Cross-cultural communication （148）　

148) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
On October 9, 2021, the Nikkei Plus 1 (supplement to the Saturday morning edition of the Nikkei newspaper) featured an article titled “Are Japanese titles for foreign films too different from the original titles?” The article focused on several examples of Japanese titles for foreign films and the reasons why they were so different from the original titles. Richard Gere's iconic film “An Officer and a Gentleman” was initially given the Japanese title “Love and Youth's Journey,” which was initially deemed a bit tacky. However, it turned out to be a huge hit, and subsequent Japanese titles began to incorporate love-related phrases in a humorous manner.

In a previous post on this cross-cultural blog, No. 81, “Cross-cultural communication (81),” I wrote about T-kun, a high school classmate who has lived in the US for decades and is knowledgeable about Hollywood movies. After reading this NIKKEI Plus 1 article, I recalled the mistranslated Japanese title that T-kun had pointed out to me. It was “Cuckoo's Nest,” starring Jack Nicholson in a memorable role as a mentally ill patient. The original title is “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest”. The “Cuckoo's Nest” in the original title refers to a mental hospital. In the film, Nicholson leads a group of patients in an escape from the hospital. Therefore, the phrase “flew over” in the original title holds significant meaning. In the Japanese title, “On the Cuckoo's Nest,” the action of flying away is completely lost, as the characters remain on the roof of the mental hospital. Therefore, T-kun sharply pointed out that the person who came up with the Japanese title did not understand the meaning of the original title. Very theoretical, isn't it? It's a testament to the credibility of a movie fan who has lived and worked in the US for decades.

This article in the Nikkei did not mention the mistranslation at all. Well, I guess a reputable daily newspaper like the Nikkei couldn't write anything too critical, even about something that happened in the past.

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