Hollywood Celebrities in Japanese Ads

I was looking for a hilarious Dutch TV ad about Commando, that over-the-top Arnold Schwarzenegger flick, when I came across these Japander ads. In case you were wondering, Japander refers to instances when well-known Hollywood folk take part in a Japanese ad, you know, for a lot of money and all that. Some of them are merely cute while others are really bad. Bad in a 'I can't believe they did this' way.

Brad Pitt in Jeans ad



Yep, he did a few commercials for one or more Japanese companies. The ones that I found were all about Edwin jeans. Some of them are quite decent but this one is particular was just … bizarre. The goofiest bit is when he turns around towards the end of the clip to snap 'Edwin' at the camera.

Cage and Aliens


This was one of those wtf moments. How is this supposed to promote anything? Check out that weird alien dance at 0:16. How sad is it that Cage is more tolerable here than in some of his big budget flicks? And considering he just looked confused and out of sync here, that's not saying much.

Hopper's Cute Ducky


Seems like some folks do it with style. I figured Dennis Hopper would do something manly and charming. Like the upcoming Anthony Hopkins ad. But instead he went for something far out. And, to his credit, the man pulled it off too.

V for Arnie?


Here's another one that can content with Nicholas Cage's epic fail moment. This one has The Governor, Arnie himself. He's been in a few Japanese ads but this one must be strangest. Predator is never going to be the same again!

Yogurt for Sean Connery


It's bad enough that folks laughed about him speaking Japanese in one of his flicks but … did he have to go and do this? This video shows Connery, yes Mr Bond himself, driving a car with a creepy rabbit character. And what's with the dubbed voices? Surely, one of his key features is his accent? Well, other than that famous glare.

Michael J. Fox is what?


This particular ad won't look so silly now that you have seen bunny-befriending Connery and Cage. It still gets points for its absurd content. Why is that most of these guys look like they are doing improv? A lot of the expressions and actions look fake. Well, given how a lot of them are doing it, maybe that's how the ad creators wanted them to act?

Do it like Hopkins


Remember the Anthony Hopkins ad I was talking about? Well, here it is. It follows the theme of, if you want to do something right, do it like this. Should be a lesson for all the other folks. I wonder, is he supposed to imitate Hannibal? Or am I the only one getting that vibe?

Never Get Old: Bowie


But my personal favorite has got to be David Bowie's Vittel ad. Incidentally they seem to love Bowie's glam rock side over there in Japan (which is a welcome sight being a Bowie fan myself). Call me biased but I think this is the best ad from the whole list.

Photo: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

Floor Faber


If you like TV shows revolving around quirky female characters (think Ally McBeal and Samantha Who), Floor Faber will certainly interest you. The show itself is a Dutch production which was broadcast at the end of 2009. It was well received and hopefully this means that the DVDs sets will be available in other languages.


As for the story, Floor Faber is about a self-conscious 27 year old called Floor who has romantic views on life. She has a job that she is not really fond of. Her almost-perfect mom drives her mad sometimes; it's one of those cases where the mom adores the older sister and wishes the younger one would be more like her. And yea, Floor would be the object of discontent in this case. Thankfully, Floor has fantastic friends in the form of her colleague, Clair, and gay bookshop owner, Martijn. The show bundles together Floor's adventures, as she fends off family problems whilst looking for love. 

The show was a refreshing take on romance-based TV shows. Alright, so some of the scenarios were a bit cliché and you knew how it would end. On the other hand, it was nice to see folks throw in a bit of feel-good messages when they dealt with certain sub-plots. Thus, folks might end up in a situation because of less than desirable behaviors (i.e. running off on a date on your best friend's birthday) but the writers never promote this as the norm. Instead, more often than not, the characters came around to doing the 'right thing'. Which was sweet, in an old school sort of way.

Frank Chickens: Surreal Japanese PoMo, aka The 1980's

The Internet has skewed some of our cultural perspectives, especially thanks to its tendency to foster irony and kitsch well into realms of absurdity. This includes exchanges of bizarre pop entities from foreign nations in such high volumes that they lose a lot of what makes them strange. Take, for instance, the recent development of American perceptions of Japanese culture. At its worst, ironic Japanophilia results in a series of blunt punchlines about anime, vending machines and the inability to differentiate R sounds from L sounds. Of course the whole of modern Japanese culture isn't as broad and simple as that, but the cacophony of the Internet makes us forget that sometimes. So, when an odd bit of pop detritus like "We Are Ninja", the novelty electronic dance hit produced by avant-pop group Frank Chickens in 1984, hits our screens we're quick to dismiss it as just another crazy video from the Far East. Given its time, place and creators, I'd like to argue that "We Are Ninja" is anything but.

Frank Chickens wasn't a goofy novelty act, they were a London-based postmodern art project founded by Kazuko Hohki and Kazumi Taguchi in 1982. The group ran in some form or another for the next twenty years with Hohki at the helm joined by a rotating cast of performers. The group has a pretty impressive pedigree, too. They've shared the bill with the likes of The Smiths and Billy Bragg, contributing rather heavily to the sweeping social reforms of Great Britain in the 1980's. England was a major center for politically conscious music in the 80's and a lot of young voters got their spark from pop artists.

So, how does a cheesy half-rap, half-electronic track like "We Are Ninja" fit into the same category of music that reflected the end of the conservative British parliament under Margaret Thatcher? I think the key to the song is the bizarre lyrical interlude about "Ms. Otemo" and her recent marriage. Beyond the obvious feminist sentiments of the opening line "We are ninja, not geisha", the Otemo bridge is a satire of traditional gender roles and the conservative ideals that support them. I think it's telling that the band decided to subtitle that portion of the song in the official video but not the playful, less meaningful Japanese lyrics of the chorus.

In this sense, Frank Chickens have more in common with Chumbawamba than, say, Happa-Tai. They made not-too-serious pop music promoting serious political topics, which makes perfect sense in the context of the 1980's. Dire, intense music just didn't fly in that era. If you wanted to get your message out, you had to do it with synthesizers and gimmicks. Should "We Are Ninja" be preserved as the rallying anthem for the 1987 Labour Party? Of course not, but that doesn't mean it's not still a surprisingly catchy work of pop art that exemplifies its time and place.

Today, Frank Chickens get little more than Wikipedia stubs and meme-quality Youtube treatments, which is maybe less than a John Peel supported act deserves. But underground art is never really supposed to grab high praise, just a little attention.

Flight of the Conchords

Now Flight of the Concords, they need no introduction. They are pretty famous all over the world or at least have quite a decent fan following in many parts. When they started out in New Zealand, Flight of the Concords consisted of two comedians/musicians - Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. While they have a flair for coming up with songs containing quirky lyrics, it's the way they put together their acts that really catch our attention. This usually meant that the good folks would be pay tribute to pop culture whilst creating a song that made a social situation rather awkward. Or at least, highlighted how weird our daily lives where by penning a song about a seemingly mundane act. Think of the Pet Shop boy tribute in Inner City Pressure.


After building up a fanbase in their home country, they've been to UK and US, showcasing their talent whenever the opportunity arose. While they have done quite a few gigs there, I want to point out one series. It is BBC Radio series (currently playing on BBC 7) where the two-man group creates a story around their rise-to-fame journey in UK. As can be expected, it contains hilarious moments. There was of course their little commentary about how expats banded together when in England. And who can forget, the manager's reaction to a fan wanting a threesome with the band.  

Their US-based HBO show, Flight of the Concords, follows a similar vein. In this case, it covers how the group made it big in the US. The cast includes Rhys Darby (who was also their manager in the BBC radio show), Kristen Schaal and Arj Barker. The show did quite well and made it to two seasons. I say 'made it' because, as you probably already know, it's not coming back for a third season. Ouch. You know, they could have kept the show and got rid of some of the more 'bleh' shows. I'm looking at you, True Blood season 2.

Helsinki, Billy Got Hungry and other Belgian Short Films

I came across a number of Belgian short films recently. Normally, I wouldn't be drawn to films that queued up in the arty flick category but you can't help but love these ones. Ranging from bittersweet to somewhat scary, these short films (kort films if you will) are definitely worth checking out.  

Post Scriptum

Cute, feel-good with just a bit of sadness; that's how I would describe this film. Directed by Jef Vingerhoedt, the flick follows the story of an obsessive-compulsive clockmaker. He's not certifiable as such (aha! You'll see what I mean) but he is a bit iffy about the way he runs his life. And then he falls in love. She's the exact opposite to him. She's spontaneous and she loves living life to the fullest. How they react to each other is pretty touching, especially in the way she adapts to his ways and, at the same time, also encourages him to step out of his comfort zone.

Short Film No1

Hands down, this one is my favorite. You don't really need subtitles to understand this short film. It was directed by Vincent Langouche who uses people's expressions, postures and various weird little scenarios to deliver his message. And, admittedly, it was one of those 'urban environment is driving us away from each other' messages. However, to the director's credit, he is successful in reaching out to the viewer. The story traces the life of 5-7 different folks and peeks into various aspects of their lives. It's about folks fitting into society, about them being comfortable in their own space … and unwillingness to help one another out.

Walter St-George Esquire

This animated flick will appeal to those with a dark sense of humor. The director, Bartel Bruneel, takes a run-of-the-mill greedy guts tale and presents it in his own quirky manner. The story itself is about a troubled man who is urgently in need of some moolah (after owing money to loansharks and all that). But where would he get the required money? Wait, doesn't his grandfather leave him a considerable amount in his will? I mean, if everyone standing between him and his grandfather were to, say, die in perfectly natural circumstances. Oh boy, this is going to be dirty work for the young man.

Helsinki

Isn't it strange? The moment I saw this I wondered if it was written and directed by a woman. Reason being that not many movie-makers depict women in a realistic light. Well, a lot of folks do provide good roles where women can showcase their acting talents. But, so far in my experience, the female characters were mostly side characters who played out stereotypes. Either that or she would be the wronged woman who was angry with life, rising above oppression, you know, something larger than life. In this way, Helsinki was simple and refreshing. Not only does the writer and director, Caroline de Maeyer, flesh out two interesting female characters but she also hits home when she paints out their circumstances. The story follows two women, one younger and the other older, worldly wise, who agree to help each other out. The former needs money to fix up her car so that she can leave behind her small town and make a life for herself. The latter needs a lift out of the town; she also needs to resolve issues and start a new chapter as such. They help each other out, start a journey and at the end, one disappears whilst telling the other one to keep believing in her journey.

 

Billy Got Hungry

This one was cute and somehow, also a little bit frightening. Directed by Emilie Timmermans, it is an animated little clip about a boy named Billy and his unfortunate choice in picking out a certain sweet shop. Sure, the candy there looked delectable, if just a tad on the 'Nightmare Before Christmas' side. And ye, the shopkeeper did have a shifty look but how bad can it be? Pretty awful once you find out how the candy is made! Well, will Billy escape?

Paradox

If you like science fiction shows with a bit of action and plenty of suspense, do check out Paradox. This is a brand new British show that mixes in plenty of police drama/action with scifi elements. These latter bits are actually toned down, possibly being built up for a big revelation towards the end of the show/season.


The show starts as such. You get three detective who are plucked from their day-to-day cases (murder, mayhem and all that) and placed in a science lab. It is a top secret project and these guys are ordered to solve the case(s) brought forward by the resident scientist. There's only one problem. The cryptic pictures that they had to use as clues? Yea, they depict an event that has not happened yet. Furthermore, they can't find out more about these snapshots. Apparently they were downloaded via the lab's cosmos-monitoring satellite and they don't know who (or what, aha!) sent it. Meanwhile, the group finds themselves asking if events that have not taken place yet can be changed. Aren't events predestined? Or can they change the future with helpful input? If so, is it right to do so? 

The story itself unfolds in two ways. First, we learn just a bit more (i.e. the 'Who is sending them futuristic pictures' aspect) with each new episode. At the same time, each episode reveals more about each character as everyone deals with a fresh crisis per episode. This second tactic provides the edge-of-seat thrills which is common to police-based fictional shows. In this way, that is what keeps folks focused on each episode. At first you will try and figure out how to make sense of the mystery pictures and once you do, you'll fret and worry about the lives involved. Will the dead folk(s) in the pictures be saved?

Admittedly, that concept could have become tiresome. After all, if every episode was a series of disasters that must be averted but end up happening anyway, what's the point? Aren't the creators of the show repeating a gimmick whilst playing out the main story? That's where it gets interesting. The first episode is pretty much how we think it will end. And then you are caught off-guard in the next episodes. The ending is not predictable; far from it, you get the feeling that the current actions are drastically altering the outcome, bringing in an even worse result.

The highlight of the series is this nagging question about altering the future. it's the usual 'Should we' and 'Could we' sort of questions. It's a matter of how far should you go in order to save a life. Of course this also brings up the other question. How much of a difference have you made? For instance, as it happens in the show, they save a potential victim from murder. But then, if you stop a serial killer from killing one victim, how do you make sure he doesn't kill again? After all, all their work is based on classified information (the photographs) and they can' tell the rest of the police department or the actual victims about the source of their info.

Fun Japanese Songs and Shows

We've all heard of the weird and wonderful Japanese shows out there. Variety shows, sketch shows, exceptionally weird game shows. Well, within this list of utterly bizarre shows, you are bound to find a few interesting ones. Take the following for example. I have come across these videos, in one form or another, during the past few months. And when I finally learnt more about this, it was more of a 'I must have more' moment. You know, as opposed to passing around a funny link with a note saying, 'check out another wtf moment of the day'.

Gorenjai 5 rangers

This one's … pretty mind boggling. It's got that fantastic sense of humor you find in most Japanese shows mingled with a bit of their own variety of madness. The show itself, Gorenjai or Seikimatsu Sentai Gorenjai, is a parody of the Himitsu Sentai Gorenja (Secret Squadron Five Rangers). From what I have read, the Power Rangers are inspired by this genre (the original, not the parody of course). Unlike the super cool powers of the rangers, the guys in the spoof are silly and awful at their superhero tasks. It's quite funny whenever you see the main bad guy come across the group of 5. He doesn't even bother attacking, he just stands there, hands on hips and tut-tuts. I must say, I can't blame him. These guys come up with the worst superhero ideas. In the first episode, they mess up their outfits and end up wearing the same color. In the second episode, there is a bit more effort to co-ordinate different-colored outfits … excepting two weirdos called Citrus Rangers. Then there is this episode. Words fail me. By the way that episode is NSFW.

Happa Tai

This one's for those who have evaded this video so far. Too late now! This video features a group of male singers donning white undies (complete with fig leaf over their nether regions). Incidentally, in case you were wondering, the name of the group roughly translates as Leaf Squad. They keep this happy clappy song about being happy despite all sorts of nasty stuff happening in your life. Given that this is supposed to be a comedy sketch, I can see why these guys are throwing themselves into the act. There is a handy explanation about the group and song at this blog. The author has even provided a link to an English translation of this song. Apparently, the guys are joking about how folks are encouraged to deal with adversity. You know, the image of the hardworking Japanese man who doesn't give up no matter what. How folks are advised to have rose-tinted view no matter how bad everything really is. This kind of hits of home, especially in today's troubled times. Check out this bit from the song:

“We've got recession these days...in goverment we've no faith.

Could we hit "reset," that'd be number one! “

Ouch.

Imitation PoPs Uchuu Sentai NOIZ

Now for something truly out there. This is a pop/punk band in Japan who are known for their showmanship. Well, their music is, to quote the new generation, full of win but it is their elaborate dresses and fancy videos that grab everyone's attention. Think of them as the next generation of glam rock, admittedly with bits of pop culture, comic genre and hip hop thrown in for good measure. Their videos are always interesting to watch: the attire is beautiful if not out there and, more of then not, they make interesting references to much loved genres. Like the Sailor Moon references in the above video. By the way, for something outside the margins of the weirdness scale, check out their song called the Sentimental (NSFW).

Mouth to Mouth

 

Some British comedy shows get a lot of publicity, some arrive with a quiet bang. Mouth to Mouth belongs to the second category. At first glance, it comes across as your average sitcom with a few good laughs and a tried-it-before-but-still-cool narration style. But hang in there, first impressions are deceptive. Once you get into the second episode, you'll realize that there is show is indeed a cut above the rest. Mouth to Mouth is a 2009 British comedy show written by Karl Minns and directed by Craig Young. It stars a number of young talent, most of whom are up-and-coming stars.

Photo Source: The Lucky Monkey Principle

The show follows the lives of six young folk. It starts out with a defining moment in one character's life and then expands to explore how the other five are affected by this change. And using these instances, the director also reveals more about the other five personalities. The first character, aspiring starlet Meeshell, is not the main protagonist where everything and everyone is described in relation to her. Rather, all other episodes may revolve around Meeshell's stardom moments but they also use these moments as a leaping board for unveiling others' stories.

Thus, the main plot is basically a specific point in the lives of six people. The first episode is about Meeshell. The following ones are about each of these characters: her boyfriend Tyler, her best friend and bandmate Divine, Luke who is Divine's boyfriend, Rakim who is Tyler's weird buddy and Faith, the homeless girl in the neighborhood. I can see what you are thinking. You can see how Meeshell's life and its fun events are linked to the first few but how does the rest fit in? Well, it all comes together when you start watching the rest of the episodes. Oh and I should mention that each episode is narrated by the character in question and it follows specific events as seen through the eyes of that person.

And that particular narration style is what makes it happen! The first episode starts out as a toned down version of East Enders. You meet Meeshell, a young woman who is not too bright and is stuck in a boring job. Well, she dreams of being a star and dragging herself out of poverty. She is part of a band along with Divine (or Dee) and they have been doing gigs for a while. Finally, there is a chance for fame, the good old reality show route. They apply and only Meeshell is chosen. She opts to go on without her best friend and soon you find her becoming a bit catty and caught up with her own self-importance.

The character is a parody of some of the rags-to-riches characters you see on other shows. Furthermore, using this character, the writer makes a few blunt observations about the price of fame. Or at least, how far people will go in order to be in the limelight. I must admit, when you first watch this you will be tempted to turn away. Like I said earlier, it seems like a cliché; making fun of reality show wannabes, parodying the not-so-bright starlets, etc.

However, if you stick by and watch the new few episodes, you are likely to change your mind. The second episode explores the same events but through the eyes of the next character and so on and so forth. And once you learn more through this, you will reexamine what you learned in the first episode. Thus, I found myself going back and thinking thoughts like, 'Aah, so that's why he bought her a ring' and 'No wonder Faith was sending him those weird smses'. I must say, I have only watched two so far; I am looking forward to the rest of the episodes.

Sokurov's "Russian Ark"

Some films are more ambitious than others and it's difficult to toe the line between an impressive feat and a gaudy spectacle. Alexander Sukorov's 2002 masterpiece Russkiy Kovcheg (Russian Ark) is a singular work of cinematic beauty that balances its near-Rococo sense of imperial splendor with an eye for vibrant humanity and a dreamlike sensibility.

There are many reasons to be awed by Russian Ark, but the real selling point is the fact that it is a 90-minute film done in a single take. The entire movie is one, long tracking shot helmed by Director of Photography Tilman Buttner under the care of Sukorov's exhausting handle on the cast of thousands as well as the elaborate lighting system created and directed by Bernd Fischer and Anatoli Radionov. Sukorov also doubles as the voice of the unseen protagonist through whose eyes we see the entirety of the film.

The only consistent on-screen star of Russian Ark is "The European", a French traveler played by Sergei Duntsov based loosely on a 19th century writer, the Marquis de Custine. The central conceit of the film is that the POV narrator died in an accident and is now a ghost walking through the famous Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. The European joins him for most of the journey, but occasionally wanders off on his own caprice. The narrator moves through different periods of time, witnessing events both mundane and historically significant.

At times, Russian Ark allows the Winter Palace to be much like it is today, a museum of Russian history. Though for most of its run it is a lot deeper than that. The film addresses a long-standing question about Russian culture since the widespread reforms of Peter the Great. Is the Russian culture we know today unique unto itself, is it solidly European as we see Italian or French culture, or is it some strange mix of the two?

Russian Ark is, without a doubt, a pageant of the country's splendor but it also has a distinct sense of the bittersweet about it. Among the gorgeous set pieces and lush emotional displays, there is also a feeling of confusion and claustrophobia. The narrator is equally trapped within his country's history as he is defined by it. This mix of justified pride and spiritual disquiet is quintessentially Russian and so Russian Ark is the quintessential film of its culture.

On a single day in December, 2001 Alexander Sukorov made a truly stunning work of cinematic art. As a technical achievement it is as yet unparalleled and as a narrative its dedication to the unbroken premise is utterly entrancing. While Russian Ark is enjoyable at face value thanks to everything from partial symphonies to royal masquerade balls, it provides a rewarding experience for those with a deep enough understanding of Russian culture to catch clever references and powerfully ironic glimpses into history. The film practically begs for repeated viewings thanks to Sukorov's eye for detail. If nothing else, Russian Ark is a unique film from a unique culture.

Famous Controversies in British TV Shows

There are plenty of interesting British shows – Nevermind the Buzzcocks, Have I Got News for You, Mock the Week … the list goes one. But sometimes it is the controversial bits of a show that makes the most news. Well, it certainly gets the ratings up. Almost makes you wonder if any of it was scripted. Hmmmm. Well, check out this list of shows that got folks talking.

 

When Preston Walked Out

Oooh, they still mention this every once in a while. It happened on Nevermind the Buzzcocks which is a variety show well known for its biting remarks and blunt jabs. Simon Amstell can be a bit much for folks with a thin skin and that's exactly what happened to one guest panelist. At point in the show, Simon Amstell took out an autobiography of Preston's wife and started reading out extracts. He should have been expecting that. Preston got all antsy and left the show. No one seemed particularly worried since Bill Bailey got an audience member to substitute for Preston. It worked out so nicely … seems like they planned this whole thing.

 

The Fight with Piers

This is old news. But knowing about this little fight helps explain some of the remarks you come across even today about Morgan. The man in question is Piers Morgan, a fellow who has worked for some of the more sensational newspapers. You can see why there would be no love lost between him and some of the other panelists. In this particular instance, two of the regulars on Have I Got News for You, a comedy show that pokes fun at politics and whatnot, had a go at Morgan. And you can see things heating up between them and the tabloid guy. If you're a fan of HIGNFY, this particular episode is something to keep in mind. Watch out for that bit where Morgan puts down Hislop only to have the audience disagree with him.

 

When They Picked on Angus

Okay, this one was a bit uncomfortable to watch. This clip is from HIGNFY as well. This was from the earlier times when Angus Deayton was the host of the show. Keep in mind that Deayton, together with the team captains (Paul Merton and Ian Hislop), are merciless about taking apart the daily news. No one is above the law and all that, right? Well, one fine day Deayton was in the news … let's say he had a Hugh Grant moment with a prostitute and in this case some drugs were also used. Would it really have been fair if, when he came back to the show, everyone pretended nothing had happened? And no one could poke fun at that scandal? Er, yea they picked on him. For quite a few shows until the stream of revelations about the scandal led to him being fired. Ouch!

 

The Jamelia Moment

This one was quite recent. This is after Simon Amstell left the show (for greener pastures and all that) and the folks started guest hosting. The newsworthy bit in this particular episode involved one of the celebrities in the 'Guess who this is' lineup and one of the guests, Jamelia. The latter deftly points out to her team that she already knows who it is. Why? Because he was apparently trying to create a fake story about Jamelia and himself. That's a bit of an ergh moment. And I don't think anyone was on his side after that comment. Check for that bit around 8:00.

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