Run time: 1h 59m
This week I was recommended a film that I never thought I’d watch. “Howl’s moving castle” is regarded in high esteem amongst the anime world, being from the creators of Studio Ghibli. Its director, Hayao Miyazaki, is a giant of cinema creating the likes of, Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke, which put anime movies on the map. Not being the biggest fan of anime films, I wasn’t sure if I’d even bother watching it, but after seeing the high-scoring reviews I was swayed.
Plot
The film takes place in a realm of fantasy, in which their are wizards and witches. One witch in particular is jealous of protagonist Sophie’s closeness to Howl, the eponymous hero and powerful wizard. She transforms her into an old lady and most of the story revolves around Sophie straining to break free from the spell and helping Howl through the ongoing war that takes place throughout the film. The plot is eccentric and unique making for an absorbing watch.
With a wacky and wonderful story brimming with creative imagination the films plot was entertaining and kept me engaged, earning itself an 8.5/10 rating.
Aesthetics
This was the first Studio Ghibli film I had ever watched and I was blown away by the visual animations. They were so creative and lucid and gave off a certain warmth. The aesthetics of the film made me nostalgic and brought me back to when I was a child watching kids TV programmes. The visuals of this film were of course, to a much higher standard.
The movie’s aesthetics were a dazzling display of art and what can be made from animations. The designs drawn by Studio Ghibli complemented the film’s imaginative, quirky story and characters. Therefore, I will give it a rating of 9.5/10.
Characters
Sophie meets unique characters on her journey through the film, two of which are Howl’s helpers named Calcifer and Markyl. Calcifer is a fire demon and Markyl is a little boy, who disguises as an old man. The two play key roles in aiding Sophie with her struggles. She also receives the help of a possessed scarecrow she calls “Turniphead”. Miyazaki interweaves many eccentric characters into his story, much to my amusement.
Such outlandish characters add to the film’s unorthodox nature and I will give them a rating of 8.5/10.
Dialogue
The dialogue took some getting used to. I watched the film dubbed in English which meant that the script was translated from Japanese and it came across unconventional and at times confusing. On the other hand, the names and phrases used in dialogue were inventive and helped give the film a mysteriousness to some degree.
Perhaps the film would be worth a watch in it’s original version with subtitles to fully enjoy the dialogue. All in all, the language was interesting but at times hard to follow. It took a back seat in comparison to the visual affects and so I will give it a 7/10 rating.
Music
The music was composed by Joe Hisaishi and performed by the New Japan Philharmonic orchestra. I found it delightful to listen to. Each song gave the movie more identity and added a playfulness. My favourite composition was “Merry-go-round of life”, which is used for most of the film, as it gave me a feeling of comfort as if I were in a dream.
Wonderfully woven pieces by Hisaishi earn the movie’s music a 9/10 rating.
Although I wasn’t convinced of the movie at first, I found it thoroughly enjoyable and I plan on watching more films by Miyazaki in the future. The aesthetic was exquisite and the visual creations of Studio Ghibli were so insightful that it made for an entertaining 2 hours. Even if you are not the biggest fan of animated movies, I recommend this film for a watch if you have a few hours to pass, as it may change your view like it did mine.