July 10, 2005
Some Words on Howl.
(Image stolen from Le Quotidien du Cinema.)
There's not much I can write about Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle that The Former Makeweight hasn't already written, in a series of finely detailed (and, as she herself claims, obsessive -- I mean that in jest, of course) entries, on her blog Getaway.
As usual, Miyazaki's visual sense is exquisite, with the castle itself looking like a living, breathing creature (and, as always, no one does flying scenes like Miyazaki does, which we see in a triumphant early scene). It's also probably his most surreal film to date, what with a jumping scarecrow, a fire demon with the voice of Billy Crystal (not as severely miscast as others have mentioned), a young wizard with a huge magic beard, and a Howl that kept reminding me, unfortunately (particularly when we see him in his overstuffed, toy-littered bedroom, agonizing over his beauty), of Michael Jackson. The narrative is also this loosely connected sprawl -- at some point the Poeta turned to me and asked, "Am I the only one who finds this all incomprehensible?" -- though a kind of dream logic kicks in during the last half-hour or so and one simply has to sit back and drink up the images. Worth watching, definitely, though it doesn't have the epic sweep of Princess Mononoke or the eloquent simplicity of My Neighbor Totoro (probably my favorite Miyazaki film).
Howl as Michael Jackson? Oh, you're killing me...!
But you're right about that bedroom--there's something funky going down there.
I meant to see Totoro at the Studio Ghibli series at UC Berkeley's PFA, but missed it. Will try to get my hands on it soon.
Posted by: Gladys on July 11, 2005 12:02 AMMy personal favorite, as an overall work of art, is SPIRITED AWAY. Beats Mononoke on every level (for me). Yes, Howl was kinda creepy in the M. Jackson way. But what about that prince at the end? What's up with that funky hat of his?
Lameness of the movie, visual prettiness aside, I would attribute to the fact that it's based on someone's book, and not a Miyazaki creation from scratch.
TOTORO TO-TO-RO....
Posted by: oona p. on July 11, 2005 03:48 PMGreat Toronto blog, Chromewaves posted today a review of "Howl's Moving Castle". Thought this might interest you:
http://www.chromewaves.net/index.php?itemid=1873
Posted by: mike on July 11, 2005 04:40 PMGladys: he also lives with this little kid! (You won't regret "My Neighbor Totoro" -- it's a smaller film in every way, so you may be somewhat underwhelmed. But I remember being genuinely *moved* when I saw it; many subsequent viewings has not dulled the sense of childlike wonder that it evokes. (But I won't spoil it for you; it's much more than that.)
Oona: about the prince at the end -- shhhh! (Not that it makes much difference...)
Mike: thanks for the link...
I do love to experience childlike wonder, so I will definitely try to see Totoro this summer.
But, Wily, I must defend my anime crush! Howl as MJ?...the bedroom _is_ weird, but little Markl is no abused kid. And where else are peripatetic magicians' apprentices supposed to live? Even a blacksmith's or printer's apprentice would have lived at the blacksmith's or printer's home. Moreover, Markl exhibits both respect for Howl's powers and a certain clear-eyed wryness about his foibles (vanity, girl-chasing, etc.) that doesn't remind me of an abused child. Howl instead makes me think of a certain style of British (and for that matter, Japanese) male heart-throb, who is generally a bit more effeminate than American male celebrities. In my opinion, MJ gradually slipped from slightly effeminate heart-throb into wrong after his Thriller days.
Posted by: Gladys on July 11, 2005 11:19 PMHello Gladys (we still must get together for lunch one of these days), I was just teasing about Howl -- doubtless he and his apprentice are not up to any unsavory shenanigans. =) It was more those sudden, unexpected moments of childlikeness -- okay, that and the nose -- that reminded me of the other Neverland resident.
Posted by: the wily filipino on July 12, 2005 08:12 AMI figured you were pulling my leg, but as you well know, I am *crazy*, um, about Howl. I never realized MJ was trying to make himself look like a Japanese anime character with his nose-sculpting--that's actually a very interesting thought, kind of in-line with Asians and blepharoplasty--but anime doesn't seem to translate well into the real world; MJ looks more like a bleached-bone skull with that nose.
Yes, let's have lunch! This time I can cross the bridge to the City. E-mail and let me know if you're available next week, or alternately, anytime after the first week of August.
Posted by: Gladys on July 12, 2005 07:29 PM