Howl's Moving Castle Review

When it comes to adaptions of films, I think I am incredibly biased. Had there been films that I watched the film first and then read the original source material second, I tend to think that the original work did a much better job than the film. I guess it is because I am just that easily impressionable and it just depends on which work gets to me first. In some ways that kinda makes me feel a bit of a allegiance whore, grabbing onto whoever comes first.

There have been a few times when I saw an adapted film that I dind't like. Not so much for a bastardization but because I just didn't really feel for it as a film. Inversly, I thought the third Harry Potter film was a great adapted work despite having read the book beforehand.

So here we are with Howl's Moving Castle, which in someways is almost a work that was adapted twice. It was originally based on the British Novel of the same name by Diane Wynne Jones and the film was directed by Hayao Miyazaki. In turn it was translated by Pixar for western release. The result is something incredibly fabulous.

It has been such a long time since I've seen animation that leaves me in awe. There really isn't to much I could say that wouldn't be complete fanboy drivel, but if there was a film to make you believe that there truly is another world out there, then this film is it. Just seeing something as simple as the water lapping the shoreline makes you think that you're no longer watching an animation but a camera into the world of colourful characters. The animation is so smooth at times, you wonder who in their right mind would attempt to create something so detailed.

The story itself is very atypical as with most Miyazaki films. Considering that it's an adapted work in the first place, it almost fits in so well with his previous works, you'd wonder if Miyazaki inspired Jones or vice versa. Yet again, a young heroine goes off on a journey of weirdness and learns something about herself, forever changing their perceptions. What is always interesting about his film is how he manages to make a story that's gripping, but always a twist on traditional storylines. Spirited Away featured a young girl who has to save her parents from a curse...by working in the very place that caused the curse. Typically it'd be some adventure, but something as mundane as working in a bathhouse is made fantastic by Miyazaki.

There is something more that just being a simple cartoon or even a simple animation. This is a film that filmmakers, should take note of. There are so many things that no only apply to animation, but just filmmaking in general and people should take notice. They should learn from the pacing, the composition of a shot from everythign in this film to show how great something can really be.

There really isn't much to say other than it's one of the most perfect films I've seen in a long time. Every character is great, the landscapes are so beautiful you'd wish they were real and the familiarity of a European inspired setting really helps as well to accomodate the West's subtle apprehension towards Eastern settings and myths. The music, although slightly repetitive is gradiose and is constantly making the rounds on my music players.
*****/***** stars, a perfect film.