A pair of shots from the Ponyo screening at El Capitan theater on Friday night. Miyazaki made an appearance and spoke to the people in attendence. If he appears overly serious and grim in this photo, you may be right. He does not enjoy these promotional events, and certainly has no stomach for the machinations of the movie business. It was John Lasseter who convinced him to fly across the Pacific for Ponyo.
This excellent photo (both come from Disney/Pixar's Twitter crew) shows us a complicated, serious artist. What is going through his mind? What does he think when he sees the commercialized gloss of Hollywood, the dirty hues of the skyscrapers? I really do wish he had the opportunity to see America in a better light. Hollywood is the very embodiment of the industrialized civilization that he abhorrs. He should have the chance to see an open field of stars on the Minnesota roads, take in the sights of the boats and the birds on Lake Superior's Duluth harbor. Instead, here is Miyazaki, travelling down into the crypts of Shuwa. This is a doctor administering to a terminal patient.
As you can guess, I find myself agreeing with Miyazaki's grim view of our future. I honestly don't see how mankind can survive the 21st Century. It's basic arithmetic, and I just can't see an escape. This culture almost doesn't want to escape, and the coming collapse could be so very easily avoided. It's very strange, and very sad.
2 comments:
It's refreshing to read of your honesty in this blog. Miyazaki will perhaps get to see the end of the world but it probably won't be as serene as skyscrapers being gently immersed by rising water levels.
Although honestly, I'd look forward more to the fact that if Miyazaki sticks around until the end of the world, I would get to watch Ghibli movies until the end of the world.
I understand where you're coming from and I myself do think that all of the questions asked at comic con panel was rather... a big waste of valuable time. However, at the screening I could tell he was happy to see old women wave around a shirt of Totoro. He stopped in his track, pointed, smiled and waved but his entourage encouraged him to keep moving. I'm still glad he's giving the fans a chance to see him in person.
I agree that he could have been taken to experience the side of America many others would forget to tout. I wish he doesn't close the possibility of him visiting other countries again. I was also glad to see his security being taken somewhat seriously during his visits here.
Thank you for reminding me that Miyazaki IS doctoring to our souls - about the loss of our connection to the natural world. I love the stories & the visuals so much but forget the primary theme underlying them.
I am sure he is aware enough to know that not all people in the U.S. are wrapped up in the commerialism, materialism, industrialism, etc., that he sees.
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