--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 'Shall We Dance?' takes a small…" description: "\"'Shall We Dance?' takes a small, exquisite Japanese movie and turns it into a big, stupid American movie. Still, it must be said that as glossy and ove..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/212/stephen-hunter-12610_american_shall-we-dance-takes-a-small-exquisite-j_2443698.png" --- # 'Shall We Dance?' takes a small, exquisite Japanese movie… ![“'Shall We Dance?' takes a small, exquisite Japanese movie and turns it into a big, stupid American movie. Still, it must be said that as glossy and overproduced as the thing is, it's a good big, stupid American movie.” quote by Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/212/stephen-hunter-12610_american_shall-we-dance-takes-a-small-exquisite-j_2443698.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/212/stephen-hunter-12610_american_shall-we-dance-takes-a-small-exquisite-j_2443698.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/212/stephen-hunter-12610_american_shall-we-dance-takes-a-small-exquisite-j_2443698.png) > “'Shall We Dance?' takes a small, exquisite Japanese movie and turns it into a big, stupid American movie. Still, it must be said that as glossy and overproduced as the thing is, it's a good big, stupid American movie.” [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A modest Japanese film was turned into a flashy, low‑brow American version, yet it remains entertaining. **In simple terms:** The remake is big, silly, but fun. Key Takeaway Enjoy despite flaws. Themes adaptation culture entertainment Mood critical humorous Type film media When to use this quote - Hollywood remakes - original foreign films Key Concepts film criticism cross‑cultural translation Questions to Reflect On - Why do audiences accept low‑brow entertainment? - What value does a flashy remake provide? A Different Perspective Remakes can lose nuance while gaining mass appeal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [American movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-movie/) [Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big/) [Big Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-stupid-509029/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Exquisite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exquisite/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Japanese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japanese/) [Japanese Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japanese-movie-509026/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Must](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/must/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Shall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shall/) [Shall Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shall-dance-509028/) [Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small/) [Still](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/still/) [Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid/) [Stupid American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid-american-509027/) [Takes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/takes/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) ## Related quotes > [Japanese movie "Be With You" served as inspiration for "Love Box." I couldn't fill up the album with just my experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungri/japanese-movie-be-with-you-served-as-inspiration-for-love-box-i/) [Seungri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungri/) > [I remember my sisters, they loved a movie called 'The Naked Island.' And the flute was actually playing the main theme. A Japanese movie.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-desplat/i-remember-my-sisters-they-loved-a-movie-called-the-naked-island-and/) [Alexandre Desplat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-desplat/) > [The Very Big Stupid is a thing which breeds by eating The Future. Have you seen it? It sometimes disguises itself as a good-looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/the-very-big-stupid-is-a-thing-which-breeds-by-eating-the-future-have/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [“Big Stupid leapt up. Little Duane had a gun. Big Stupid punched Little Duane so hard his whole family tree died back to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-gischler/big-stupid-leapt-up-little-duane-had-a-gun-big-stupid-punched-little/) [Victor Gischler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-gischler/) > [“- and I’d be honored to try marriage with you - ” Jack smiles. “- you big stupid idiot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-wolf/and-i-d-be-honored-to-try-marriage-with-you-jack-smiles-you-big/) [Sara Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-wolf/) > [I'm a big stupid history nerd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilie-autumn/i-m-a-big-stupid-history-nerd/) [Emilie Autumn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilie-autumn/) > [I like 'em big. And stupid. Don't tell my husband.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/i-like-em-big-and-stupid-don-t-tell-my-husband/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [I shall dance all my life. . . . I would like to die, breathless, spent, at the end of a dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/i-shall-dance-all-my-life-i-would-like-to-die-breathless-spent-at-the/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) > [Shall we dance,friend of my heart?" We shall, little one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/shall-we-dance-friend-of-my-heart-we-shall-little-one/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [“Shall we go to Bethlehem, men? Or shall we DANCE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/shall-we-go-to-bethlehem-men-or-shall-we-dance/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Life is a spiritual dance and that our unseen partner has steps to teach us if we will allow ourselves to be led. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/life-is-a-spiritual-dance-and-that-our-unseen-partner-has-steps-to/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [As a 6-foot, 6-inch, 300-pound black man, I've done everything I can to stay out of that box that Hollywood tries to put me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-benson-miller/as-a-6-foot-6-inch-300-pound-black-man-i-ve-done-everything-i-can-to/) [Omar Benson Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-benson-miller/) > [“My feet shall run because of you. My feet shall dance because of you. My heart shall beat because of you. My eyes see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-stevens/my-feet-shall-run-because-of-you-my-feet-shall-dance-because-of-you/) [Chris Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-stevens/) > [Shall we go dance the hay, the hay? Never pipe could ever play Better shepherd's roundelay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-breton/shall-we-go-dance-the-hay-the-hay-never-pipe-could-ever-play-better/) [Nicholas Breton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-breton/) > [Right here where you and I stand, we shall behold a true and radiant world. In that world, we shall dance only our divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-st-denis/right-here-where-you-and-i-stand-we-shall-behold-a-true-and-radiant/) [Ruth St. Denis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-st-denis/) ## More by Stephen Hunter > [I remember the early 1980s, when I first got one of these fabulous film critic jobs. The downside was sitting through 'Splatteria III: The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/i-remember-the-early-1980s-when-i-first-got-one-of-these-fabulous/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [Even my pathological love of Japan and its beauties, glories and eccentricities is sorely tested by 'The Grudge 2,' from Takashi Shimizu, a movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/even-my-pathological-love-of-japan-and-its-beauties-glories-and/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [“You lie well, and I appreciate the effort it takes. It’s not so easy, as any commissar knows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/you-lie-well-and-i-appreciate-the-effort-it-takes-it-s-not-so-easy-as/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [The horror movie will not go away. Look at the change in the Hollywood landscape as a signifier of its durability. At one point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/the-horror-movie-will-not-go-away-look-at-the-change-in-the-hollywood/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [“Some men are born to destroy, and nothing satisfies them but that. Whatever you’ve got, they want to tear it apart, from architecture and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/some-men-are-born-to-destroy-and-nothing-satisfies-them-but-that/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [I suppose I was formed by too many movies and too much television. At some point I absorbed the dramatic formula.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/i-suppose-i-was-formed-by-too-many-movies-and-too-much-television-at/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [I'm not an expert or a trained ballistician. But it is a subject I've studied intently for 50 years, so I may know a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/i-m-not-an-expert-or-a-trained-ballistician-but-it-is-a-subject-i-ve/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [I've actually published two compilations, if only barely. Hire a private detective and possibly you'll be able to locate them. One was called 'Violent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/i-ve-actually-published-two-compilations-if-only-barely-hire-a/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [“He was the sort of man who demanded results yesterday but then forgot to ask for them tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/he-was-the-sort-of-man-who-demanded-results-yesterday-but-then-forgot/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [As long as 'Pearl Harbor' stays in the past, it's perfect; when it wretchedly changes gears in the late going, it becomes the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/as-long-as-pearl-harbor-stays-in-the-past-it-s-perfect-when-it/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [“Some are born jerks” she said, “some have jerkhood thrust upon them, and some mature into rich and vibrant jerks. You are all three.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/some-are-born-jerks-she-said-some-have-jerkhood-thrust-upon-them-and/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [“That’s the bravest thing, I think: not to be brave for yourself but for a buddy when it gets you nothing and costs you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/that-s-the-bravest-thing-i-think-not-to-be-brave-for-yourself-but-for/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [I love food. I'm a complete foodie. I love to cook. I find it very hard to say no to food. I get grumpy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/i-love-food-i-m-a-complete-foodie-i-love-to-cook-i-find-it-very-hard/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [Having a better and more productive life than my monster father has been my most significant accomplishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/having-a-better-and-more-productive-life-than-my-monster-father-has/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [But you can still find good films if you read your local film critics and are willing to drive a bit. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/but-you-can-still-find-good-films-if-you-read-your-local-film-critics/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) [Explore all 52 Stephen Hunter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. 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The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) [Browse all 7,717 American quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "'Shall We Dance?' takes a small, exquisite Japanese movie and turns it into a big, stupid American movie. 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