When the movie, “Lost In translation” came out back in 2003, it quickly became one of my favorite movies. As soon as it came out on DVD, I bought it. I watched it many times over and would often have the DVD menu music playing in the background. That particular DVD menu mesmorized me for reasons I still can’t wholely explain. It was just a shot of all the red becon lights on top of hundreds of buildings across Tokyo, blinking rythmically to this haunting gritty sounding electronica music. I knew I had to go to Tokyo one day. Maybe even find where that DVD scene was shot.
Here is the original DVD menu. The scene begins around the 16 second mark:
Twenty-one years later, I finally made it to Tokyo. Sadly, the location where the DVD menu was shot was closed for renovations, but I did manage to make my own version from the hotel I stayed at in Shinjuku. I was laid up in bed with Covid and couldn’t venture outside, so I recorded the city at night from my hotel room window. I wish I’d had a telephoto lens instead of a wide angle, but that just means I’ll have to go back and try again one day. So, while this isn’t an exact copy - It’s more an homage than a recreation - I’m happy with it: