blake johnson

Phyllis and I went to a Q&A with Sofia Coppola today at the law school. To be honest, the novelty wore off a bit quickly because despite several people asking interesting questions, it seemed that Miss Coppola was entirely unwilling to enter into any particularly meaningful dialogue. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed Lost in Translation, especially because I think it demonstrates that quirky, off-beat films can make money. But, she seemed to have no reflection on her own style other than that she works in a rather impromptu way, waiting for whatever inspiration strikes her and the actors while rehearsing on the set. She has nothing really to say about how her movies are influenced by her father’s work, or about what it is like being a female director in a Hollywood dominated by men in that role. I guess the most interesting thing was to find that she speaks with the same subdued, calm voice when addressing an auditorium of people that she used for the director’s commentary for Lost in Translation.