And behind door number 22... a guide to some music of the more traditional kind
Catherine Munn and Jacob Martin list their Top 5 programmes to watch over the festive period.
And behind door number nine... some dazzling musical delights
The complete arts guide, for week 9
Since its original and bizarre theatrical release in 1988 My Neighbour Totoro has without any publicity gradually ingrained itself into popular culture, being one of the most joyous and wondrous works of art ever conceived.
The film doesn’t actually have much in terms of story, set in 1950s Japan it follows a very simple plot which sees two young girls named Mei and Satsuki move with their father to the country to be near their ailing, hospitalised mother, only to discover the strange magical presence that lives around them. The Totoros and the other spirits of the forest are a peaceful bunch, taking enormous pleasure in the smallest of things from acorns to umbrellas. The wonderful mix of expressions of delight and sheer curiosity proves to be irresistibly contagious. They have real personality drawn into every frame, their grins lighting up the screen like some glorious iridescent beacon of wonder, their magic truly is the most memorable aspect of the film.
The film’s titular characters may have relatively little screen time, but that only adds to the excitement and magic each time they appear, whilst also contributing to the meaning and emotion of the tale. This is essentially a story about joy, innocence and growing up - the two young heroines are created as rich and thoroughly believable characters so that their reaction with the magical backdrop proves all the more wondrous. It is also worth noting that unlike in traditional western animation there are none of the parental conflicts or indeed any real threat in the film, with even their mother’s illness being simply part of the way the world works rather than some outside threat. What we have instead is something more reminiscent of the majestic cinema of Yasujirō Ozu than Disney animation, presenting a simple emotional tale that is both deeply affecting and beautiful. This is pulled off perfectly by director Hayao Miyazaki who creates something that ranks equal to Ozu’s finest work. The film features an incredible level of artistry that went into each frame by the now legendary Studio Ghibli team, often adding in tiny background details to create a more believable environment that seems rich and full of life. Alongside that, Joe Hisaishi’s pitch perfect score produces a strange magical wonderland quite unlike any other.
In recent years, Totoro has been regularly labelled as one of the finest animated films ever made giving it a reputation it thoroughly deserves. Indeed, it is a telling fact that Miyazaki is now almost unanimously hailed as the world’s greatest living animator and that Ghibli has attained a reputation for producing some of the world’s best animation. However, for me, Totoro is their finest hour. It is something that is truly timeless, a film that despite its trappings is certainly not just for children, as it is generally affecting and touching tale for people of all ages, even if it is just to remember what it is to be young and free once again. My Neighbour Totoro is a film that simply needs to be watched and for those who’ve already seen it, revisiting it is like reacquainting an old friend.
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