Anime influencing Hollywood

Paprika (2006) is one of the last anime creations of Satoshi Kon, who died in August of 2010 due to pancreatic cancer. Paprika is a visual masterpiece and when searching through Google it's not uncommon to find discussions regarding its similarity to Inception (2010) directed by Christopher Nolan.

The two films show a striking resemblance: both involving traveling into someone else's dreams, dream machines, shattering walls, dream elevators, and falling through hallways. Notice these photos comparing the similarities/ referential shots.
Image result for paprika and inception

Image result for paprika and inception 


As Mark Cousins said in The Story of Film: an Odessey (don't forget the Scottish accident), "film is run by ideas". Ideas and images are passed down from film to film. Especially innovative and revolutionary ideas which tend to be born out of niche or flexible genres such as animation. When I see great works like Paprika I instantly understand why someone would reference Kon's innovations. Especially when creating a movie about dreams.

BUT I DIGRESS: I think the fact that just because something isn't beloved by American audiences (anime) doesn't mean it doesn't seep into what we are watching (blockbusters).  



Comments

  1. jasonhNovember 8, 2018 at 6:52 AM

    This also touches upon "translating for western audiences." Do western audiences want shorter films? Do western audiences want clearer plot lines? Do western audiences prefer live action to animation, etc....

    ReplyDelete

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