Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Country of origin: Japan
Music by: Joe Hisaishi
The school year is over. The summer of films has begun. After a long absence from blogging, leave it to a Miyazaki gem to wet my mouth once again. I have shouted Miyazaki praise far and wide, but believe it or not, I had never seen the film that sparked the legendary career. I had seen dozens of stills and famous screenshots like the one above. Viewed snippets, heard exerts of Hisaishi's score, but never actually sat down and watched the movie. It had been sitting untouched inside my external hard-drive for almost two years. It was time I changed that. All the thoughts that this film was "too naive" or not as intellectually intriguing than his later works couldn't be farther from the truth. My Neighbor Totoro is just as compelling and soothingly engrossing as any other film Miyazaki has ever graced us with. Made in the late eighties, the context has richened with age. These same elements of curiosity and bravery mixed concurrently with Japanese cultural undertones make you want and even need to be in this world. Miyazaki communicates to his viewer from the point of view of the child, whereas so many mature thematic elements are lingering within the story, yet never solidified. Like any Miyazaki film, there's just so much behind every scene, every shot, every second of detailed animation. Crafting such a specific tone is something no one else could ever do. Watching Totoro was refreshing, simple as that. It made me eager for more of the undeniable East Asian culture that is embedded within every Miyazaki film. It left me speechless, and wondering why I had never taking two hours out of my life to watch it. It was the perfect "welcome back" I could have received. It's going to be a great summer.
***** / *****
