The story that inspired Lost in Tokyo

When Sofia Coppola introduced herself as director with The Suicidal Virgins It made a great impression on the environment. For this reason, many people were waiting for his second film, which came four years later. Lost in Tokyo premiered in 2003 with a luxury cast: Bill Murray and the rising star, Scarlett Johansson.

To Coppola it was more than a second movie, it was a way of expressing a very personal drama. The internal conflict that goes through Charlotte (Johansson) reflects the relationship that Sofia had with Spike Jonze when they were a couple. In fact, the character of Giovanni Ribisi works as a photographer and has contact with celebrities, just like Jonze.

Several of the friends of Sofia Coppola they were part of the filming of Lost in Tokyo, with small appearances related to night outings between Bob (Murray) Y Charlotte. This was confirmed by the film’s production designer, K.K. Barrett, which also specified what it was like to shape this world.

The film’s first production designer was to be a friend of Sofia that he had to leave the project due to family problems. That’s how personal the movie was to Coppola which, according to Barrett, “Much of the writing was based on experiences she had there,” including the karaoke scene, “with those same friends you see on the scene.”

Some curious facts that made unique Lost in Tokyo

As in any production, there are details that gain notoriety and are supported by the truth, and others that are debunked myths or that we will simply never know. Among those who are part of this last group is that of the character of Anna Faris, which they say would have been inspired by Cameron Diaz, but Sofia Coppola He explained that there are eight different women that it was based on.

There is also the scene at the end, which leaves the viewer with a lump in the throat when Bob gets out of the taxi to say goodbye to Charlotte. In the script it is specified that the line is “I know, I’m going to miss you too.” However, we will never know what he really said Bill Murray a Scarlett Johansson.

Nor can we be completely sure that the film speaks directly of Spike Jonze, beyond the similar elements. “It’s the great thing about art. A composer writes a song once it goes out into the world it no longer belongs to him. It would be a terrible mistake for the composer to go and tell those people that he loves that song because he asks them that it is or is not about something, “he said. Barrett.

The idea of ​​filming in Japan was born while promoting The Suicidal Virgins. Sofia He stayed at the Hyatt hotel and fell in love with the place. Of course, it was a long time until he managed to convince them to let him shoot there.

Once the story is defined, Bill Murray It was the only option for the leading man and he agreed to be a part without signing anything. A week before filming he arrived in Tokyo. One of the most remembered scenes is that of the Suntory whiskey commercial, inspired by a real commercial that the father of Sofia Coppola, Francis Ford Coppola. A Bill They did not tell him what the director of the Suntory commercial was saying to make his confusion genuine.

Her, Spike Jonze’s answer

Six years after the launch of Lost in Tokyo it was the moment of Spike Jonze. With Her He told his version of events, not of the moment of estrangement from the couple, but of life after the breakup. In fact Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) is in the middle of a divorce from a writer.

“They had their experiences, they share a similar taste in art and the world,” he said. K.K. Barrett, who was also a production designer for Her and he understands that there are similarities in the art of both productions. Of course, at no time does he risk confirming or not the theories that the audience has played with for years, about the message of the movies.

There are very similar shots in both films and both show loneliness from different points of view. Both characters are equally broken and it is inevitable to think about the connection between the film and the love that the two experienced. But we can only settle for elaborating theories and comparing two films. It sounds very unlikely that one day Spike Jonze O Sofia Coppola dare to tell how much there is of them in these stories.