Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
When I was in Cancun, our hosts threw a party for the press to watch the Oscars. Nice Mexican buffet. Nice environment. The group watching was all rooting for different things, though. I knew I was in the wrong group when the Best Animated Film category came up, and I started cheering for Miyazaki-san, the world’s greatest living director of animation. The other reporters around me all hissed his name, saying they hated the film. One said he walked out of it. Another said it was one of the worst films last year.
Thankfully, he won, and now Disney’s doing the right thing for a few weeks, releasing SPIRITED AWAY again to give people a chance to see it in theaters before it hits on DVD later in the month.
Our guest reviewer today saw the film finally, and they were so moved that they had to write about it. I’m in the mood for talk about Miyazaki, so here’s a review to remind you that if this just (finally) opened in your area, it’s a very special opportunity, and I hope you get the chance to enjoy it for yourself.
Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
The official English title is Spirited Away. The title literally means The Spiriting Away of Sen and Chihiro.
Synopsis:
Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi is a fantasy adventure with a ten year-old girl, which starts in everyday Japan but goes somewhere very different. For young Chihiro and her family, a mysterious tunnel and haunted town lead to the Land of Spirits, inhabited by gods and monsters and ruled by the greedy witch Yu-baba. Chihiro's parents are transformed into pigs; to rescue them, she must surrender her name and serve in this world. Luckily she finds friends and allies, including the handsome but mysterious boy Haku. Initially sulky and listless, Chihiro (or Sen, as she's now called) finds inner strengths and establishes an identity in this strange world. But can she win back her name and return home?
Courtesy of: http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/sen/faq.html
I just returned from seeing the animated film Spirited Away with my father. After the film, the first thing he said to me was, "This would be a good film to own on DVD." Although you most likely don't know my father, his simple statement carries a lot of weight. He owns no films on DVD. This movie is that good. Our ensuing conversation covered a lot of ground. We discussed films in general, animation, the decline of Disney (as we see it), film distribution, shady business practices (A big, "Hello," to select film studios including Disney and Miramix), and much more.
Spirited Away is a fairy tale about a little girl thrown into an unusual situation and her adventures as she attempts to deal with it. And what wonderful adventures she has!
Chihiro's family is moving. Moving can be a traumatic event for anyone. She's not happy about it. Why should she be? All of her friends are left behind along with all the places she's familar with... the house she grew up in. Her parents try to assay her woes by being upbeat, but you can tell they're not necessarily happy, either. Needless to say, Chihiro's down in the dumps.
On the way to their new home, Chihiro's father takes a wrong turn. Is this a simple twist of fate or destiny? They decide to explore an abandoned road. It seems to lead in the general direction of their destination and will come out somewhere close eventually, right? Why not explore and see where the road leads... There's really no rush, as the movers have keys to the house. Famous last words.
The overgrown road winds through a lush forest. The car seems to almost steer itself, faster and faster. Chihiro and her mother urge Dad to slow down. Then suddenly the forest clears and... stop! They just miss a large post in the road, which has come to an end. Where are they? They get out of the car. Hmmm... What is this? An abandoned temple? A forgotten amusement park? Look, a tunnel!
Chihiro's father wants to explore the dark tunnel. It'll only take a minute. There'll be plenty of time to get to the house. Mom accompanies Dad, but Chihiro doesn't want to. She'd rather go with them rather than be alone, so hurries after. A light appears, first dimly, then growing in strength. The end of the tunnel. But where does it lead?
To say more would be a crime. Needless to say, the end of the tunnel leads to a wondrous and magical adventure of a lifetime. This is a film that feels as though it always existed. Was there a time that I had not known this story?
Timeless. Funny. Thought provoking. Strikenly original. Scary. Awe inspiring. Informative. These are just a few of the ways I would descibe this film.
I'm thankful that this film won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature... Had it not been for this award (one of many that this film has rightfully garnered), I would not have had the opportunity to see this film in a theatre. What an experience! It's no shock to me that this film is including on an enourmous number of "best of" lists. I wouldn't be surprised to find this film popping on "100 greatest" lists, either. Really.
I like to know who else is watching a film with me, so I usually look around before a film to see what type of crowd was in attendance. I saw Spirited Away durning an afternoon showing during the work week, so the audience was rather small (approximately 15 people - all things considered, I was actually impressed that there were this many). The mix was interesting, though. The ages ranged from approximately 4 through 70, with an even mix of genders.
During a film, I enjoy looking around to gauge the audience's reaction. Prior to the film, I was a bit nervous, because a lot of people were really talkative (I don't like asking people to be quiet). My fears were shortly put to rest, as this was one of the quietest films I've been to. The audience, that is. As I looked around, everyone seemed to be held in rapt wonder. It was a really good experience. After the show, I asked several audience members how they liked the film. There were no goods or bads. All of them seemed to share my feelings, in that they just experienced something very special. How fantastic!
Later, we talked about issues the film addressed, the believable story that pulled no punches, the beautiful images, the wonderful musical score (by long-time personal favourite Joe Hisaishi), and wondered what happened to the characters from the story. We cared. We bought the fantastic world presented to us by Hayao Miyazaki hook, line and sinker. We wanted more, but were immensely satisfied with our brief glimpse.
My father considers this film a classic, although it's only several years old. Does the amount of time that passes from a movie's release matter? I'm not sure. I agree with him, though. Spirited Away is a timeless classic suitable for any age. [Please note that several parts of the film are intense. I don't think this is bad, as life can sometimes be frightening. Children know this. Most good fairy tales are a bit scary... The frightening bits may even be essential to their goodness.] I feel confident that time will prove this statement to be correct.
Spirited Away is slated to be released on DVD (NTSC, Region 1) via Buena Vista Home Entertainment on April 15, 2003.
Specs:
124 minutes. 2 Discs. 2.00:1 Anamorphic widescreen. English (DD 5.1), Japanese (DD 5.1), French, and Spanish audio tracks. English subtitles. Also includes storyboards, The Art of Spirited Away featurette, The Making of "Spirited Away" featurette, voice talent featurette, trailers and an introduction by John Lasseter.
I'm preordering a copy today and can't wait to share this film with my daughter. She usually has trouble sitting through an entire film, but later enjoys returning to it. After watching this film, I'm sure she will frequently request it, along with her current favourites: Goblin King (Labyrinth), Monster Movie (Monsters, Inc.), Scary Movie (The Nightmare Before Christmas), and Beauty Beast (Beauty and the Beast). I wonder what she'll call it... Pigs? Monsters (What can I say, she loves them)? The little girl movie? When she gets older, I think the word may be "classic".
Lo Fi Cat
Thanks, man. Can’t wait to see this one again.
"Moriarty" out.
