Princess Mononoke

Whoa whoa whoa whoa.

I think last week I said Porco Rosso was my fave...but wowy zow. I'm overwhelmed as this is my first time watching the film, but I'm into it. I'm into it in a big way.

The skill of animation has definitely been amped up a notch. This might have to do with computer capabilities, but it's done in such a subtle and skilled way that it doesn't even feel like computer animation. I seriously was getting teary eyed at the brilliance that is the Night Walker...sorry that's lame I know, but man...so beautiful!!! The colors and way it moves...was insane.

My mind has been blown. I don't even know how to start critiquing this film or analyzing it because there was just so much going on.

I guess what I'll say for now is I was intrigued by the lead character being male. This is one of the few male protagonists.

Aw man and the demon!!! Those writhing worms was so gnarly. And I have to say San's introduction...best in cinema history? Sucking blood out of a wounded wolf. I like that gory business. Which is maybe why I enjoyed Princess Mononoke so much...it definitely has it's faire share of gore!

I'm definitely glad we're watching this twice.

WEEK 8: PORCO ROSSO

I had never seen this gem. My friend Nick has been hassling me to see this film ever since I made him watch Kiki's Delivery Service. I kept putting it off. I don't know but that cover doesn't really make me want to rush out and watch it, even if it's Miyazaki!

My friend Nick has great taste and I can't recall being steered wrong from a recommendation by him, even if we greatly disagree on the epic brilliance that is the Korean vampire film Thirst. So after finally getting to see the Crimson Pig...it begs the question...why has it taken me so long to see this film?!?!

I want to say that this is my favorite film so far that we've watched of his. Which is difficult to say because I have loved every film we've watched so far...but man...

It's really a different film for Miyazaki. the only magical element of it is the fact that he has this "spell" cast on him which makes Porco a pig.

There were really interesting issues as to how the other characters actually see Porco because there are two different occasions, first with Fio, when Porco tells the story of how he got his curse, but at the same time the story doesn't explain at all why his face looks like a pig. When he finishes it there's a moment where she glimpses and sees him as a man. Also at the end after Porco wins the fight his friend asks to see his face again because he for a second catches a glimpse of the pig as a man. By being a pig he is exluded from the laws of the world for rational humans. This allows Porco Rosso to exist in a sort of gray zone.

Week 7: Kiki's Delivery Service

Kiki's Delivery Service is magical...literally, but also just magical as in it makes me so happy every time I see it. Kiki is a girl on a mission and she's going to do her thing and try even when it's not working out for her. She doesn't let things hinder her.

Except for when she gets deathly ill which is understandable. Girl can't go riding around on a broom in the middle of a rainstorm!

I was not able to attend the class discussion because of my participation in the strike, which was disappointing because I always enjoy the discussions and feel that they offer insight into the films that I wouldn't normally have thought before.

Also I've noticed that the music in Miyazaki's films are always super legit! I'm into it.

Kiki's loss of magical powers seems to coincide with technology and the idea that technology can do everything that she does magically. But it also seems to relate to firstlovecrush babedude Tombo and that situation, although I'm not sure directly how they relate. It might have to do with the fact that Tombo was on the dirigible or that he was creating his OWN flying machine. But Kiki's flying abitliy is also linked as a creative outlet, like Ursula with her art who suggests she let it go and not worry about only to have it come back to her at a later time...

Also what's the deal at the end. She can no longer understand Jiji, which is really disappointing because Jiji's so great! Does this relate to Jiji's cat love or is this solely reliant on Kiki and her maturity or I guess no longer necessary need to have conversations with her cat because she has other friends...

Week 6: My Neighbor Totoro

This film is a bit different compared to the rest of Hayao Miyazaki's work up until this point. All of his other films have taken place in other worlds that don't have specific locations. They are a bit of a blank slate for Miyazaki to work with.

MNT is specific. It is post-WWII Japan, which affects the way the viewer interprets the film. As a viewer one has a better idea as to who the characters are and where they come from.

The sisters, Satsuki and Mei are extremely dynamic characters and their relationship is illustrated in a realistic way. Satsuki being the eldest looks out for Mei and takes care of her. However they are still sisters and do not always get along.



The greatest part of MNT is seeing how children react or handle with stressful and upsetting situations. Their mother who has is sick with some unnamed disease must stay in the hospital. The scene where Satsuki finds out that she has taken ill, the girls are depicted lounging around the house, exhausted. It is never explicitly said, but the art of Miyazaki is that time is implied because strewn on the floor surround Mei are neglected toys. It means that she was playing with toys attempting to distract herself from the seriousness of the situation at hand and gave up, exhausted and slept.

One of the unanswered questions of the film is whether Totoro is in fact real. He is real for the girls in their world, but whether or not Totoro exists in the world of the adults. The ending implies that Totoro is in fact real because of the corn that Satsuki and Mei's parents find on the windowsill, that was engraved with "For Mom" However there is the logic of the situation. How could the girls possibly have traveled so far if there was not really a CatBus? Although Miyazaki by not explaining this seems to want us to not focus on this issue. That it doesn't really matter. What matters is that the girls are able to grow up and to accept their situations better because of Totoro. He is offers the care and attention that they were not receiving previously.