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As a nebula subscriber, I can tell you it's never going to be truly successful until they (you? It is creator owned, isn't it?) integrate social media into the platform. The ability to immediately comment on the video you are currently watching, to interact with other viewers and the author, is so powerful that we put up with tons of RUclips BS just to get that. If Nebula had this then RUclips would go the way of MySpace.
@@thekinginyellow1744 I agree, but also disagree: A lot actually most of the creators on Nebula have either suffered from or are currently being targeted by organised harassment campaigns. If Nebula allowed commenting then bad actors would be the first people to make use of it and that would require moderators to police or the comment section would be overrun in a day. Nebula doesn't have the resources to hire a comment moderation team, and if/when the platform grows the personnel requirements will become unmanageable. The only other alternative to human moderators is using bots( through an algorithm) to moderate speech which means leasing use of one or having one created which Nebula also doesn't have the resources for, even if they did that just brings the platform six steps closer to being RUclips. I also like reading the comments and sharing perspective and I think it is an overall positive, but I also heavily restrict my interactions because the ignorance and negativity I know I'll find in some places isn't worth the energy. That kind of negativity, unacceptable speech and bad faith interaction is inherently invited through a comment section. Even one behind a paywall. It sucks and I don't want it to be this way, but it is this way.
I like it when the characters on screen infront of me relax, and just interact with their surroundings without not really moving that much. It feels very still, like time stops, and it feels like I'm experiencing the same thing that they are.
Essentially it's mindfulness, allowing your soul to catch up so that you can exist right there in the moment. ❤ Also, shortening action scenes to give breathing space and slow downs, makes the action more dramatic due to the contrast from the slower pace. And getting to a calm and safe space ups the value of danger the next time it upsets your safety, because if you are just swooshing through action you get numbed. (emotional inflation)
My favorite part of Donnie Darko was the bike ride in the morning. It really set the tone of being in peace in a setting that could be uncomfortable to others.
So, you like prawn… Or are you a Hentai fan? Not a lot of relaxing for the women in those, and sometimes a dude or robot. You like films, about Gladiators?
I think you would enjoy „First Cow“ from Kelly Reichardt :) It‘s one of my favorites, exactly because the atmosphere you’re describing is very much present throughout the film.
One of the things I love about the scene is all the bath house workers speak of the train with awe. Characters are so happy and envious of Chihiro for getting a ticket. As a result, we expect the train to be something even more fantastic than the bath house, but instead, it’s mundane. It’s just regular people (as shades) commuting home. I realized to a world of fantastic beings, the mundane is fantastic to them. This is just one of the many reasons this is one of my favorite scenes ever. It’s so perfectly executed it makes me want to cry.
Oh my gosh.That's so true! I never consciously realized that before, but everyone else has different reactions to it/opinions...that is so genius.It just goes to show the absolutely endless, amazing things about this movie! Thanks so much for your insight!
also have to take into consideration that all of the workers are in contract (held hostage) with yubaba and have no way to leave unless they remember their names. they have to work their entire lives under her hence the train is such a dream to them.
Makes me think of Arthur Weasley's fascination with the muggle world in the Harry Potter films. It's honestly unrealistic that so few witches and wizards aren't more curious about how muggles live their lives. They'd be just as fascinated by a microwave as we are of a broom that sweeps all on its own.
No? They're amazed because they're imprisoned in the bath house. Chihiro is granted an extremely rare privilege to LEAVE due to special circumstances. This is over-interpratation. It's really quite a simple thing.
I think this video highlights why the studio ghibli films are so beloved, it's not just a movie you're watching, but an entire world full of wonder and amazement. The 'quiet' moments in these films are almost a forgotten art in this day and age where everything has to be high paced and to just keep dangling that keychain in front of the audience in fear of losing their attention span.
I watch films and play games to immerse myself, so that may be why I have nothing but good things to say about Howl's Moving Castle. I haven't watched any others yet, but I intend to. They're a great change of pace.
Because younger generations don't watch movies anymore. They watch 1-minute TikTok videos or IG reels. So you have to cater to them or you basically don't have an audience anymore.
What struck me is when I stopped thinking of the people on the train as ghosts or spirits, but as memories. Or more specifically, how we remember the random, faceless strangers we spent an hour with after we step off the train. Even the floating signs and the vast sea dotted with little islands seems to be how we selectively pay attention to what we see out of the window on our journey. This scene is so breathtaking because it so perfectly encapsulates the sheer transience of travel.
I see it as representing how a child may perceive such a journey, filtering out the mundane details and focusing on the bright, fun details, while also experiencing the whole atmosphere as a bit mystical.
I don't really understand what you could possibly mean by "sheer transience of travel". I mean, yeah? Traveling is moving. It's temporary. It's liminal. You're just saying a tautology. Comments like these use a lot of words to say basically nothing at all. You just dressed your high school English class "The curtains are blue because..." interpretation with inaccessible vocabulary to obscure the fact that you're adding nothing to the conversation at all. Honestly, if you wanted to accomplish the same effect, you could have just written "Someone hand me a hose and a funnel so I can huff my own ass."
I watched Miyazaki's films multiple times when I was in my 20's and 30's, but life moves on, and I no longer have much time to devote to movies. Watching this, I realized it's been more than 15 years since I've seen this masterpiece, something I'll have to rectify tonight.
When I first saw this film it was one of my least favorite anime films. Rewatching it several years later it became my favorite. I don't know what that says about me or the film, but it's truly something special.
@jed1nat LOL same!! the first time I saw princess mononoke, which is another masterpiece by him, I hated it, but that's only because I was too young.And all the violence scared me lol! now.I love it!
There's a stretch of rail that runs up the East bank of the Hudson from NYC to Albany that often has water on boths sides of the track, and it always reminds me of this scene.
I should try this one day, and _not_ drive, either way of travel is tempting. I like to make sure that my car can handle a nice tour every once in a while - but by train is so much more a _passive_ mode of travel (for want of a better word)
I think these pauses, these moments where you just soak in the world and characters for a sec, are what made the harry potter movies and books so beloved. They add so much immersion and character to the world, and so much personality to the characters, and are the reason why peoope yearn for it in a way other escapist media doesn't really reach imo. It feels like you're there, with them
Man, I love this channel. As someone who loves to talk about filmmaking, I was late to seeing my first HM film (It was Spirited Away). I was perplexed at the end because I felt like I "didn't get it". I'm so use to the traditional process of getting a story told that I didn't know how to think about his films because of the way they were made. This was a great video to give me pause ("ma" if you will) and recognize that it isn't always the story that does the telling, sometimes it's the feeling. Bravo.
Wow, that's a really, really brilliant way to put it period it's not the story that does the telling but the feeling.....That's absolutely brilliant!!!!!
Im so pleased youve made this video. The train sequence is my favourite part of any Miyasaki movie. Always has been. My duaghters asked me a while ago what my favourite part of the studio Ghibli movies was and I told them "the trIn sequence from 'Spirited Away'". They were perplexed. So, I out it on and let it run. Then I went back to the beginning and we stopped at the little beats along the journey. The departure of other passengers, the island with the house and the washing line blowi g o the breeze, the lights flashing by the train as it rattles along. It's utter perfection. Thank you.
Miyazaki is a master at showing things the other way as well. In The Boy and The Heron, almost 15 minutes of running time passes between Mahito being woken up to the sound of sirens to him finally settling in and falling asleep in his new home. In those moments not only do we learn exactly what we need to know about him, but we also get parallels about Miyazaki's own childhood, social attitudes in Japan, the contrast between the tranquil countryside and the hectic city, how ordinary people respond to the War, and the other-worldly, fantastical nature of the place he ends up in.
Ma, is a word thats thousands of years old. It's the emptiness that is part of something. It can make something bigger, but more often it makes it whole. Balance or harmony or serenity, from different perspectives. Miyasaki was retelling it for an englishman
When i first saw Spirited Away, it was back when you got this stuff from fansub sites. I think this was the first real big break though movie from them but we still watched it first via fansub. And it was the most wonderful thing because it was a literal translation, it assumed you were Japanese and context was not needed. And we were transported. Until somebody said "bathhouse for the dogs" you had ZERO idea what was going on. Only what you saw. I still have that version, it's still my favourite. In the "real" version they try to bring you up to speed asap and it kind of spoils that. I should create a subtitle file for that so it's preserved.
Oh shoot: I was going to listen and pay half-attention while I worked. This is not the video for me, today. I'll watch it when I'm up at 6:00 tomorrow for some peace and quiet.
Thank you for putting in words one of the things I love so much about Ghibli films. I've been slowly making my way through Miyazaki's filmography on HBO and I am always impressed about how much room there is to pause and reflect when compared to a lot of films, even other animated ones.
I watched this movie when i was little, so many times. The only word i can describe it as is "Magical"... in my opinion it does, what so many current media fails to. It takes you to another world, it takes you on a jorney. You can chose yourself, what messages or lesons you take from that jorney. A trully wonderfull animation.
Not crazy. There's been at least 4 different titles and thumbnails. This is the part where I go do research and discover that it's a standard practice on yt and look like an idiot.
Not necessarily an example of ‘ma’ (or maybe it is, idk) but my favorite shot in Spirited Away (and one of my favorite shots of all time in general) is in the very opening scene when Chihiro’s mother rolls down the window and you get Chihiro’s pov watching the mountain as they drive by. It’s such a real moment, such a familiar sight, and somehow I’ve only ever seen it portrayed in a film once.
Most audience put so much importance on story telling thru dialog but the story is just an excuse to present pure cinematic, sometimes you just have to enjoy pure images just for what they are.
Your videos are thoughtful, soothing and very insightful. I watch each one that comes up and I have never been disappointed. Thank you so much for your work.
Those quiet moments in these movies are my main reason to watch and rewatch them especially howls moving castle. The peaceful shots of something eg grass swinging in the wind just calm me down so well
Love to hear that you've started working with Nebula! It really is a fantastic platform for creators to do what they *really* want to do, and what we - their audience - would love to watch. In my eyes, you and Nebula are a perfect match! And this was a beautiful video about one of the most touching animated movies in the world. Thank you for everything you do and the time you put into it! Sending you loads of love, from this Swede in Norway :)
The moment I first saw the train ride I was absolutely enamored and overtaken with emotion. I can’t see this scene without getting emotional. It’s simply too beautiful.
I don't know if you've seen it but "The Triplets of Belleville" is a French animated film with almost no dialogue, but a great story. There is some singing, and in general a wonderful score, but the story is told through animation, and has many wonderful moments of "ma" included. The animation style is very different from a cute, soft Miyazaki film, but it is a beautiful hand-drawn work. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes animation (and film in general) as a visual media, because with no dialogue to fall back on, it Shows, not Tells, in such an emotional way, you don't miss the dialogue. It's poignant, & sad, & funny, & thrilling, & nostalgic, & in general a wild ride & a masterful film
He adds a strong contemplative quality to his movies. It feels like it's breathing. Breath in, you're filled with energy, things are going on, you are experiencing, Breath out, all the tension deflates, the inconsequential dimension of action is revealed, time takes back his length.
The art of the "pause" is one of the most powerful tools I learnt in writing, those moments where things slow down and allow your readers/viewers to connect with your characters and their presence within the narrative universe in which they exist. The true masters of storytelling take this and turn it into some of the most incredible masterpieces to exist.
I just love how Miyazaki let us breath and live in those worlds. Contemplation, retrospection, reflect of what just happening and what is happening. "Ma" really is a great concept of how to make the actual journey of the hero have any weight. It's amazing! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
His films remind of that time in my childhood when I'd be going to the cinema with my Dad, and the experience took me to far away places, and the movie told a story without being too hectic about it; he would point out certain things only to see that I could keep up, especially when the grownups onscreen do what grownups do
I love that you talk about animation. With batman, and the Iron Giant, Spiderverse Its generally a really overlooked medium and theres soooo much interesting ground to cover. thanks for your work
Quick question, did you upscale the footage? The 4K video looks really good, there's very minor compression artifacts or macroblocking. The lines are soft and anti-aliased, they are not sharp but they are not jagged. I am curious because a 4K version of Spirited Away would be amazing but I don't think it is available officially, only through upscaling.
In modern-day animation, I think one of the best animated scenes that was ever made in the past few years was the "Epiphany" scene from Disney Pixar's Soul. Joe reflects on his life as he puts different objects on the piano, and he plays that song Epiphany. It shows flashbacks of his life where he ended up, but the whole meaning of that scene is to reflect on where we got in our lives and also what is our purpose in this life for all ages. It makes me cry every time I watch it. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross do a great job using the score in Soul to captivate Joe's story. That scene alone is a reflection on not making life a burden. But you did a great job with re-recording your Spirited Away video! I first got into your channel due to Tenet and The Batman. Your way of telling video essays have been very unique for the past couple of years! Glad I found your channel, Danny!
This is how I feel about watching the World Series of Baseball right now. I'm counting an average of 4 seconds of each shot until the next camera cut. The longest cut was 9 seconds. There's never a moment where it's about "watching" the game, it's all fast close-ups of a moment. There is not one moment that feels more important than one another. The most boring 7 second shot is of a player sitting in the dugout and he is only staring at the ground. He gets more screen time than when the baseball player swings the bat. The person making the action never gets a long moment. It's immediately forgotten into the outfield, followed by another cut of someone cheering in the stands. This video editing is ingraned into so many people's mind, I believe it's affecting how people watch movies too. You described what I enjoy about movies that focuses on the moment and holds onto that emotion. For every action, there is a breath! 3:50
I only learned about the japanese idea of "ma" last week in a lecture on Arata Isozaki and the whole idea behind this concept seems to bring such beauty to everything it touches.
I love your videos! I often dive deep into films, exploring their deeper meanings, but not many people around me share that perspective-they usually watch just for entertainment. Because of that, I don’t always have others to discuss these ideas with. Your videos, especially this one, really resonate with me and make me feel connected to fellow deep thinkers like you. I’d love to see you do a video on Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Village-two of my all-time favorite films. They’re different in their own ways, but both are rich with meaning.
I saw this pop up on RUclips, and thought "Did I already watch this on Nebula? Surely Danny is over there." And imagine my joy at the end of the episode to learn that you now are! Mazeltov!
Every single time we watch this masterpiece, my heart aches for that lone spirit girl at the end of the platform who looks right at us, with her hair blowing in the wind, and her hands anxiously together, as if looking to see if the passenger she was waiting for might be with us. It is a blink and you’ll miss it moment, but I can’t tear my eyes away. The ‘ma’ moments are an entire world unto themselves that fill us with melancholy, heartbreak, wistful nostalgia, and a yearning for the character to press on. We want her to succeed, so we can root for her through the next hurdle. He makes us take the thousand steps of the journey, leading up to her taking flight. That’s the magic of Miyazaki-San.
There was one moment in Fury Road where everything went silent for one of the night shots. It was a moment of breath in an otherwise absolutely frenetic movie, and those few shots have stuck with me since then.
Wow. I definitely need to watch this movie again and watch for these "ma" scenes. That's cool. Also fascinating hearing about his "writing" process. I want to know more about how it works. How he "finds" the story and script. But that's so cool that "writing" that way allows for those moments of pause.
Whys the thumbnail from aquaman tho lol I clicked cause I was like “why cinemastix doing a video on that!?” Was very pleasantly surprised to see a Spirited Away video inatead :)
Ebert, in his commentary on Grave of the Fireflies, noted this as a trope in Japanese cinema referred to as “pillow shots” and associated them with Yasujiro Ozu. There’s an artistic concept of “ma” - negative space. It’s a potent tool. I recall a scene in the recent Andor where a man, just a random guy in the crowd, is hit during a riot and the camera lingers on his body for a moment. It doesn’t even have to be a stop to work. There’s a ninja turtles movie, of all things, where the turtles on the way to whatever showdown take a moment to do some beatboxing in the elevator. It adds nothing to the plot, it’s just a calm before the storm that sets pacing and tone.
I try to acquire various artbooks for my job and Studio Ghibli creats and edits their own artbooks which is not that common. And they're always a joy to read and flip through as they're rich in information, interviews and commentaries of Studio Ghibli's creators. And there's just so much heart in them, even if I'm reading the english translation.
A great example of this concept of ma in a live action film is in "Dolls," probably my favorite Takeshi Kitano film and possibly one of the most visually beautiful films made.
2:44 There is a ton of information in the ideogram 間. It is derived from the character 門 (doorway or gate, cf. _"men"_ in Tiananmen 天安門, the "Gate of Heavenly Spirit") and 日 ("sun"). Furthermore, the context of the word and the idea has even more meaning: it is directly connected to Daoism (i.e., _wu wei w,u_ ) and his description of the silence of clapping is likely an allusion to the famous Zen Buddhist koan.
good morning Danny. Thanks for the information and entertainment once again. Glad you have gotten in with Nebula as well so, congratulations I guess? Good for you.
I think what makes this channel so good is in its simplicity. You don’t overexplain yourself you trust that the audience the people watching this RUclips video are going to understand what you’re saying often times I feel like people are scared that what they’re trying to explain to an audience of people they won’t get so they overstate themselves, you don’t do that. I appreciate it.
Congrats on joining Nebula! I love that platform, and many of the creators on it. Highlights for me are Patrick H. Willems, Real Life Lore, and Wendover Productions. And if Accented Cinema isn't already on there, somebody reach out to that guy and get him on board!
This is exactly why I feel like 1917 is one of the best movies of all time. There is so much tension and action, but there are scenes sprinkled throughout that give you time to catch your breath. The woman and her child hiding in the city, the song in the forest, etc.
I recall in the early 90's discovering Wim Wenders road movies and feeling a peaceful reflection in the moments of non-plot movement. Just quiet vistas and small interactions. Very much like Miyazaki's "MA", though honestly the Miyazaki films are far more intriguing due to the animation technique and colours.
I miss when movies would breath. Let me get absorbed in the world I'm watching. Rather than it feel like my senses are being attacked and beaten over the head and that all the characters on screen have ADHD.
Studio Ghibli movies also reflect the culture in which they reside. The quiet train, the quiet elevator, the stillness of the bath house can be experienced daily in Japan. Miazaki uses it to pace the story but it's also incredibly authentic.
An added dimension of this scene is that, if you have ever travelled on a country local train in Japan, this scene has a familiarity that is so comforting.
Well, I don't know if that is the best way or not for me, but I will say that when a movie has non-stop action, like a 15 minute high speed car chase, I sometimes start falling asleep because it just becomes noise after a while.
It's interesting How the concepto of Mah can be applied by other formas of Art; if you makes a painting or a drawing you can also use the concept of negative space and in music you can also contribute to a piece with silence.
Very fascinating video. I've seen a good number of Miyazaki's movies but never paid much attention to those moments of quietness, to emphasize either tension or calm. I also never knew that Miyazaki's style of "writing" is not sitting at home or an office typing away on a typewriter; he tells the story as he goes, by drawing. Absolutely creative as well as genius. Thanks for making this video. Side note: at 4:48, a trigger warning would've been most appreciated. That scene in "Home Alone" with the close-up shot of the spider almost gave me a heart attack. 😫 Two movies from the early 90's are the reason for my arachnophobia: "Home Alone" and, well, "Arachnophobia." 😅
I don’t know where I learned about Spirited Away, but when my daughter was about ten, I rented the film to show her. I was astonished and astounded. I haven’t seen it again since, but it has always stuck with me because it’s one of the greatest films I’ve ever seen.
Great choice of subject! Anime fans hate when I say this is one of the few I liked. "Storyboarding vs scripting" made this different than all the rest in my opinion.
Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: nebula.tv/cinemastix
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:)
lovely video dude. Love your work
As a nebula subscriber, I can tell you it's never going to be truly successful until they (you? It is creator owned, isn't it?) integrate social media into the platform. The ability to immediately comment on the video you are currently watching, to interact with other viewers and the author, is so powerful that we put up with tons of RUclips BS just to get that. If Nebula had this then RUclips would go the way of MySpace.
@@thekinginyellow1744
I agree, but also disagree:
A lot actually most of the creators on Nebula have either suffered from or are currently being targeted by organised harassment campaigns.
If Nebula allowed commenting then bad actors would be the first people to make use of it and that would require moderators to police or the comment section would be overrun in a day. Nebula doesn't have the resources to hire a comment moderation team, and if/when the platform grows the personnel requirements will become unmanageable.
The only other alternative to human moderators is using bots( through an algorithm) to moderate speech which means leasing use of one or having one created which Nebula also doesn't have the resources for, even if they did that just brings the platform six steps closer to being RUclips.
I also like reading the comments and sharing perspective and I think it is an overall positive, but I also heavily restrict my interactions because the ignorance and negativity I know I'll find in some places isn't worth the energy. That kind of negativity, unacceptable speech and bad faith interaction is inherently invited through a comment section. Even one behind a paywall.
It sucks and I don't want it to be this way, but it is this way.
I like it when the characters on screen infront of me relax, and just interact with their surroundings without not really moving that much. It feels very still, like time stops, and it feels like I'm experiencing the same thing that they are.
Essentially it's mindfulness, allowing your soul to catch up so that you can exist right there in the moment. ❤
Also, shortening action scenes to give breathing space and slow downs, makes the action more dramatic due to the contrast from the slower pace. And getting to a calm and safe space ups the value of danger the next time it upsets your safety, because if you are just swooshing through action you get numbed. (emotional inflation)
My favorite part of Donnie Darko was the bike ride in the morning. It really set the tone of being in peace in a setting that could be uncomfortable to others.
So, you like prawn…
Or are you a Hentai fan?
Not a lot of relaxing for the women in those, and sometimes a dude or robot.
You like films, about Gladiators?
I think you would enjoy „First Cow“ from Kelly Reichardt :) It‘s one of my favorites, exactly because the atmosphere you’re describing is very much present throughout the film.
One of the things I love about the scene is all the bath house workers speak of the train with awe. Characters are so happy and envious of Chihiro for getting a ticket. As a result, we expect the train to be something even more fantastic than the bath house, but instead, it’s mundane. It’s just regular people (as shades) commuting home. I realized to a world of fantastic beings, the mundane is fantastic to them.
This is just one of the many reasons this is one of my favorite scenes ever. It’s so perfectly executed it makes me want to cry.
Oh my gosh.That's so true! I never consciously realized that before, but everyone else has different reactions to it/opinions...that is so genius.It just goes to show the absolutely endless, amazing things about this movie! Thanks so much for your insight!
also have to take into consideration that all of the workers are in contract (held hostage) with yubaba and have no way to leave unless they remember their names. they have to work their entire lives under her hence the train is such a dream to them.
@@bluebiblee good call
Makes me think of Arthur Weasley's fascination with the muggle world in the Harry Potter films. It's honestly unrealistic that so few witches and wizards aren't more curious about how muggles live their lives. They'd be just as fascinated by a microwave as we are of a broom that sweeps all on its own.
No? They're amazed because they're imprisoned in the bath house. Chihiro is granted an extremely rare privilege to LEAVE due to special circumstances. This is over-interpratation. It's really quite a simple thing.
I think this video highlights why the studio ghibli films are so beloved, it's not just a movie you're watching, but an entire world full of wonder and amazement.
The 'quiet' moments in these films are almost a forgotten art in this day and age where everything has to be high paced and to just keep dangling that keychain in front of the audience in fear of losing their attention span.
I watch films and play games to immerse myself, so that may be why I have nothing but good things to say about Howl's Moving Castle. I haven't watched any others yet, but I intend to. They're a great change of pace.
Because younger generations don't watch movies anymore. They watch 1-minute TikTok videos or IG reels. So you have to cater to them or you basically don't have an audience anymore.
What struck me is when I stopped thinking of the people on the train as ghosts or spirits, but as memories. Or more specifically, how we remember the random, faceless strangers we spent an hour with after we step off the train. Even the floating signs and the vast sea dotted with little islands seems to be how we selectively pay attention to what we see out of the window on our journey. This scene is so breathtaking because it so perfectly encapsulates the sheer transience of travel.
I see it as representing how a child may perceive such a journey, filtering out the mundane details and focusing on the bright, fun details, while also experiencing the whole atmosphere as a bit mystical.
Very nicely written.
I don't really understand what you could possibly mean by "sheer transience of travel". I mean, yeah? Traveling is moving. It's temporary. It's liminal. You're just saying a tautology.
Comments like these use a lot of words to say basically nothing at all. You just dressed your high school English class "The curtains are blue because..." interpretation with inaccessible vocabulary to obscure the fact that you're adding nothing to the conversation at all.
Honestly, if you wanted to accomplish the same effect, you could have just written "Someone hand me a hose and a funnel so I can huff my own ass."
@@newq what, lol. Bro, are you ok?
This is what we’re in desperate need of. Room to breathe.
I watched Miyazaki's films multiple times when I was in my 20's and 30's, but life moves on, and I no longer have much time to devote to movies. Watching this, I realized it's been more than 15 years since I've seen this masterpiece, something I'll have to rectify tonight.
When I first saw this film it was one of my least favorite anime films. Rewatching it several years later it became my favorite. I don't know what that says about me or the film, but it's truly something special.
Dang I can't imagine going fifteen years without seeing this movie! 😮 hope you see it immediately!!!❤❤
@jed1nat LOL same!! the first time I saw princess mononoke, which is another masterpiece by him, I hated it, but that's only because I was too young.And all the violence scared me lol! now.I love it!
This is my all time favorite animated scene as well. It's great to see you explain why i like it so much, when I couldn't put it into words myself.
My memory is always of her watching the train every rewatch I forgot she actually rides until it happens
There's a stretch of rail that runs up the East bank of the Hudson from NYC to Albany that often has water on boths sides of the track, and it always reminds me of this scene.
It’s my favorite line on the East Coast.
Just so beautiful.
I should try this one day, and _not_ drive, either way of travel is tempting. I like to make sure that my car can handle a nice tour every once in a while - but by train is so much more a _passive_ mode of travel (for want of a better word)
I think these pauses, these moments where you just soak in the world and characters for a sec, are what made the harry potter movies and books so beloved. They add so much immersion and character to the world, and so much personality to the characters, and are the reason why peoope yearn for it in a way other escapist media doesn't really reach imo. It feels like you're there, with them
Love your voice, cadence, tone, and how you lovingly explain these scenes.
Bit indulgent
Man, I love this channel. As someone who loves to talk about filmmaking, I was late to seeing my first HM film (It was Spirited Away). I was perplexed at the end because I felt like I "didn't get it". I'm so use to the traditional process of getting a story told that I didn't know how to think about his films because of the way they were made. This was a great video to give me pause ("ma" if you will) and recognize that it isn't always the story that does the telling, sometimes it's the feeling. Bravo.
Wow, that's a really, really brilliant way to put it period it's not the story that does the telling but the feeling.....That's absolutely brilliant!!!!!
and with that I hope you enjoyed watching the boy and the heron as well!!
Im so pleased youve made this video. The train sequence is my favourite part of any Miyasaki movie. Always has been. My duaghters asked me a while ago what my favourite part of the studio Ghibli movies was and I told them "the trIn sequence from 'Spirited Away'". They were perplexed. So, I out it on and let it run. Then I went back to the beginning and we stopped at the little beats along the journey. The departure of other passengers, the island with the house and the washing line blowi g o the breeze, the lights flashing by the train as it rattles along. It's utter perfection. Thank you.
After all the chaos and stress in the bath house the train ride feels so relaxing.
Miyazaki is a master at showing things the other way as well. In The Boy and The Heron, almost 15 minutes of running time passes between Mahito being woken up to the sound of sirens to him finally settling in and falling asleep in his new home.
In those moments not only do we learn exactly what we need to know about him, but we also get parallels about Miyazaki's own childhood, social attitudes in Japan, the contrast between the tranquil countryside and the hectic city, how ordinary people respond to the War, and the other-worldly, fantastical nature of the place he ends up in.
This was great. I wasn't consciously aware of this but as soon as you pointed it out it made complete sense. I love learning a new term like "Ma".
Ma, is a word thats thousands of years old. It's the emptiness that is part of something.
It can make something bigger, but more often it makes it whole. Balance or harmony or serenity, from different perspectives. Miyasaki was retelling it for an englishman
Interesting because initially a mama provides "empty space" in her womb and life, which is indeed Something. ❤
Forever in love with your videos. I'd love to see your takes and insights on more of Miyazaki's work. Particularly, Porco Rosso.
Definitely on the agenda :)
@@CinemaStix Things we love to hear ♥️
I love that movie
Porco Rosso mentioned 🐷✈️
When i first saw Spirited Away, it was back when you got this stuff from fansub sites.
I think this was the first real big break though movie from them but we still watched it first via fansub.
And it was the most wonderful thing because it was a literal translation, it assumed you were Japanese and context was not needed.
And we were transported.
Until somebody said "bathhouse for the dogs" you had ZERO idea what was going on. Only what you saw.
I still have that version, it's still my favourite.
In the "real" version they try to bring you up to speed asap and it kind of spoils that.
I should create a subtitle file for that so it's preserved.
0:50 well now it all makes sense.
Oh shoot: I was going to listen and pay half-attention while I worked. This is not the video for me, today. I'll watch it when I'm up at 6:00 tomorrow for some peace and quiet.
Thank you for putting in words one of the things I love so much about Ghibli films. I've been slowly making my way through Miyazaki's filmography on HBO and I am always impressed about how much room there is to pause and reflect when compared to a lot of films, even other animated ones.
Perfectly said! "We're allowed to just think and feel with our hero..." You don't see many examples of moments like this and they are really touching.
I watched this movie when i was little, so many times. The only word i can describe it as is "Magical"... in my opinion it does, what so many current media fails to. It takes you to another world, it takes you on a jorney. You can chose yourself, what messages or lesons you take from that jorney. A trully wonderfull animation.
Does this video keep changing thumbnails and titles, or am I going crazy?
Not crazy. There's been at least 4 different titles and thumbnails. This is the part where I go do research and discover that it's a standard practice on yt and look like an idiot.
anybody know what the current thumbnail is from? (some dude getting attacked by a dude with wings i guess)
@Pat_Springleaf it's Aquaman fighting against parademons in Zack Snyder's Justice League
theres a new youtube feature that allows you to put multiple versions and compare each's performance
1:30 with our (chi)hero
Not necessarily an example of ‘ma’ (or maybe it is, idk) but my favorite shot in Spirited Away (and one of my favorite shots of all time in general) is in the very opening scene when Chihiro’s mother rolls down the window and you get Chihiro’s pov watching the mountain as they drive by. It’s such a real moment, such a familiar sight, and somehow I’ve only ever seen it portrayed in a film once.
Not sure why, but Miyazaki's approach brings me to tears often.
What is with youtube channels changing the titles of videos twenty times
Most audience put so much importance on story telling thru dialog but the story is just an excuse to present pure cinematic, sometimes you just have to enjoy pure images just for what they are.
Your videos are thoughtful, soothing and very insightful. I watch each one that comes up and I have never been disappointed. Thank you so much for your work.
Those quiet moments in these movies are my main reason to watch and rewatch them especially howls moving castle. The peaceful shots of something eg grass swinging in the wind just calm me down so well
Beautiful. I love the quieter scenes in stories, like the train ride from "Spirited Away."
Love to hear that you've started working with Nebula! It really is a fantastic platform for creators to do what they *really* want to do, and what we - their audience - would love to watch. In my eyes, you and Nebula are a perfect match! And this was a beautiful video about one of the most touching animated movies in the world. Thank you for everything you do and the time you put into it! Sending you loads of love, from this Swede in Norway :)
I wish they would kick off some of their less above the board creators honestly, but regardless it is a way better platform than youtube.
You do such a good job of sharing your love of the art and artisanship of movies. Thank you.
Danny, your videos are the gold standard of RUclips for me. I always stop what I'm doing to watch your beautiful analyses and reflections. Thank you.
The moment I first saw the train ride I was absolutely enamored and overtaken with emotion. I can’t see this scene without getting emotional. It’s simply too beautiful.
This was the first Gibli film I'd ever seen and it's still my favourite. It's completely captivating.
I don't know if you've seen it but "The Triplets of Belleville" is a French animated film with almost no dialogue, but a great story. There is some singing, and in general a wonderful score, but the story is told through animation, and has many wonderful moments of "ma" included. The animation style is very different from a cute, soft Miyazaki film, but it is a beautiful hand-drawn work. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes animation (and film in general) as a visual media, because with no dialogue to fall back on, it Shows, not Tells, in such an emotional way, you don't miss the dialogue. It's poignant, & sad, & funny, & thrilling, & nostalgic, & in general a wild ride & a masterful film
classic movie. I need to watch it again since it's been several years.
thanks for another great breakdown. keep it up! 👍
He adds a strong contemplative quality to his movies. It feels like it's breathing. Breath in, you're filled with energy, things are going on, you are experiencing, Breath out, all the tension deflates, the inconsequential dimension of action is revealed, time takes back his length.
The art of the "pause" is one of the most powerful tools I learnt in writing, those moments where things slow down and allow your readers/viewers to connect with your characters and their presence within the narrative universe in which they exist. The true masters of storytelling take this and turn it into some of the most incredible masterpieces to exist.
I just love how Miyazaki let us breath and live in those worlds. Contemplation, retrospection, reflect of what just happening and what is happening. "Ma" really is a great concept of how to make the actual journey of the hero have any weight. It's amazing! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
His films remind of that time in my childhood when I'd be going to the cinema with my Dad, and the experience took me to far away places, and the movie told a story without being too hectic about it; he would point out certain things only to see that I could keep up, especially when the grownups onscreen do what grownups do
I love that you talk about animation. With batman, and the Iron Giant, Spiderverse
Its generally a really overlooked medium and theres soooo much interesting ground to cover.
thanks for your work
Quick question, did you upscale the footage? The 4K video looks really good, there's very minor compression artifacts or macroblocking. The lines are soft and anti-aliased, they are not sharp but they are not jagged. I am curious because a 4K version of Spirited Away would be amazing but I don't think it is available officially, only through upscaling.
In modern-day animation, I think one of the best animated scenes that was ever made in the past few years was the "Epiphany" scene from Disney Pixar's Soul.
Joe reflects on his life as he puts different objects on the piano, and he plays that song Epiphany. It shows flashbacks of his life where he ended up, but the whole meaning of that scene is to reflect on where we got in our lives and also what is our purpose in this life for all ages. It makes me cry every time I watch it. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross do a great job using the score in Soul to captivate Joe's story. That scene alone is a reflection on not making life a burden.
But you did a great job with re-recording your Spirited Away video! I first got into your channel due to Tenet and The Batman. Your way of telling video essays have been very unique for the past couple of years! Glad I found your channel, Danny!
Is this a reupload? I swear I've watched this video before
What I love most of this is how remaking a prior video shows your own growth and change in a similarly reflective and poignant way!
This is how I feel about watching the World Series of Baseball right now. I'm counting an average of 4 seconds of each shot until the next camera cut. The longest cut was 9 seconds. There's never a moment where it's about "watching" the game, it's all fast close-ups of a moment. There is not one moment that feels more important than one another. The most boring 7 second shot is of a player sitting in the dugout and he is only staring at the ground. He gets more screen time than when the baseball player swings the bat. The person making the action never gets a long moment. It's immediately forgotten into the outfield, followed by another cut of someone cheering in the stands.
This video editing is ingraned into so many people's mind, I believe it's affecting how people watch movies too.
You described what I enjoy about movies that focuses on the moment and holds onto that emotion. For every action, there is a breath! 3:50
I only learned about the japanese idea of "ma" last week in a lecture on Arata Isozaki and the whole idea behind this concept seems to bring such beauty to everything it touches.
This “Ma“ is one of the primary things that make Ghibli films such perfect comfort movies to put on in the background again and again.
I think you just helped me understand Ozu's 'pillow shots' a little better.
Miyazaki is one of the only filmmakers that can bring tears to my eyes through visuals alone.
wait what, I thought this was the Video you've uploaded a while ago in my Feed again. Then I realized: „wait.. it's 2 Hours ago.. pog."
I love your videos! I often dive deep into films, exploring their deeper meanings, but not many people around me share that perspective-they usually watch just for entertainment. Because of that, I don’t always have others to discuss these ideas with. Your videos, especially this one, really resonate with me and make me feel connected to fellow deep thinkers like you.
I’d love to see you do a video on Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Village-two of my all-time favorite films. They’re different in their own ways, but both are rich with meaning.
Was this re-uploaded? I swear I remember watching this video
Me too!
I saw this pop up on RUclips, and thought "Did I already watch this on Nebula? Surely Danny is over there." And imagine my joy at the end of the episode to learn that you now are! Mazeltov!
What an unforgettable, brilliant, beautiful movie. Spirited Away is a masterpiece.
Beautiful video! Very well done it even made ma a little emotional 🫶
Every single time we watch this masterpiece, my heart aches for that lone spirit girl at the end of the platform who looks right at us, with her hair blowing in the wind, and her hands anxiously together, as if looking to see if the passenger she was waiting for might be with us. It is a blink and you’ll miss it moment, but I can’t tear my eyes away. The ‘ma’ moments are an entire world unto themselves that fill us with melancholy, heartbreak, wistful nostalgia, and a yearning for the character to press on. We want her to succeed, so we can root for her through the next hurdle. He makes us take the thousand steps of the journey, leading up to her taking flight. That’s the magic of Miyazaki-San.
There was one moment in Fury Road where everything went silent for one of the night shots. It was a moment of breath in an otherwise absolutely frenetic movie, and those few shots have stuck with me since then.
Wow. I definitely need to watch this movie again and watch for these "ma" scenes. That's cool.
Also fascinating hearing about his "writing" process. I want to know more about how it works. How he "finds" the story and script.
But that's so cool that "writing" that way allows for those moments of pause.
My favourite scene in all of cinema. So happy to see it get recognition.
Whys the thumbnail from aquaman tho lol
I clicked cause I was like “why cinemastix doing a video on that!?”
Was very pleasantly surprised to see a Spirited Away video inatead :)
Ebert, in his commentary on Grave of the Fireflies, noted this as a trope in Japanese cinema referred to as “pillow shots” and associated them with Yasujiro Ozu.
There’s an artistic concept of “ma” - negative space.
It’s a potent tool. I recall a scene in the recent Andor where a man, just a random guy in the crowd, is hit during a riot and the camera lingers on his body for a moment.
It doesn’t even have to be a stop to work. There’s a ninja turtles movie, of all things, where the turtles on the way to whatever showdown take a moment to do some beatboxing in the elevator. It adds nothing to the plot, it’s just a calm before the storm that sets pacing and tone.
I love your work, thank you for making day.
I preferred the first title
I try to acquire various artbooks for my job and Studio Ghibli creats and edits their own artbooks which is not that common. And they're always a joy to read and flip through as they're rich in information, interviews and commentaries of Studio Ghibli's creators. And there's just so much heart in them, even if I'm reading the english translation.
Miyazaki not using a script to start telling a story definitely explains how all over the place Howl's Moving Castle was.
A great example of this concept of ma in a live action film is in "Dolls," probably my favorite Takeshi Kitano film and possibly one of the most visually beautiful films made.
is this a reupload?
A shot of “Josstice League” as the new thumbnail. I see what you did there…
2:44 There is a ton of information in the ideogram 間. It is derived from the character 門 (doorway or gate, cf. _"men"_ in Tiananmen 天安門, the "Gate of Heavenly Spirit") and 日 ("sun"). Furthermore, the context of the word and the idea has even more meaning: it is directly connected to Daoism (i.e., _wu wei w,u_ ) and his description of the silence of clapping is likely an allusion to the famous Zen Buddhist koan.
good morning Danny. Thanks for the information and entertainment once again. Glad you have gotten in with Nebula as well so, congratulations I guess? Good for you.
I think what makes this channel so good is in its simplicity. You don’t overexplain yourself you trust that the audience the people watching this RUclips video are going to understand what you’re saying often times I feel like people are scared that what they’re trying to explain to an audience of people they won’t get so they overstate themselves, you don’t do that. I appreciate it.
Congrats on joining Nebula! I love that platform, and many of the creators on it. Highlights for me are Patrick H. Willems, Real Life Lore, and Wendover Productions. And if Accented Cinema isn't already on there, somebody reach out to that guy and get him on board!
I saw this for the first time in the theater several months back. Surprisingly good movie.
Your videos are very good
This is exactly why I feel like 1917 is one of the best movies of all time. There is so much tension and action, but there are scenes sprinkled throughout that give you time to catch your breath. The woman and her child hiding in the city, the song in the forest, etc.
I recall in the early 90's discovering Wim Wenders road movies and feeling a peaceful reflection in the moments of non-plot movement. Just quiet vistas and small interactions. Very much like Miyazaki's "MA", though honestly the Miyazaki films are far more intriguing due to the animation technique and colours.
Thanks for the video Danny, I'm gonna have a Miyazaki movie night tonight now its been too long since I watched any of them
I miss when movies would breath. Let me get absorbed in the world I'm watching. Rather than it feel like my senses are being attacked and beaten over the head and that all the characters on screen have ADHD.
Studio Ghibli movies also reflect the culture in which they reside. The quiet train, the quiet elevator, the stillness of the bath house can be experienced daily in Japan. Miazaki uses it to pace the story but it's also incredibly authentic.
I shed actual tears during this video
Am i tripping or did he change the video title like 4 hours in lol
Its a common trick to compare how well the video does with different titles.
An added dimension of this scene is that, if you have ever travelled on a country local train in Japan, this scene has a familiarity that is so comforting.
Instant like! This scene is TIMELESS in its genius!
Well, I don't know if that is the best way or not for me, but I will say that when a movie has non-stop action, like a 15 minute high speed car chase, I sometimes start falling asleep because it just becomes noise after a while.
such beautiful, magical films.
This is why Hayao Miyazaki is not only my favourite, but probably one of the greatest directors of all time.
It's interesting How the concepto of Mah can be applied by other formas of Art; if you makes a painting or a drawing you can also use the concept of negative space and in music you can also contribute to a piece with silence.
Very fascinating video. I've seen a good number of Miyazaki's movies but never paid much attention to those moments of quietness, to emphasize either tension or calm. I also never knew that Miyazaki's style of "writing" is not sitting at home or an office typing away on a typewriter; he tells the story as he goes, by drawing. Absolutely creative as well as genius. Thanks for making this video.
Side note: at 4:48, a trigger warning would've been most appreciated. That scene in "Home Alone" with the close-up shot of the spider almost gave me a heart attack. 😫 Two movies from the early 90's are the reason for my arachnophobia: "Home Alone" and, well, "Arachnophobia." 😅
Spielberg also does this a lot. He takes some breather moments between action or high drama scenes.
thank you for video
I don’t know where I learned about Spirited Away, but when my daughter was about ten, I rented the film to show her. I was astonished and astounded. I haven’t seen it again since, but it has always stuck with me because it’s one of the greatest films I’ve ever seen.
So good. Am I talking about the man? The movie, the video essay? The video essayist? Yes.
Great video! Nice of you for going into the works of Studio Ghibli, more of this, please :)
Great choice of subject! Anime fans hate when I say this is one of the few I liked. "Storyboarding vs scripting" made this different than all the rest in my opinion.
This is my fav channel