you see these films that show emotion and humor in ways that are not normal to most (American) viewers.


FILM TRAILER



 Conclusion

 International films can be appreciated by all. Just like any film from the United States, by looking at critic ratings and other peoples reviews you can determine whether you have any interest in the film. The best way to know if a film is good or not is to simply watch it. Many people profess that they would love to go to another country but many people refuse to watch international films because of the language barrier. It is ironic in nature, but you can use international films as a means to explore the country you want to visit. After all, every film is an adventure.

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