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| Spirited Away |
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| Anticipation Level: |
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| How excited (or not) I am to see this movie... |
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| Aside from being one of the most successful film in Japan's film history, 'Spirited Away' also boasts top awards from 'The Berlin International Film Festival'(the first for an animated feature), The 'Japan Academy Awards' (the second film to do so, after Hayao Miyazaki's 'Princess Mononoke'), & many more awards. 'Spirited Away' is brimming with imagination, characters and situations that could not (and probably would not) see the light of day in the US animation market. Only someone with Hayao Miyazaki's vision could make such a grand story come to life. |
| Movie Review: |
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| My thoughts on this movie... |
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When I was growing up in the early 1980's, my parents began to fill up their video library. between the ages of 4-15, we acquired close to 25+ VHS cassettes of films from the Walt Disney company. It was from these VHS tomes that I began my love affair with animation, and started looking into a career in the same field. While I did enjoy the cartoon stylings of Warner Bros and MGM, Disney was always the front-runner. What was it that made Disney stand out from the slap-stick adultness and innuendo of the other studios? One word: emotion.
Watching all those films made me yearn to someday work in animation that would not only tell an enjoyable narrative, but also make you feel for the plight of those on screen. How can you not sense Ariel's longing to be human, or the sadness of the Beast, afraid that Belle will never love him?
It was only sometime after I began college that I finally was introduced to the works of Hayao Miyazaki, the "Walt Disney of Japan."
Miyazaki's 'Studio Ghibli' has built up a sterling reputation over the years, turning out a number of excellent films, that touch both children and adults, a feature that has become seemingly lacking in today's marketplace of top-dollar pandering.
In the United States, Miyazaki's works have been downplayed significantly. His feature films "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Kiki's Delivery Service" have been introduced as dubbed VHS versions(and for Kiki, a subtitled version also), but they reach a place that makes the characters feel vulnerable, as well as take them on unexpected journeys.
The only film of Miyazaki's that ever saw a wide theatrical release in the US was "Princess Mononoke." Distributed by Miramax(a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company), the film was brought to the American marketplace because of it's incredible box-office toppling in Japan (a few months before 'Titanic' sank it to #2 of the all-time domestic Japan box-office gross). The film received high marks from several critics, but was only released in a limited number of theaters. this seemed perplexing, considering the wide release and promotional materials that Disney would normally give their animated features (i.e. Lion King, Tarzan). Some cited the PG-13 nature of the film off-putting, noting some scenes that contained some rather violent content. But it's hard to crack the animation 'glass ceiling' since much of the American move-going public deems animation as being "for kids."
Maybe "Princess Mononoke" wasn't the best way to fully introduce the American audience to Miyazaki, but his latest offering could (with the right marketing push) really make the name Miyazaki roll off the tongue of the American populous.
3 years after the release of Mononoke, Walt Disney Pictures is set to release "Spirited Away." The first film in over 5 years to eclipse "Titanic's" Japanese box-office gross, and the first animated film since Walt Disney's "Cinderella" to win the Golden Bear Award at the "Berlin Film Festival." Having viewed a copy of the film, all I can say is: it has definitely earned it's awards and critical praise.
The story deals with Chihiro, a young 10-year-old girl who is moving with her parents to a new town. However, along the way, she and her parents uncover a deserted town that Chihiro's father mistakens for an abandoned theme park. While there, Chihiro's parents find a deserted stand filled with food. Chihiro's parents sit to partake in the supposedly 'free lunch,' while Chihiro explores the city, whose streets end at the entrance to an elaborate bathhouse. But as night settles in, Chihiro returns to her parents, only to find that they have been turned into pigs. Soon, Chihiro finds herself trapped in a world of Gods, and it is through the help of a young man named Haku and some new friends that she must try and overcome her situation.
So far this year, I have only seen one young girl that really pushed the envelope for me with her emotion, and that was Lilo frmo "Lilo and Stitch." But while Lilo is a compelling young girl having to deal with a creature from another world, Chihiro is a compelling young girl having to deal with creatures IN another world. And she runs an even greater gamut of emotional will, discovering things about herself that she didn't believe possible. One significant trait that some may find different from Disney is the fact that Chihiro has no cute little animal sidekicks that get her out of numerous situations. Chihiro has to learn for herself as she works through a number of the situations posed against her.
Miyazaki's fanciful world comes alive with a wonderful equilibrium of colors that show both the wonder and mystery of the world of the Gods. He also crafts for us a cadre of characters that many would never have imagined, like the spidery-armed boiler-room man named Kamaji, the giant-headed bathhouse owner named Yubaba, and the simple yet enigmatic No Face. There are also various spirits that take the form of giant sludge creatures, as well as bird gods and many more too numerous to describe.
Along with this cavalcade of creatures, Miyazaki has crafted those with a more human face. Of great importance to Chihiro is Haku, a young man who takes numerous chances to help her, as well as a young woman named Lin, a bathhouse woman who becomes Chihiro's guardian while at the bathhouse.
The first thought of Western audiences will probably be that this is a Japanese version of "Alice in Wonderland," but that would be mainly placing the comparison on the Walt Disney film rather than the original Lewis Carroll treatment.
The main treatment of "Spirited Away" is more in the line of a fairy-tale setting, as we follow Chihiro on her journey as she learns and discovers herself and her new world around her.
"Spirited Away" also could separate itself from Disney's "Wonderland" because here, the characters are not spouting nonsense and confusing and angering Alice. The world of the Gods seems at times to be a much more understanding place, if you know the right people. Yu-Baaba is the bathhouse's "Queen of Hearts"(and some have said her appearance reminds them of the illustrations of the Duchess from the book). She wields power over her bathhouse's employees, and proves to be a powerful witch. One thing she has control over are names. When Chihiro comes to work for her, in hopes of freeing her parents, Yu-Baaba takes away her most significant human feature: her name. Yu-Baaba forces Chihiro to change her name to Sen, and work under the stipulation that she must not question Yu-Baaba, or else something terrible will happen.
Criticism that "Mononoke" was too violent should not be a problem with "Spirited Away." Early ratings have pegged it at a PG level, and while there may be a few scenes that may be considered frightening, they felt to me on the same level as when Lampwick got turned into a donkey in "Pinocchio." All in all, this film is relatively "tame" compared to the number of other films children are subjected to every day.
A grand film must also have a grand score, and Miyazaki chose Joe Hisaishi to compose "Spirited Away's" score. Hisaishi has contributed to almost every Miyazaki-directed film for Studio Ghibli (with the exception of "My Neighbor Totoro"). In terms of his score, Hisaishi seems to Miyazaki what John Williams is to Steven Spielberg. His beautiful poetic sounds that flowed through "Kiki's Delivery Service," and his epic-sounding delivery for "Princess Mononoke," help to give Miyazaki's films the icing on the cake. Hisaishi's music plays to both Chihiro's strengths and emotions, along with a hauntingly beautiful piano ballad that begins the film, and winds it's way through.
On Septmber 16, some friends and I had the good fortune to get passes to a sneak preview of the dub. Up to that point, I had not heard much but mixed comments from some who said the dub sounded too 'wooden,' and some who said it worked. Well, I'm with the latter. The dub has got to be one of the best that I have ever heard, and normally I prefer subtitles. Daveigh Chase embodies Chihiro, both the 'whiny crybaby' & the 'mature' self. Her nuances make you realize that we have an up and coming young actress with plenty of talent. Jason Marsden as Haku delivers a solid performance, trying to balance out his mysterious character. David Ogden Stiers gives Kamaji a wonderful gruff voice that hides his gentle side, and proves that Stiers has the stuff to prove to be a great voice-actor. Suzanne Pleshette is Yubaba, and inhabits the role of the greedy bathhouse proprieter well, delivering a tone that I didn't think was possible for Yubaba to exude. Susan Egan voices Lin, who basically seems to be Egan reviving Megara's voice from 'Disney's Hercules,' but it works surprisingly well for the annoyed yet spunky woman. John Ratzenberger (Executive producer John Lasseter's 'good-luck charm'), serves as the bathhouse floor manager, which proves that he can project his voice beyond the average 'Cliff Claven' vocal soundings.
Some of the dub's dialogue is changed, some to explain things that American audiences wouldn't get (we don't have bathhouses, we'd probably call them 'spas' here). There were also some nicely placed sentences that had my friend (who along with me had seen the film on DVD) howling with laughter. One of the reviewers for another sight said it best about the dub: 'Disney didn't screw this up.'
And if that wasn't enough, then here's another suggestion. If you can, see 'Spirited Away' in DLP (Digital Light Processing). I didn't see 'Episode II' in DLP, so 'Spirited Away' was my first time. I viewed the DLP dub-version at the first matinee showing this past weekend, and once you see digital, you'll never look at a theatrical film print the same way again! The DLP version of 'Spirited Away' enhances the colors, and makes minor details come to life that would otherwise be obscured by film grain and other print factors. The picture was so clear and beautiful, that it felt more like you were looking at storybook illustrations. You can see the minutely painted backgrounds and characters much more clearly (the DLP version puts the printed images in my 'Art of Spirited Away' book to shame. The color quality is that good).
The film is opening in select cities, but will expand over the next few weeks into more cities. 'Spirited Away' should be on everyone's must-see list. It's not some film that was created to push toys or be turned into a TV show. The film is smart enough that it contains a message for children, and can touch those who are still 'children at heart.' I can assure you that the film will 'Spirit you away,' but return you with a wonderful sense of euphoria, that very few animated features can achieve. |
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