The Secret World of Arrietty

The Secret World of Arrietty (2011, UK version)
Animation. Adventure, Family, 94 minutes
Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Starring the voices of Saoirse Ronan, Mark Strong and Tom Holland

For the benefit of those who have never read any of my reviews, I consider Studio Ghibli's films to be the most beautiful and moving stories that the genre has to offer.

The studio was founded by Directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata as well as Producer Toshio Suzuki, but is entering a transitional phase with that trio now in their 60s and 70s. So how does this debut effort from Yonebayashi hold up?

After two viewings, I would say extremely well.

Fans of Miyazaki need not despair. He had a hand in the screenplay, adapted from Mary Norton's book, and his imprint is all over this film. Like all Studio Ghibli efforts, Arrietty has so much heart that it's almost impossible to avoid being emotionally moved by the story. The animation style is exactly what you would expect too, with a two-dimensional look and a faded color palette. The music comes from Cecile Corbel, Simon Caby and Dale Sison, but it often feels like a Joe Hisaishi score. Studio Ghibli's future is in good hands.

Arrietty Clock is 14 years old and four inches tall. She's a Borrower and lives with her mother and father. Borrowers acquire items that humans don't really need and then use them as food or to make tools. She collects leaves, sugar lumps and pins and puts them to good use. Humans are considered dangerous so the Clock family tries to remain out of sight, living in the foundations of the humans' house.

Arrietty and her father adapt a variety of items and turn them into useful gadgets. Thread, earrings and sticky tape enable them to climb and move around large objects. Dangers are everywhere if you are four inches tall. Think of how a cat or bird might view someone of that size. Despite the danger, Arrietty seems at one with nature. She tries not to hurt any small bugs and is accepted by most of the creatures in her world.

I'm not going to go into too much detail about the plot as the film hasn't yet been released theatrically in North America, but here are a few important points:

A boy named Sho comes to stay at the house while he awaits a heart operation. Imagine that in a Disney movie; it just wouldn't happen. Sho defies the expectations of the Clock family and seems friendly. However, not everyone in his household is as harmless. If humans discover the existence of the Clock family, they will have to vacate their home and move on.

Moments of peril are few, but intense, although there is no real violence. The film plays out like an adventure and can safely be viewed by people of all ages. The ending leaves a few loose threads. Mary Norton's series consists of four books, so it's possible that Studio Ghibli could release a sequel one day.

The film is a coming-of-age story in which Arrietty tries to prove her value as a Borrower. It touches on illness, love, trust, superstition and greed, but its world is filled with beauty and innocence for the most part. Look at Sho's expression when he meets Arrietty and see how non-threatening it is. Notice how Arrietty's nods of understanding convey respect and love for her father. See how imaginative the story is in terms of using Arrietty's stature to show the world from her perspective.

The film ends on an optimistic note, despite the feeling that some story threads are unresolved. That's exactly how I feel about the future of Studio Ghibli. If you are a fan of the studio, please consider seeing the film in theaters. It's due to be released in North America on February 17. It certainly has a lot more heart than typical animated fare and perhaps our support will encourage Disney to release more Studio Ghibli films on Blu-ray in North America?

This version features a British voice cast and the imported Blu-ray is locked to Region B. The North American release will feature a completely different voice cast and is out on May 22, 2012. If you prefer to see the film in its original Japanese, that's also an option on this release.

It would be hard to give a higher recommendation. I've seen the film twice and its world embraced me like a familiar warm blanket on both occasions.

Overall score 4.5/5

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Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind: Miyazaki's first masterpiece

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Animation, Action, Adventure)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Starring Alison Lohman, Patrick Stewart, Uma Thurman and Shia LaBeouf

Disney / Buena Vista | 1984 | 118 min | Rated PG | Released Mar 08, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio:

English, French, Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0

Subtitles:

English, English SDH, French

Discs:

50GB Blu-ray Disc

DVD copy

The Film 5/5

When it comes to animation, my favorite director by far is Hayao Miyazaki. If you have read my Top 20 animated list, you’ll see how often his name appears. Studio Ghibli has been responsible for many good films, but Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was actually released in 1984, just before the studio was founded. It remains Miyazaki’s most ambitious work because of its epic scope.

Nausicaä is set approximately a thousand years in the future when pollution levels have threatened to destroy life on the planet. The land is dominated by the Toxic Jungle which is filled with poisonous plants. The jungle is protected by giant insects and other creatures.

We meet Nausicaä (Lohman) early in the film when she discovers a discarded ohm shell. Ohms are giant creatures which seems wiser than any humans they may encounter. Nausicaä recovers one of the parts of the shell and takes it home. Ohms are not always calm and their eyes grow red with rage when they are angry. Nausicaä helps save Lord Yupa (Stewart), a master swordsman, from an enraged ohm.

Yupa knows Nausicaä well and has a present for her; a small fox squirrel which she names Teto. Her first encounter with the creature shows us her true nature. She says that there is nothing to fear, but the fox-squirrel bites her. She makes no move, but simply repeats that there is nothing to fear. It stops biting and licks the wound. It’s such a touching scene and gives a hint at how Nausicaä interacts with strangers later in the story. She’s an easy character to love.

Nausicaä’s life is peaceful. She lives in the Valley of the Winds where everyone works together in harmony farming the land. Although her father is the king, princess Nausicaä doesn’t put herself above other people. She lends a hand repairing machinery or whatever else is needed. Her people love her; especially the children. For any parent thinking of showing the film to their children, Nausicaä is a good role model.

The film has quite a few battle sequences, but they are brief and involve misguided people who think their causes are just. I think Miyazaki is showing us what could happen if we continue to pollute and exploit the planet without giving any thought to the future. It’s a common theme in his stories and is more prominent here than in later films. 

Unlike any other animated film I have seen, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind shows us a vast world. We explore some of it and see Nausicaä discover secrets about the world and the creatures inhabiting it. She has a way with animals and insects and seeks solutions that avoid killing any kind of creature. She seems to empathize and realize how to stop seemingly wild creatures from attacking. People around her are frequently amazed by her actions.

The film shows the futility of war and the power people have to change their lives by thinking about their course of action. So much happens in the two hour running time that the film seems to move at a breakneck pace. There is always something happening, whether it’s action or a discovery of some kind.

Joe Hisaishi is again responsible for the music, and it’s one of the best scores he has ever produced. There’s a particular scene with a piece of music using children’s voices which has me in tears every time. I’m not sure why, but the music is powerful and fits the scenes perfectly.

I know I haven’t revealed much of the story. That’s because I want you to discover the secrets for yourself. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind reminds me of scenes in Avatar and Star Wars, but the story is arguably more powerful than both. If you have seen other titles from Hayao Miyazaki, be aware that this contains more adult themes than most. That said, it can and should be enjoyed by the whole family.

Video Quality 4.5/5

If you have seen any of Miyazaki’s films, you’ll know that his animation style looks nothing like modern studios such as Pixar or Dreamworks. He’s an artist in the true sense of the word and the frames of the films look like watercolor paintings. It’s been 27 years since the film was released, so the animation style looks a little dated. Some of the supporting characters in crowds won’t move, but the overall effect is still wonderful. Disney has delivered another great transfer. Colors improve dramatically over the DVD version. Some scenes look slightly soft, but that’s partly due to the animation style. This doesn’t look like Up, Ratatouille or Rango, but detail is strong and any Miyazaki fan will be delighted with the result.

Audio Quality 4/5

The film comes with three audio mixes. Disney failed to provide a lossless Japanese option for Ponyo, but purists will be happy to see the Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track included this time. Other versions include English and French: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Although a 5.1 mix would have been welcome, I’m not disappointed by the options on offer. Dialogue is clear throughout, while battle scenes pack a considerable punch. Ambient sounds such as wind in the valley come across well, as does Joe Hisaishi’s score.

Special Features 3/5

The additional features are split between the BD and the DVD.

As with other Miyazaki films, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind includes the option to view the entire film with the original Japanese storyboards. It’s interesting to see how Miyazaki’s original sketches developed.

Enter the Lands of Ghibli gives the viewer the option to click on characters from some of the other films. There’s not a huge amount of content, but it’s nice to see.

Behind the Studio: Creating Nausicaä (12 minutes, HD) – A brief feature which includes thoughts from Miyazaki.

The Birth Story of Studio Ghibli (28 minutes, SD) – A TV documentary from Japan talking about Studio Ghibli’s origins.

Behind the Microphone (8 minutes, SD) – The American cast is shown recording some of the scenes and talking about the film.

Original Japanese Trailers and TV Spots (8 minutes, SD)

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind includes a lot of themes and elements that we have come to expect in a Hayao Miyazaki movie, but it’s more epic in scope. Like Avatar, this makes me feel like I am stepping onto another world. Unlike Avatar, the dialogue isn’t dumb in any way. I like Nausicaä as a character because her intentions are always good. She sees the best in everyone and is a positive force. The whole experience makes the film one I love to revisit and it’s always rated among my favorite animated titles. Disney’s Blu-ray presentation does the film justice and is highly recommended as a story that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Overall score 4.5/5

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