How much is Inception like Paprika?

Just Passing Through

Just Passing Through

The Wildcard
Just wondering if anyone has seen Inception yet, or rather both...

I'm interested in seeing Inception, it's certainly getting good reviews, but from what I've read of the premise, it seems to share a lot in common with Paprika.

Can someone confirm or refute this? If I'm going to watch it muttering 'Satoshi Kon did it better' all the way through, I'd rather wait until it's out on DVD.
 
Haven't seen it yet, but from what I've read, it's just the old people-entering-dreams/dreams spilling into reality similarity between them, but that's been done more than a handful of times in sci-fi, long before the Paprika novel was released (I'm pretty sure it's been done more than once in Star Trek alone, and the movie Dreamscape). So unless there are similarities above and beyond that. And even then, there is the possibility of both Inception and Paprika being inspired by similar material.

(And if it is a rip-off, the source material is the Yasutaka Tsutsui novel, not a Satoshi Kon anime, so the ideas come from there.)
 
Er, just because something takes inspiration from somewhere else, doesn't mean that it can't then itself become the inspiration for another thing. If someone has never read the novel, but decides to make something inspired by the movie of the novel, then the source material is clearly the movie.
 
Exactly.

And I'm not bothered by questions of rip-offs and homage, inspiration or serendipitous coincidence. I just want to know how similar they are, regardless of reason. If they are similar I can avoid Inception for now, if they aren't, then I can go get a mortgage for however much a rip-off cinema seat costs these days and watch it with my mind at ease.

EDIT: Seriously, whose idea was it to make a cinema visit more expensive than buying a new full price DVD? (Live in London BTW)
 
I haven't seen Paprika, which is a sin in itself but am I wrong in saying its more contemplative than action? Because if so, Inception definitely falls into the latter. It's very much a action/heist film just using mind-boggling concepts as a way of telling the story.

JPT, I do recommend seeing Inception in a cinema, very much so. It's a blockbuster through and through, and it really does look quite spectacular. Everything is so lavish, wide and shiny its pretty awesome. It'll work just as well on DVD (there's still a lot to think about) but the big screen makes a difference.
 
They're pretty different. They do both involve dreams, but Inception is also a sort of heist movie. Or reverse heist?
 
Speaking strictly for myself, I'd rather watch Inception than have to sit through Paprika again. I am AMAZED at how over-rated that movie is. It did absolutely nothing for me.
 
The French film site Excessif reports that Nolan has acknowledged the influence of Satoshi Kon's anime adaptation of Yasutaka Tsutsui's Paprika novel, although does not quote him directly:

"Christopher Nolan cites [Paprika] as one of the principal influences and was inspired by its main character to flesh out his character played by Ellen Page, a 'spirit architect' named Ariadne."

Source:
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interes ... ion-poster

Just because he uses similar themes and ideas doesn't mean he's copying.

It's interesting, everybody is falling over themselves to make comparisons but the fact of the matter is that every anime that explores this theme doesn't do it half as well as Inception does.

I haven't heard the above quote come out of the mouth of the master of film Christopher Nolan but it's irrelevant just do yourself a favour and see this film (best thing this summer). Or die. 8)
 
Genkina Hito said:
It's interesting, everybody is falling over themselves to make comparisons but the fact of the matter is that every anime that explores this theme doesn't do it half as well as Inception does.
Click to expand...
So?
 
ilmaestro said:
Genkina Hito said:
It's interesting, everybody is falling over themselves to make comparisons but the fact of the matter is that every anime that explores this theme doesn't do it half as well as Inception does.
Click to expand...
So?
Click to expand...


I like the film. I support genuinely great films and I'm usually right about films.

http://forums.animeuknews.net/viewtopic.php?t=12440


Now, dear fellow, go watch Inception and save cinema from the likes of Transformers.
 
Genkina Hito said:
ilmaestro said:
Genkina Hito said:
It's interesting, everybody is falling over themselves to make comparisons but the fact of the matter is that every anime that explores this theme doesn't do it half as well as Inception does.
Click to expand...
So?
Click to expand...


I like the film. I support genuinely great films and I'm usually right about films.

http://forums.animeuknews.net/viewtopic.php?t=12440


Now, dear fellow, go watch Inception and save cinema from the likes of Transformers.
Click to expand...
So then you're ignoring my question? People are bringing up the Paprika influences because it's an interesting area of film discussion, my question to you is why is "the fact of the matter" Inception's superiority when no-one was saying otherwise?

edit: also, I don't doubt I will see Inception, but also Transformers 3. :p
 
All Inception getting money means is that a lot of other hacks are going to attempt to do some pseudo-intelligent action films for the next couple of years. Then we'll no doubt get a Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer film turning up six months after that. "DREAM MOVIE".
 
*munches popcorn* (also I'm with you on TF3 IlMaestro =p)

I really wanna see it, but I doubt it has a great deal in common. They seem very different. Inception is a thriller set in the background of entering dreams, Paprika is more a surreal take on the meaning of dreams (where Konikawa was concerned) and how powerful they can be. It was also fukken trippy =P
 
ilmaestro said:
Genkina Hito said:
ilmaestro said:
Genkina Hito said:
It's interesting, everybody is falling over themselves to make comparisons but the fact of the matter is that every anime that explores this theme doesn't do it half as well as Inception does.
Click to expand...
So?
Click to expand...



So then you're ignoring my question? People are bringing up the Paprika influences because it's an interesting area of film discussion, my question to you is why is "the fact of the matter" Inception's superiority when no-one was saying otherwise?

edit: also, I don't doubt I will see Inception, but also Transformers 3. :p
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

I think my original argument ran along the lines of:

It’s the implication that because Inception is like Paprika it’s stealing or inferior. The directors both like exploring similar themes and concepts. The films have similar ideas but I felt that Inception was much more compelling and tackled the ideas with panache.

That's not to rubbish Paprika or Perfect Blue which are incredible but I want Inception to do well because I want to see less of Transformers and more films with original and interesting concepts like Inception, The Science of Sleep and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind etc.

I have no real stake in this film other than if this makes a bucket-load of money then we’ll get more films with interesting and original concepts and not garbage like Transformers which is just robots hitting each other, softcore car / Megan Fox porn and immature jokes.

As for you watching the next Transformers film... well I hope you enjoy burning in cultural hell for the two hours of misery you pay for. Here's a review of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen that sums up both films so far and the next one coming up:

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I don't even remotely agree with the sentiment behind either part of your argument. You've obviously got something else motivating your view of other people's opinion on the film, since no-one has said it's inferior to Paprika, only that it looks like (and you are the one who even pointed out that the director himself has said this) it was partially inspired by it.

As for the other point, it's a massive fallacy to suggest that there aren't loads of interesting films made, or that films like Transformers do anything other than support the industry at large. As for "cultural hell"... well, I'm still laughing at everything that is implied by you saying that. "Just robots hitting each other" Oh noes!
 
ilmaestro said:
I don't even remotely agree with the sentiment behind either part of your argument. You've obviously got something else motivating your view of other people's opinion on the film, since no-one has said it's inferior to Paprika, only that it looks like (and you are the one who even pointed out that the director himself has said this) it was partially inspired by it.

As for the other point, it's a massive fallacy to suggest that there aren't loads of interesting films made, or that films like Transformers do anything other than support the industry at large. As for "cultural hell"... well, I'm still laughing at everything that is implied by you saying that. "Just robots hitting each other" Oh noes!
Click to expand...

Long reply.

Let me tackle the second point first...

There are loads of interesting films being made but the distribution of films throughout the UK cinema chains is stifled by blockbusters. Transformers takes up so many screens that smaller films don’t get a look-in. Where was My Winnipeg? Where was Love Exposure? Where was Thirst? Not one screen at any of my local cinemas – you’d have to go to London or wait for the DVD.

I saw a lot of films last year and can attest to the diversity out there (Blood: The Last Vampire, District 9, The Thing, The Hurt Locker, Let the Right One In, Watchmen, Anything for Her, Moon) but that diversity isn’t getting through because accountants figure Transformers should run on as many screens as possible because audiences don't want to read subtitles (perhaps its true, when I went to see The Choir, people complained it was in French). Well, the audience is there for stuff like Sex and the City and Transformers I suppose but…

As for cultural hell… I’ve watched Transformer and consider it one of the worst films I have ever seen. I hated it. Watching it was like hell. It was loud repetitive nonsense aimed at people with the sensibilities of 15 year old boys. When I say cultural hell, what I mean is the mindless, vapid, anti-intellectual nonsense: Transformers.

I don’t care about robots that look the same smashing each other, I don’t care for masturbation jokes, John Turturro running around in his underwear is not funny and I don’t think Megan Fox is the most attractive girl on the planet so stop showing me her ass.

Thank God we had some interesting character-driven films this year like Please Give.

As for Transformers supporting the film industry – the money Transformers makes supports Paramount and Fox and other big studious who then pick up or finance indie films/foreign films on their indie labels arms but these indie labels are being wrapped up or downscaled – just look at Miramax, it’s a shadow of its former self. So what are we left with when the indie labels go? Transformers.

I'm just glad there's one blockbuster with an original and intelligent concept.

As for the first point, okay, maybe I went over-board but I've read people on other forums complaining about Hollywood stealing ideas and Inception came up.
 
Wow. Someone is angry =P I don't see why you can't be happy to let people enjoy the films they want. I love stuff like Perfect Blue and Eternal Sunshine, but I'm also entertained by stuff like Transformers. I love films that make me think, but sometimes I do just want to see big dumb robots punching each other.

That said I do lament the lack of diversity in cinemas. i was so pissed I didn't get to see Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but hey, I have a lovefilm subscription.
 
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