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Remus
Overgrown Cat
Joined: 03 Jul 2002
Posts: 1657
Location: Fish bowl |
| Ghibli Classics, Miyazaki, and his upcoming film |
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Yep, i finally bought and watched all Ghibli Classics this holidays.
1) Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind (1984)
2) Laputa: The Castle in the Sky (1986)
3) Grave of the Fireflies (1988)*
4) My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
5) Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
6) Only Yesterday (1991)*
7) Porco Rosso (1992)
8 Pom Poko (1994)*
9) Whisper of the Heart (1995)*
10) Princess Mononoke (1997)
11) Spirited Away (2001)
12) The Cat Returns (2002)*
* Films that not directed by Miyazaki but he involved in other areas (producer, screen play, story writer, etc).
Nausicaa, Laputa and Princess Mononoke are all can be categorized as "big-scale" films. They involved a lot of action sequences, and both Nausicaa and Mononoke Hime involved heavier themes, more complex characters and more mature story.
If you like Laputa and Mononoke Hime, you would like Nausicaa too. It is the film made Miyazaki and his colleagues famous, enabled them to establish Ghibli Studio back in 1985. The animation and graphics probably a little outdated (Hey, it's almost 20 years, what you expect?). However, i would say you really shouldn't ignore this one. Personally it's as good as Mononoke Hime, and if the film was made with better technology as good as today's, i think i will liked it better than Princess Mononoke. I like the post-apocalyptic theme, the storyline - in search of better place to live, care for ecosystem, far from wars with weapon of mass destruction, far from all previous stupidity of human (ascension and utopian dream?) although Miyazaki still reject nihilism. He once said:
quote:
"I always try to start from the assumption that humans are foolish. I'm disgusted by the notion that man is the ultimate being, chosen by God. But I believe there are things in this world that are beautiful, that are important, that are worth striving for."
The film was based on first two volumes of manga series by Miyazaki himself (check it up at Amazon.com). I heard that in those manga the story is even better and more detailed, involving rather philosophical debates at the end.
My Neighbor Totoro is among Ghibli films that most nearer to kiddie film. No action, no villain - it was just little story (anxiety about losing mother) and little child adventure in countryside with the cute spirit (Totoro). It's still very good movie in it own right, though.
Kiki's Delivery Service. When first time i heard the title with the word "Kiki", i thought it's movie for 6 years old children  . It turn out to be more like early teenager films. Again, it's good film (for me) although has no battle scene or evil villain that keep taunting you - just small-scale story about a little witch who tries learn to become a real witch, to grows up and become more independent.
Most interesting two films that based on real world (no magic, no epic story, no need to save the world) are Only Yesterday and Whisper of the Heart. Only Yesterday is a film with more advanced plot - the protagonist often became the narrator, and her childhood memories will often intercutting her current story and holiday journey from Tokyo to countryside. I was feeling like Sandra Bullock could be the main character in this film (If you dislike her that's another story). Good movie.
Another very good movie is Whisper of the Heart, mostly love story and self-discovery on individuality. I really like this one, better than Only Yesterday. The director's approach of story telling expose a lot of humanism on characters, they daily life, their specific character's traits, especially the main character and her immediate family members. I like all the detail in characterization: how the protagonist's face look like when just woke up from sleep in the morning (^_^ lol...), i laughed at the way she protest when her sister asked her to do house duties, and how she nonchalantly expecting whether her possible other half is handsome or not. One big surprise for me is the opening scene, with an Oldie song "Country Road" by Olivia Newton-John. Maybe some people don't feel anything about it, but it really conjur up nostalgic, homey feeling and drew me into the film quickly.
There will always be a films that you don't like. Since this post is getting too long, suffice to say i that didn't like Porco Rosso, Pom Poko and The Cat Returns.
Ghibli films, Miyazaki, and upcoming film:
http://www.nausicaa.net/
That is the most informative website regarding Ghibli Studio, Miyazaki, and his films i found so far.
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Wed Dec 31, 2003 1:31 pm |
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