Diddy
愛してるって 言わなきゃ殺す
It's back to the 00s for Club Ghibli, as we step back into the Miyazaki canon. Dear Sister @Haiku kindly hand-plucked this relatively late-game blockbuster from our dwindling supply.
2004 saw Studio Ghibli capitalising on its biggest international breakthrough. 2001's "Spirited Away" had won the Best Animated Feature Oscar in 2003, and while "The Cat Returns" had already had its domestic release, "Howl's Moving Castle" was to be the international follow-up.
Like "Arrietty", "Howl" was an adaptation of a British novel, and has no shortage of European imagery. It tells the story of a mild-mannered milliner, dowdy Sophie, who is cursed by a witch and ends up wrapped in a plot of intrigue and espionage involving war, magic and the titular wizard - a flamboyantly emotional character determined not to be made a pawn of the military. Miyazaki said the story was fuelled by his opposition to the 2003 Iraq war, which is cute since production started in 2001
Although intriguingly it wasn't meant to be a Miyazaki-directed work, now-superstar director Mamoru Hosoda was the original director, leaving due to creative differences. Hosoda has been circling around an animation Oscar recently too, and I'm gagging to do a deep dive on his work.
"Howl's Moving Castle" was a huge smash, and still remains the 8th biggest grossing movie at the Japanese box office, and even that is only the 3rd highest Ghibli movie (behind Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke). It also means that there has not been a bigger Ghibli movie in Japan or worldwide since.
BTW while I was googling about this, I found out that Arrietty is bizarrely the biggest grossing Ghibli movie in the US, bonkers.
HOW THIS WORKS
In a semi book club format, the films will be announced, and over the course of about 2 weeks we can watch it and let everyone know what we thought. I'll nominate someone to pick the next film each time, but maybe let's try not to blow all the famous ones first!
I was thinking 2 weeks should be enough time for most people to fit in a viewing at some point, but it's not strict so please come back when you have a chance, no pressure!
@Christian @Gangsta Nancy Lam @jivafox @COB @Haiku @ZenGiraffe @Lucille @KindaCool @Eyes @Queen of the Bay @RaspberrySwirl @RJN @Beverley @big ron @ButterTart @Mats (let me know if you don't want to be tagged any more)
2004 saw Studio Ghibli capitalising on its biggest international breakthrough. 2001's "Spirited Away" had won the Best Animated Feature Oscar in 2003, and while "The Cat Returns" had already had its domestic release, "Howl's Moving Castle" was to be the international follow-up.
Like "Arrietty", "Howl" was an adaptation of a British novel, and has no shortage of European imagery. It tells the story of a mild-mannered milliner, dowdy Sophie, who is cursed by a witch and ends up wrapped in a plot of intrigue and espionage involving war, magic and the titular wizard - a flamboyantly emotional character determined not to be made a pawn of the military. Miyazaki said the story was fuelled by his opposition to the 2003 Iraq war, which is cute since production started in 2001
Although intriguingly it wasn't meant to be a Miyazaki-directed work, now-superstar director Mamoru Hosoda was the original director, leaving due to creative differences. Hosoda has been circling around an animation Oscar recently too, and I'm gagging to do a deep dive on his work."Howl's Moving Castle" was a huge smash, and still remains the 8th biggest grossing movie at the Japanese box office, and even that is only the 3rd highest Ghibli movie (behind Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke). It also means that there has not been a bigger Ghibli movie in Japan or worldwide since.
BTW while I was googling about this, I found out that Arrietty is bizarrely the biggest grossing Ghibli movie in the US, bonkers.
HOW THIS WORKS
In a semi book club format, the films will be announced, and over the course of about 2 weeks we can watch it and let everyone know what we thought. I'll nominate someone to pick the next film each time, but maybe let's try not to blow all the famous ones first!
I was thinking 2 weeks should be enough time for most people to fit in a viewing at some point, but it's not strict so please come back when you have a chance, no pressure!
@Christian @Gangsta Nancy Lam @jivafox @COB @Haiku @ZenGiraffe @Lucille @KindaCool @Eyes @Queen of the Bay @RaspberrySwirl @RJN @Beverley @big ron @ButterTart @Mats (let me know if you don't want to be tagged any more)
I will fit in a viewing because it was a blast the first time.
I didn’t really get that at all (among other minor things like the plot)
