I'd love to take the kids to this after reading the "Borrowers" to them. Miyazaki's best films are undeniably great, but his output is so uneven, when you get a review, you want to ask the reviewer which films he likes and how well the latest one stacks up against it. " i.e. Did you like Totoro? Does this one even come close?" I saw the first half of "Nausicaa" for the 4th time this weekend. It always ends happily, with me snoring on the couch.
The Borrowers! Borrowers Afield! Borrowers Afloat! I read them all when I was a kid. The books had a whimsical charm based on British country life and characters from rural England. And so did the black and white line illustrations in the books. This trailer seems to be taking the Borrowers in an entirely different direction.
It's funny, now when I see a book I loved (like The Dark is Rising for example) made into a movie, I am furious at the changes. However, when I look back, one of my favorite animated movies as a kid was The Rescuers. I loved it so much that I read all the books. They were very different from the movie but I wonder if they make kids read the book behind the movie if it matters that much. (sometimes it is better to read a book after the movie. You are pleasantly surprised by the additional content rather than furious about what was left out).
I agree with Chuck that his movies are uneven. I adore his backgrounds though.
His movies are always great, even those that 'aren't so great' :P I don't know if any of you saw the 'Earthsea' movie, but it definitely wasn't his best, but it still contained so much of what makes a Miyazaki a Miyazaki, that stillness and breathable, tense stillness that infuses every moment of his films. 'earthsea wasn't great, that's for sure. But it was still better than most televised cartoons, I thought. Yes, his movies are uneven, but I think it's the 'Led Zeppelin Effect'. He experiments, and not everyone likes the same films. Though it still has the elements that make it 'Miyazaki', it's varied enough to sit on the palate of every viewer differently. I LOVED 'Nausicaa'. 'Princess Mononoke' is still one of my top movies (beating 'Nausicaa', easily). Didn't like 'Totoro'. Loved 'Howl's Moving Castle'.
I've never read 'The Borrowers'. I'll have to check that out.
I love the backgrounds in his movies.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to take the kids to this after reading the "Borrowers" to them.
ReplyDeleteMiyazaki's best films are undeniably great, but his output is so uneven, when you get a review, you want to ask the reviewer which films he likes and how well the latest one stacks up against it. " i.e. Did you like Totoro? Does this one even come close?"
I saw the first half of "Nausicaa" for the 4th time this weekend. It always ends happily, with me snoring on the couch.
The Borrowers! Borrowers Afield! Borrowers Afloat! I read them all when I was a kid. The books had a whimsical charm based on British country life and characters from rural England. And so did the black and white line illustrations in the books. This trailer seems to be taking the Borrowers in an entirely different direction.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, now when I see a book I loved (like The Dark is Rising for example) made into a movie, I am furious at the changes. However, when I look back, one of my favorite animated movies as a kid was The Rescuers. I loved it so much that I read all the books. They were very different from the movie but I wonder if they make kids read the book behind the movie if it matters that much. (sometimes it is better to read a book after the movie. You are pleasantly surprised by the additional content rather than furious about what was left out).
ReplyDeleteI agree with Chuck that his movies are uneven. I adore his backgrounds though.
His movies are always great, even those that 'aren't so great' :P I don't know if any of you saw the 'Earthsea' movie, but it definitely wasn't his best, but it still contained so much of what makes a Miyazaki a Miyazaki, that stillness and breathable, tense stillness that infuses every moment of his films. 'earthsea wasn't great, that's for sure. But it was still better than most televised cartoons, I thought. Yes, his movies are uneven, but I think it's the 'Led Zeppelin Effect'. He experiments, and not everyone likes the same films. Though it still has the elements that make it 'Miyazaki', it's varied enough to sit on the palate of every viewer differently. I LOVED 'Nausicaa'. 'Princess Mononoke' is still one of my top movies (beating 'Nausicaa', easily). Didn't like 'Totoro'. Loved 'Howl's Moving Castle'.
ReplyDeleteI've never read 'The Borrowers'. I'll have to check that out.