Quick note to say that there’s one Thursday night left of Miyazaki films showing on TCM. They’re co-hosted by Pixar’s John Lassiter, who nearly single-handedly brought Miyazaki’s films to wide distribution in the U.S.
Saw Whisper of the Heart (non-magic, but cute), My Neighbor Totoro, which was excellent, and then ran out of tape on Porco Rosso; something I didn’t think I’d like, but now want to rent quickly. Still, my favorite is Spirited Away.
Of course there’s probably colonial subtext to it that I’ve missed and Arnab will now point out to me, ruining the film forever. Thanks in advance Arnab.
The last Miyazaki film TCM is showing, Thursday at 10.15pm, is ‘Pom Poko.’ I’ve never seen it, but here is the description:
As urban sprawl from Tokyo threatens to destroy the woodlands surrounding the city, a group of tanuki (a native animal of Asia that is part of the canine family and resembles a raccoon) band together to fight the greedy developers. Under the guidance of tanuki matriarch, Oroku Baba, the creatures hinder and frustrate the developers with their tricks and shape-shifting skills but can their magic really create a roadblock to progress? An animated cautionary tale for the entire family but opting for a more realistic ending instead of the expected “happy-ever-after” fadeout, Pom Poko (1994) is a refreshingly different alternative to the American-made animation features from Walt Disney Studios. It’s much closer in spirit to Animal Farm than say, The Lion King. Directed by Isao Takahata, a renowned Japanese animator who is a long-time colleague of Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, 2001, Howl’s Moving Castle, 2004), the film blends quirky humor, environmental concerns and genuine tragedy in a contemporary fantasy that holds appeal for both young and adult viewers in the same manner as a Miyazaki film.
Looks interesting. Thanks for letting us know.