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.
