Yamato's last battle: Stunning Japanese movie clip

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In what way are people in other countries forced to watch films made for American audiences? Because Hollywood makes lots of films and gets wide distribution because people in other places want to watch them, Hollywood gets criticized. Then we have people who criticize them because they are too realistic and people might think they are true documentaries. That's a good one! So they should be made less realistic if they aren't a documentary? Good grief. There is absolutely no way they could please you without going out of business.

[dfrighini]

In what way are people in other countries forced to watch films made for American audiences? Because Hollywood makes lots of films and gets wide distribution because people in other places want to watch them, Hollywood gets criticized. Then we have people who criticize them because they are too realistic and people might think they are true documentaries. That's a good one! So they should be made less realistic if they aren't a documentary? Good grief. There is absolutely no way they could please you without going out of business.

To be fair towards Hollywood it is a very successful business group (i.e. different studios), but here in lies the problem, its very difficult for small underfunded film industries to compete against Hollywood. Hollywood's worldwide distribution network is supreme, when you go to the cinema (and I grew up in Britain and now live in Russia) most of the films are America made. What I am saying is is would be nice if Hollywood was a little bit more sensitive towards other countries feelings, considering you could arguably call them a international industry.

You might be right in you grief, but I don't think Hollywood has done itself any favors. Everyone likes Hollywood entertainment, on the subject I watch Terminator Salvation the other day, all good fun. However when Hollywood tackles something more culturally significant, something person to other people, this is were sometimes things become questionable. Growing up in Britain for example I noticed a lot of people (British people) complain about what they see as disenfranchisement of British history and culture, and a know people from around the world who have similar views regarding the treatment of their own countries and cultures, things getting so called Americanized (a bit like the spell checker on my computer... Americanized / Americanised).

I am not saying cut the budget and the realism, certainly in the special effects department America is a world leader, visually American films are among the best, I saying more consideration should sometimes go into the script. Talking about 'Saving Private Ryan' had they taken the money and everything else and done a new version of 'The Longest day' but much better everyone would be happy, because then you would have a much more realistic film interpretation of events.

Regarding people you might think I am joking, but people really do get the wrong end of the stick when watching something which is very realistic (i.e. got historical or cultural context) so even if you are making a fictional story, there are certain values and contexts which should be adopted. In my travels I have met a lot of people, some of whom are quite stupid, of all different nationalities, I don't believe this solely applies to Americans (unlike some bigoted people around the world), I've noticed people can be very stupid all around the world. With mass media and entertainment being what it is, producing who already have to walk a thin invisible line should be careful. As Marshal McLuhan points out the world is embracing so called hot medias, visual, multimedia etc, sadly the book (a cold media) is becoming less relevant. However as this process happens and people become more immersed in the subject, the gap between what is real and what seems to be real is narrowing.

Question for you... In terms of psychology do you think it is okay to become so immersed in the media that you believe you are apart of the media? Is everything functioning correctly when you have trouble telling the difference between reality and image? kind regards )))

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No one gives a monkey's what films other countries make because they are often only seen nationally.

Less true now than in the past. Many films now are international projects and other countries have made some very big hits in recent years. And then of course there are films from American directors like Letters from Iwo Jima

[dfrighini]

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No one gives a monkey's what films other countries make because they are often only seen nationally.

Less true now than in the past. Many films now are international projects and other countries have made some very big hits in recent years. And then of course there are films from American directors like Letters from Iwo Jima

This is generally still true, I suppose it really comes down to money, distribution and entertainment. I'll certain agree (as I think I have already said) that Americans make the best entertainment films, and this is what a lot of people around the world want, it makes money. However you do have a point, I remember a years ago growing up in Britain the 'English Patient effect' where suddenly a British film (yes, paid for by America) cleaned up at the Oscars. That said though there seems to be a different attitude in the European film making industries, for example British film makers are not so concerned about with Oscars, they are more interested in winning things like Cannes or the Berlin Film Festival.

Trying to get back to the original subject, 'Yamato' I'm simply glad that it was made by the Japanese, I think this is culturally significant and a important step for the Japanese in accepting and recognising there past rather than being ashamed of it. We should learn from our pasts, learn the mistakes, because otherwise we are in danger of repeating those mistakes. )))