Gran Torino - ケイ

Gran Torino
ケイ
It's Oーケイ、people ケイn change.

46 characters

desire*
憬
It was Clint's desire to die for the sake of his friend, Thao and his family.

plot
計
This movie has one of the most unique plots I've seen in years.

mountain stream
渓
Sue corrects Clint: "We're not jungle people, we're a hill people." After the Vietnam War they left behind hills, valleys and mountain streams for Midwest America.

chicken
鶏
All the delicious-looking chicken presented in this movie, looks really tasty!

punish
刑
As punishment for trying to steal the Gran Torino, Tao is punished by his aggressive sister and mother by having to do chores for Clint.

mould; type*
型
The Gran Torino is an impressive type of car!

sutra
経
In the strange traditions portrayed in this movie, there are some rather odd sutras. [scene: the baby being blessed]

lightly
軽
Clint does not take people treading on his lawn or breaking his lawn gnomes lightly! [scene: Clint holding a gun to the portly gang member's face]

stalk
茎
[scene: Clint is prevented with stalks upon stalks of flowers and other plant-life, that he promptly throws in the trash]

diameter
径
If Clint didn't regularly drive around the diameter of the neighborhood regularly, with his gun on him, who knows what would have happened when Sue was getting harassed by those 3 black guys!

lineage
系
All the jokes about lineage in this movie. There are many to choose from. I imagine the scenes where Clint is getting his haircut, trading insults with the Barber.

person in charge
係
Is there any doubt Clint is the one in charge here? He carries the gun and talks hard. (and he directed the movie)

awe
敬
"We shot men, stabbed 'em with bayonets and hacked 17-year olds to death with shovels," says Clint of his Korean War days. Words to inspire awe.

admonish
警
Clint Eastwood admonishes, well, almost everyone in this movie (with some extreme racial slurs)

jubilation
慶
The look on Thao's face when he discovers he will inherit the Gran Torino.

put up a notice
掲
Somebody should have put up a notice about how dangerous the streets of this town can be - Thao and his sister seem totally oblivious.

elder brother
兄
Despite being the elder brother, Thao isn't strong enough to protect his sister.

vie
競
The rival gangs vying for territory and control in this movie.

Japanese Judas Tree
桂
With such a high Asian population in Clint's town, there must be some transplanted seeds - why not a Japanese Judas Tree (...maybe because no one in this movie is Japanese!)

square jewel
圭
Clint's lighter. "First Calvary, I've had it since '51."

recess
憩
The many scenes in this movie where Clint is sitting on his front porch with his talk, drinking Pap's Blue Ribbon, enjoying a lengthy recess (break).

favor
恵
Tao does many, many favors for Clint after he tries to steal the Gran Torino
-
Cross Connection: Cartman asks a favor of Clint Eastwood: "could you, like take this DNA test so I know if you're my father or not?"*

shape
形
Clint's body is in terrible shape throughout the whole movie [scene: any time he coughed up blood.]

inherit
継
Thao inherits the Gran Torino in the glorious final scene, as he drives off into the sunset.

scenery
景
The suggested scenery of Retirement Homes on his birthday enrages Clint beyond belief! Or, the beautiful scenery of the final scene.

portable
携
Ashley (the hot grandaughter) complaining that her portable phone won't work during the post-funeral services.

pledge
契
The priest pledged to Clint's dead wife that he would "tend to his flock," and is very persistent in holding true to this pledge.

disclose
啓
The gory details that Clint discloses about his war experiences in this movie. "We used to stack @#The gory details that Clint discloses about his war experiences in this movie. "We used to stack @#The gory details that Clint discloses about his war experiences in this movie. "We used to stack @#The gory details that Clint discloses about his war experiences in this movie. "We used to stack @#$&s like you 5 feet high in Korea, use ya for sandbags."
amp;s like you 5 feet high in Korea, use ya for sandbags."
amp;s like you 5 feet high in Korea, use ya for sandbags."

lean
傾
The Priest in this movie really leans on Clint to embrace his faith - he won't have it though.

capital
京
Murder, rape, many capitol offenses are committed in this movie.*

lightning bug
蛍
Clint's death scene. It was night, and as his body lay on the ground, I imagine lightning bugs circling the air.

boundary
境
There are incredible cultural boundaries overcome in this film.

**RTK3**

training 稽
silicon 珪
paddy-field ridge 畦
link up 繋
ruled lines 罫
visit a shrine 詣
about that time 頃
neck and throat 頚
astute 慧
magistrate 卿
ambrosial 馨
Andromeda 奎
shin 脛
formidable 勁


Notes: Woo! 30 kanji readings down, and even if I only remember 30 or 40% of them longterm, it's an achievement, and worth watching this wonderful film again.

You'll notice I call Clint Eastwood by his real name, and not his character (Walt Kowalski). It's easier for me to remember that way.

mould; type
This is an example of when I deviate from RTK method, in that I use multiple keywords. It's not often, but I have maybe 30 or 40 of these out of the 2000.

This is the first post to introduce a Cross Connection: That is a way to link a kanji with multiple readings to another story. This is entirely experimental and could get messy with kanji with 3 or 4 on-yomi (not sure how many there are), but I'm playing it by ear so far.

Capital/Capitol. Sometimes, for the sake of connecting a story to a movie, I'll do wordplay/substitute different words with same pronunciation, that kind of thing. It works for me, and I retain the original meaning because I already have that kanji's keyword lodged firmly in my mind.

*desire - not in RTK, but included in the new Joyo kanji list.

I hope you have enjoyed this. Another movie coming some time in the next week.