Culture

After receiving the devastating news that the king of animation, Hayao Miyazaki, may possibly be retiring from film making, I thought it would only be right to review Spirited Away (2001). Miyazaki co-founded Studio Ghibli, which has never made a disappointing film.

Miyazaki enjoys a huge cult following, with such films as Princess Mononoke (1997) and Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) to his name. Spirited Away is by far his most prosperous masterpiece (and the most successful film in Japanese history), grossing over $274 million at box offices worldwide.

Miyazaki wrote the script after deciding that the film would be based on his friend’s ten-year-old daughter, who came to visit his house each summer. Sound familiar? Lewis Carroll said the same thing about Alice In Wonderland.

This film is so gloriously artful that I would place it in my top ten films of all time. It tells an Alice In Wonderland-style tale of a young Japanese heroine, Chihiro. She and her family find an abandoned theme park – a discovery that immediately exudes a sense of abnormality. After her parents transform into pigs as a result of eating a forbidden feast, night falls, and the theme park magically turns into a bathhouse for Japanese spirits. The tale follows Chihiro as she tries to release her parents from the evil witch, Yubaba, who runs the bathhouse with an iron fist.

Even you if loathe the very thought of watching a Japanese anime, I guarantee that this wonderful piece of cinema will broaden your imagination and leave you fully satisfied. The vivid colour, constantly-twisting narrative and endless characters reminds me of carefree childhood adventures … on acid.

The fine attention to detail makes this animation a true treat, plunging the viewer into a completely new world. Your eyes want to soak up every detail as you become engrossed in the hand-painted mise-en-scène. My favorite aspect of film, however, is the innovative characters: the huge, radish-shaped spirit takes the cake, closely followed by the adorable soot spirits that eat candy stars.

The storyline is extensive, so be prepared to find yourself totally immersed. If I get just one more person to watch this film, I will have achieved something beautiful.