A series of excellent photos of Kokuriko/From Up on Poppy Hill were posted alongside Leonardo Flores' enthusiastic review. He notes the film's strong parallels with Mimi wo Sumaseba and Omohide Poro Poro, and it does appear to hew closer to Isao Takahata's everyday realism than Father Miyazaki's surrealist escapism. This is the direction that Ghibli wishes to explore for now, fueled in large part by the shock of this year's massive earthquake and nuclear crisis.
While Kokuriko has very stiff competition at the Japanese box office - the "final" Harry Potter movie, and the latest Pokemon commercial - I expect it to be very successful, and Goro Miyazaki's reputation will be, to a great extent, redeemed. People will give him a second look, and they may become comfortable with the idea of his inheriting his father's famous movie studio. He has grown tremendously these last four years, and he is now emerging as a confident filmmaker in his own right. Let's cross our fingers and hope for the best.
12 comments:
Oh my goodness, those screens look lovely! :D
it's like that crotch shot never gets old :P
I hope to God that crotch attack thing is just a really bad trailer cut. Please let this truly be in the vein of Only Yesterday, Whispers of the Heart and Ocean Waves.
@James, check out this video, especially the part between 3:32 and 5:32. It's in japanese without subtitles, but you will get a better idea of the film. It really looks awesome.
"inheriting his father's famous movie studio."
WTF
"Inheriting his father's famous movie studio." I didn't know Ghibli transfer 'leadership' like a monarchy.
"He has grown tremendously these last four years, and he is now emerging as a confident filmmaker in his own right. Let's cross our fingers and hope for the best. "
I didn't know his lack of confidence effected his film making. But, who cares if the film does well or not. Its just a film there are much more important things to care for rather then some director getting a good return of his film. All of this reminds me of the personality worship that goes on in the general media but in this case a director who happens to be the son of one of the leading animation directors.
I think the question should be rather about craft and quality of work rather then how much tickets it sell (which is not insignificant but should not be THE thing that a film should be judged on or one should be concerned about).
Wow, this looks truly amazing, unfortunately I haven't seen it yet, although I am seeing Arrietty tomorrow, yay! Can somebody please tell me when will the dvd be available in the UK?
Studio Ghibli is most definitely NOT a monarchy. Indeed, Goro Miyazaki will have to earn his father's crown. But let's make no mistake that if successful, Goro-san will be the new face of Studio Ghibli.
The pressure upon him has been enormous. If Kokuriko is not successful, his career as a director would be finished, and without a roster of new directors, Studio Ghibli has no future. This is what Hayao Miyazaki's "Five Year Plan" is all about.
I think Goro-san has paid his dues these past four years, and he deserves credit for pursuing a career that, let's face it, is enormously difficult. Ask anyone who is the child of famous parents. Ask Julian Lennon. Ask Jacob Dylan. It's "heads, ya win - tails, ya lose."
Okay, I'm just gonna ask; what's the deal with Shun and Umi? I haven't been able to figure out if they're lovers, or siblings, or both.
It's pretty incredible to me that Hayao Miyazaki would write about forbidden love, so I'm having trouble believing it until I get a good source confirming it.
And isn't there supposed to be another boy in the picture as well? My early impressions were that this was more of a love triangle story.
@Hayley:
I would guess they're attracted to each other, but before the relationship can progress, Umi shows Shun a picture of her father, and he recognizes the man he believes to be his father. So they have to find out what really happened around the time they were born - which was the end of the war and the immediate postwar period.
The triangle probably only exists during the time when the past is still unknown, and is of the kind where all three can still be friends.
@Ambi
Thank you very much. That explains a lot!
@Daniel Thomas MacInnes:
I remember in a Press Conference with John Lasseter and Hayao Miyazaki at the Four Seasons Hotel 7/28/09 hayao miyazaki was asked:
Reporter: Miyazaki-san since your son directed that film [Tales from Earthsea] it came before Ponyo. What has he been doing since -is he carry on the family tradition?
Miyazaki: My son, is now involved in child barring.
Reporter: Is there anything more to be said in terms of his interest in animation though?
Miyazaki: It's a difficult question but, I don't see myself creating a directors dynasty. So, unless he can crawl up to become a director on his own -its up to him.
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