Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Original Release: 1992
Choice: Our Girl's
My Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5
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The Armchair Squid is practically a Studio Ghibli fan blog at this point! The work is certainly worthy. Porco Rosso (Italian for Crimson Pig) is based on Hikotei Jidai, a three-part watercolor manga by Miyazaki himself.
The story stems from the master animator's passion for antique aircraft. Porco is a WWI veteran fighter pilot, now operating as a freelance bounty hunter. He is wanted by the Italian Air Force for desertion. He has been cursed to look like a pig for reasons never explained in the story. The tale begins as he rescues a group of schoolgirls from a band of pirates.
The artwork for the film is stunning. That almost goes without saying for a Ghibli film but some of the landscape work is downright Monet-worthy. Of course, if you want a beautiful film, setting it in the Adriatic is a good way to start.
A new Ghibli film was released in the United States this past weekend: From Up on Poppy Hill. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be showing anywhere in Vermont just yet. My pal Suze found an interesting link about the film: http://io9.com/pessimistic-optimism-goro-miyazaki-on-his-post-nuclear-453752467.
What fantastic news about the new Studio Ghibli film! You are making me want to revisit my Miyazaki collection now ...
ReplyDeleteDo you have a favorite, Stephanie?
DeleteThe porcine motif reminds me of Chihiro's parents in 'Spirited Away.'
ReplyDeleteHey, you're right! Different sort of curse, though. Porco still functions as a human - just looks like a pig.
DeleteFor my January Birthday, daughter gave me tickets to the month long Studio Ghibli Retrospective of 8 films at The Loft Theater.
ReplyDeleteThis Summer there will be another retrospective of the movies they didn't show. Plus they are getting the movie Up On Poppy Hill. Can't wait.
I have been to the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka Japan and I keep thinking I need to move there.
cheers, parsnip
Neat! Enjoy.
DeletePorco Rosso is one of our favorites too!
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Are you Miyazaki fans in general?
DeleteJust watched 'On Poppy Hill.' It's left a craterlike impact on me. Very positive. I'm thinking of writing a post on it.
ReplyDeleteNow that it's out on DVD, I'm hopeful we'll be able to see it soon - all the more meaningful now that Tokyo has been awarded the Olympics again!
DeleteI didn't even know that. Awesome. Nice to find out through this blog. :)
Delete2020! They should really get it more often. Nobody hosts international sporting events better than the Japanese. Building infrastructure? Hospitality? Opulent spectacle? Nobody does it better.
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