I do think the essence of Sophie's curse in the film is self-pity. She is old when she is thinking only of herself, becomes younger at times when she is concerned for others...
Self-pity it one way to say it, but I always understood it as lack of confidence. When Sophie is self-conscious she holds herself back and she is old. But, when she helps people she is confident and doesn’t second guess herself. That’s also why she’s young when she sleeps. Because she isn’t over thinking or dragging herself down. In the book it’s implied that Sophie placed the curse on herself by talking about herself as if she was an old woman.
@@missybees1104 Perhaps I should rephrase it to self-absorption? Because I still think the film makes it obvious that she becomes younger when not thinking about herself. Pity, or lack of confidence, it's still being focused on herself. In fairness, the difference could simply be due to not having read the book and interpreting only what is in the film. I always meant to read the book, and have read a couple of Wynn-Jones's other books, ( _Archer's Goon, Fire and Hemlock_ )but never have gotten around to it...
In the source material, Sophie has a complex about being the eldest of three sisters, the one who (by fairy-tale logic) will be the biggest failure. She is so convinced of her own mundanity that she never realizes that she is a witch until nearly the end of the story. Long before she realizes that, she has made the curse her own, and the only thing keeping her an old woman is herself. The film does a good job at hinting at that (the sleeping Sophie scene, and some of of her early comments about how her clothes finally suit her), but it's never really stated clearly. So you're right about the self-pity, but it's more than just that.
I think it also is a reflection of the fact that she already lives like an old woman in the beginning, diligently works away on accessories for others, isnt much about fun and adventures. Only when she realizes what shes lost she goes out wherever the road takes her... Miyazaki has mentioned a couple of times that even though hes happy about his work and has the most fun doing it, it also feels like lost time sometimes, having worked literally full-time for 2-3 years on a movie and thats all thats left of those years...(he should know how us normies feel =D ) and the cycle repeats and suddenly youre old and everyone around you starts dying. Maybe theres something of that sentiment in there.
Howl's Moving Castle was the only animated movie I ever watched with my grandfather that he sat through and actually paid attention to and enjoyed. I made a great memory that evening.
Check out, Castle in the Sky. That one, had blown my mind. Just the great amount of imagination put into that one, is a fun ride. Besides, the experience of watching one of the films on a big screen does tune up the experience to 11. 😎
I love how this podcast breaks away from the ugliness of politics from time to time and just discusses something they enjoy. Thats the main reason I became a paying member on the lotus eaters website.
Speaking about Japan losing its heritage there was a gentleman greatly concerned about it called Yukio Mishima. His tetralogy is incredibly interesting to read and is on that subject.
As a German (and second to that a european) Kikis Delivery Service is a must watch for all of us. It perfectly encompasses what Europe is: A place of beauty. The little bakery she works at reminds me our old local bakery (seemed very german to me). Anyway, this is how a japanese artist thinks of Europe (and I dont mean the friggin EU, but Europe as in every single nation on its own). We should start living up to that expectations again.
Fun fact: it’s actually Swedish locations in the film. Miyazaki got hired to make a Pippi Longstocking movie, and made all the research for the movie on location but then the project got scrapped. So Miyazaki used those locations for Kiki.
A great example of how to have a message or underlying lesson to give in a piece of media without turning it into blatant soapbox with zero quality. The people who screech "everything is political" have no idea what they're doing, and simply use good works as their shield to justify their own nonsense.
The reason people don't mind (and even enjoy) politics in older movies is because the politics in those don't suck. The politics in modern entertainment/media sucks, and so it would be better if it is absent.
Most people didn't notice it was a critique on the Bush administration. It was probably a little TOO subtle but I commend Miyazaki for prioritizing a good story over espousing his politics.
'TOO Subtle'? This movie was anything but subtle and accusing that tidbit (of the movie being a critic of Bush) of being subtle is giving a brick to the face too much credit. I love this movie (it's my second favorite Ghibli movie) but this movie is so far from subtle that it has to get the Hubble Telescope to even see its outline.
@@Mariusweeddeath You're acting like it was obvious. It's not like the King was named Hubs and looked exactly like Dubya. The fact is that it wasn't obvious to most people. I know, given your obvious IQ of 1000, it was obvious but to us normal people, it was actually subtle.
@@slashbash1347 No. I thought the thing that tipped the King off as being Bush was how he walks into the whole meeting with Howl and Sofia, looks at Howl being a basic duplicate of himself and laughs it off, telling Sullivan that she's doing great and basically goes off to do his own thing. Its basically the rumored relationship that was in the Whitehouse at the time with Bush just being the idiot frontman (the King laughing off what is basically a tense conversation between two powerful magic users), who could put on a good face while Cheney was the man behind all the action (Sullivan basically manipulating and maneuvering all magicians into the army to become monsters). Once you get that down, the rest just sort of falls into place. It actually why its my second favorite of his movies. Its really hard to look past the movies (rightful) bashing of him once you see it. (The peeper bug that Sofia's mother leaves at the house during her brief visit basically at threat to her husband can't not be seen a nod to the Patriot Act and how we started spying on citizens for 'the protection of our soldiers on the war front' and all. The bombing of the flower fields Howl gives to Sofia being seen as a sort of reverse of the the scouring of the deserts for oil fields during the war on terror.)
Princess Mononke > Howl's Moving Castle > Spirited Away. And I think Spirited Away is an amazing film and totally deserving of it's Oscar. That'll give you an idea of how great I think the other 2 films are.
My favorite is and probably always will be Princess Mononoke. I'm drawn to the tragic hero story, as well as the environmental message. It also has a theme of duality that a lot of people miss, and as a result, have heard some misinterpretations of some scenes. *Spoilers here on in. It's not just man vs nature, but man vs man. After the initial demon, the first conflict Ashitaka encounters is a village being massacred by the army of a warlord (who comes into play later). They're fighting for land and power. His next encounter is with the mercenary, another antagonist who's motivation is money, and also working for a third party, the Emperor, who wanted the head of the forest spirit. THEN he gets to Iron Town. These are the only "good" humans (other than Ashitakas tribe) because the only reason they're cutting the forest down is for resources to defend from the constant attacks by that same warlord samurai from the start. The contrast between the two groups is stark. The warlord massacres innocent villagers etc, while the leader of Iron Town essentially rescues and employs the people otherwise neglected or abused by society, and there is a very clearly sympathetic society (abused women, lepers, etc.) They all care about each other deeply, and are united by sentiment rather than greed. One scene after Iron Town which is misinterpreted is when Ashitaka is nursed back to health, and the first thing he says to San is "You're beautiful..." and she's so shocked she leaps back and then threatens to kill him she's so confused by it, seeing herself as an animal. People have mistaken this as a forced love story, but there's a lot more to it than that. Duality comes back into play, as he says "You're beautiful" he doesn't just mean her, but what she represents thematically, which is a link between humans and nature. It also reminds her of her dual identity, and begins questioning her place. In a way, they're kindred spirits but from two completely different worlds. Even the final conflict doesn't end up being man vs nature, because as the forest events with the Forest Spirit are going on, a combination of man vs nature vs nature (3 way battle), Iron Town is under siege by the samurai army. In the end, though there is some love between our main characters, it's not pointless and they don't stay together, but close. Ashitaka stays to help Iron Town be more environmentally friendly, and San stays in the forest as what I interpret as a sort of ambassador for humans. Together they keep a balance between man and nature. I watched a behind the scenes mini doc about it, and if I remember right, Miyazaki personally reviewed every single frame and redrew anything he thought needed improvement. I'm not sure he did this with any other film. I think he did many more fps than any traditional animated production, because it's usually lower than the standard 24fps because it's so much extra work for hand drawn animation. This may be all Ghibli films, I'm not certain.
@@Paul-A01 She did a lot of good, really. Like I said, she employed women who were abused or rescued from prostitution, as well as cleverly using lepers as her R&D department, so to speak. If you want to deter people from stealing your secrets, surround your secrets with contagious disease! Jokes aside, her only issue with San is that she and the wolves attack the caravans, which carry essential supplies. The only reason she's even considered clearing forest is because she needs weapons to defend from the one and only true antagonist in the story: the never seen samurai that sends his armies to attack Iron Town. She's between a rock and a hard place. Even Ashitaka is impressed by her society, which says a lot since he's generally been disappointed in how the rest of the outside world works.
Princess mononoke is my favourite because it actually has (roughly) a traditional story structure. Miyazaki has a somewhat "freestyle" movie writing process. Sometimes it works great, sometimes it doesn't quite land.
Love this film. My wife and I discovered Howls Moving Castle completely by accident and couldn't be happier. It's one of the rare films I have physical copy of.
Spirited Away is my favorite. It’s so steeped in japanese folklore and fantastical à la Alice in Wonderland, with a great heroine that has to learn to grow up and wins due to hard work and smarts. And the music is superb. Love it.
Y’all go out and read THE BOOK. It’s a trilogy (not sequels though). Miyazaki did a beautiful job of it, but all movies miss important things due to time constraints. The book is phenomenal.
i read the book after seeing the movie, and i REALLY enjoyed it. I highly recommend the book, i felt the story made more sense in the book as John says, the ending is tied up somewhat hurriedly in the movie but in the book things line up better IMO
The first time I read Howl's moving castle, I borrowed my friend's physical copy. At the end Jones talks about how much more pure and innocent the movie versions are.
@@danielseelye6005 It's definitely not that. But I appreciate you taking the time to make a pun. It wasn't timed quite right, but that's all part of the learning process. You'll get their eventually. :)
My favorite too. I think because Porco Rosso feels a bit smaller in scope and more relatable than many of the other films - it's a story about how Porco deals with his survivor's guilt, overcomes his personal demons and self doubt. His pig form is just a manifestation of his internal self loathing, and it's powerful because it's the only supernatural part of the story. And also I love airplanes and pirates :)
It's that artwork that shows dedication and hard work. It's hard to find people today that are willing to go to those lengths. Even in retirement, Miyazaki is still working. Also, I believe he just loves flying machines, especially in Kiki's delivery service.
It's a fantastic movie. Beautiful, terrifying, sweet, heart-wrenching, funny, and generally wholesome. The characters show actual growth over the course of the movie. They help each other to grow. There is forgiveness and mercy. There is a man who hates the war, and hates the politics, but fights to protect the things he loves at the cost of his soul (which in itself is a message to take away). Overall, it shows the transformative power of love- whether it's romantic love, familial love, patriotic love, or love for your fellow man. As far as fairy tales are concerned, I'm impressed by the way so many familiar fairy tale elements were used and combined in such a way as to make an original story. Such a well-crafted piece of work. It might be one of my favorite movies. I love it so much that I don't watch it very often, so that I don't get too used to it or bored of it. I want it to always be special.
There's just such an energizing, infectious joy in the way John talks about something he loves or is positively invested in, I've really missed seeing him on this show.
To your comments about Miyazaki's love for western architecture. Miyazaki absolutely fell in love with Mediterranean cities and their warm aesthetic. I believe he named his studio "Ghibli" after the warm northern winds from Africa that touch the southern coasts of Italy. You get to see his love for Italy in Porco Rosso as well.
This is a nice change of pace, I got tired of politics and just decided to live my life, I mean news is important but outside of politics people get along more than it would seem when you're hyper focus on it
Do like Howl's moving castle, it was a long while ago now but I did also enjoy Princess Mononoke and Spirited away they came before this release but just as emotionally touching if not more so in certain ways. Ghibli has a way with conveying the heartbreak of tragedy in story telling that other studios have never replicated.
My personal favorite is Kiki's Delivery Service. It is simpler, yes, but I think it does extremely well at settling in with the viewer. You feel like you're actually in the seaside town, following Kiki through her days. And it leaves you with an thoroughly pleasant feeling at the end.
13:01 It could be showing that when you're elderly, and you love someone, you don't view their exterior, rather, their younger selves/their internal beauty.
Howl’s Moving Castle is my favorite after My Neighbor Totoro. We’ve gotten rid of Disney plus, so these films are my kids’ favorites. Makes me happy to think of the nostalgia it will bring them some day.
The war was in the books and it was sparked because the prince of the kingdom went missing and another kingdom was blamed. both sides used wizards magic to fight which is Ironic because it was magic that caused the prince to go missing.
I knew there was a reason i loved this channel and these lads ! Beautiful movie .. my first favourite is Arrietty but Howls is right next to it easily :D
I saw Arietty when it first came out. In it the boy says to Arietty something like "There are 6.7 billion of us, and only a handful of you". I went home that day and on the news they said the Earth's population had reached 7 billion. You just can't release these movies fast enough in a growing world. :)
To be frank: the war scenes kind of confused me, and seemed a lot like a tangent struggling to add background gravity (Howl risks his life and very soul to fight them even though he's vain and selfish; that never made sense to me). It certainly is made to work in HMC, but knowing that Miyazaki put it in as a protest statement really lends more sense as to why it's there.
It's so enjoyable to hear at least one other individual gush over these movies that I also enjoy so much. It really brings a smile to my face. Thanks for doing these analyses! They're great and bring some really interesting new perspective.
This is my favorite animated film. Its the one I show people who say they don't like cartoons, and that they are for kids. I've yet to meet someone who didn't love this movie. I recently saw Up on Poppy Hill for the first time. It's really good. Studio Ghibli puts every other animation house to shame. Its not even close. Edit: oh yeah you know the Yule log videos that pop up during the holidays? There is a Howls moving castle one that I used for months to help me sleep
The themes of the book was quite different than the anime; however, I do recommend both (best to treat them as separate stories on different timelines; Sophie had two sisters in the novel-- there are two sequel novels as well, I enjoyed House of Many Ways as well). Concerning Sophie's reverting in her sleep, I have noticed that while she was not being self-conscious and was relaxed, she had partially reverted in age several times. This would imply something reflected in the books, she holds on to her curse herself (in the book while having what seemed to be a heartattack, Howl and Calcifer were rather "intense" for a moment and then pain stopped; it is implied the curse was broken then, but her own magic was maintaining the appearance given how she viewed herself).
New editions of the book have Diana Wynne Jones's reaction to the movie at the end. She liked it, and talked about how much more innocent Movie Howl and Sophie are in comparison to her Howl and Sophie
This is fascinating. I have a friend who is really into Ghibli, and one time she texted me and told me she wanted to watch her favorite movies next time I visited. I remembered Howl's Moving Castle being one of the names she mentioned, and I stumbled upon the book in the library one day and decided to read it before so I'd get the original story first (yes, I'm that annoying friend who insists the book is better and you should read it first in almost all cases.) I fell in love with the book, and devoured everything else I could find by the author. When I watched the anime with my friend, I loved it too (now that I've seen more Ghibli movies, it's still my favorite) - but I was confused for most of it. I've never really watched anime, and I'm not familiar with a lot of the culture or storytelling devices, so maybe that's why? The parts that WERE in the book were gorgeously done, and I really liked the movie all things considered, but I felt like everything new that they added I couldn't understand. This was really neat to listen to, since it explained a lot of the war inspiration and the more subtle themes I totally missed. Now that I have a much better idea of the story, it's interesting thinking back and realizing that the movie and book are almost telling completely different stories and teaching completely different morals. The movie isn't lessening the impact of themes in the book due to time constraints (like I originally thought) but is actually creating its own themes entirely. They're both superficially similar but thematically different. I'll have to rewatch it again now that I appreciate the story a little more.
I've never watched this movie...had no idea it was any good. Well I thank you gentlemen for enlightening me. I shall indulge when I get the chance to watch it
My only complaint about Howls moving Castle is Sophie was old looking a little to often for my taste, but its still a pretty fun, and visually stunning studio Ghibli film, and thanx for doing this light hearted video, politics gets so bleh after a while.
Beautiful movie, stunning animation, enchanting theme, great characters. One of my top ten favourite animated films of all time, and sitting in my top 20 films of all time too.
You should do a comparison of Nausicaa of the valley of the wind and princess mononoke. Both have an environmentalist message, but also take it in different ways. I've seen a lot of videos analyzing both, but not comparing them.
It's a wonderful movie. Watched it after drinking a disgusting psychedelic cactus brew prob about 15 years ago. Such a lovely piece of art. Makes modern Hollywood seem so lowest common denominator.
That's how I feel about watching every Studio Ghibli movies. There is so much great anime that has a lot of moving storyline. Catching up with One Piece, and always never disappointed when it comes to how big the world is built from Eiichiro Oda. Note that, this series started back in the 90s and still going strong.
As someone who came across the movie quite by accident and then went and sought the book out, I will say that the movie did a good job of capturing the feelings of the book while making the themes more sweeping. The book however has a clearer individual message about Sophie's journey to self-love. I find this very interesting because both artists behind the work shared trauma from growing up during WW2 that they used to inspire their work. Miyazaki uses his works to remind people of the horror so that it does not happen again. Dianna used her works to give people a place to escape from the horrors of the real world (book Howl being an escapee from our world is a good example of this). However, above all else, they both believed in the magic of the mundane and this is how two such vastly different approaches could achieve the same feelings. Personally, I enjoy both but I will admit that the book holds an appeal all its own if only because it managed to pull off the equivalent of the optical illusion books where you can only see a picture if you squint just right.
12:50 Does the husband of a long married couple see his life long wife as she is or as she was? Seems to me when the wife maintains her beauty in character it seems the husband always sees her as beautiful.
I liked the movie, but it didn't feel as strong as the others to me, I watched it a couple of times but it never grew on me like a lot of the others did. The castle is pretty dope tho
I love the romace in the film and the book. Sophie wins over and reforms Howl not by being beautiful but by being sincere and hardworking, and learning to be assertive. Her reward is thatshe gets to be beautiful, and to be truly loved by Howl. Howl starts off as assertive and competent, but irresponsible, and has to learn to be responsible from Sophie. The plot is a bit weak, but I love all the weird vignettes in this film. Howl frying bacon and eggs on Calcifer. Sophie dragging an impossibly heavy dog up loads of stairs, only to turn around and cheer on the Witch who is struggling to follow. Sophie and Turniphead putting out the washing to dry and sitting by the lake. Howl gathering everyone together to add the extra rooms onto the castle. I've seen it so many times these moments are etched into my memory.
It's set in Ingary, which is a fantasy version of England. The book is set in Ingary, and Wales features in it a bit. But in the book Wynne-Jones makes it very clear that Ingary and Wales are completely different worlds.
@@All_Hail_Chael I'd recommend the book. It's very different but I honestly prefer it. A lot of the characters in the book are way better fleshed out. Book also has Sophie developing her personality more as she's transformed into an old woman, but also there's a lesson about agency, and also the themes are more about masculinity and femininity (in a way that isn't obnoxious). Transformation is a very big theme in the book. Also, Sophie's family in the book have a way bigger role. Won't spoil though.
I prefer Porco Rosso myself but I have a love of seaplains and the anti-fashist tones it produces is both appropriate for the time and location as well as entertaining
Howl's Moving Castle is a beautiful film to watch, but as someone with ex-servicemen in the family, and forebears who fought in the world wars, Miyazaki's hate boner for soldiers and anything even remotely military rubs me the wrong way.
@@Reiman33 This is a nice sentiment, but military men are universally depicted as awful human beings in Miyazaki films. Literal pirates, mercenaries and thieves are depicted as better people than those who have the temerity to serve their country. I mean, this is the man who threw a fit over Shinzo Abe trying to get rid of article 9 in the Japanese Constitution. The whole "the People's Republic of China is on your doorstep" clearly doesn't get in the way of his pacifism boner.
I just watched "HMC" for the first time a few months ago. I have to say, it makes me feel like a Philistine that I missed a lot of the commentary in it. (Criminy, I think my first takeaway was related to the scene where she dreams he's become a monster, specifically "Oh, God, Bale thought that doofy voice he'd use for Batman was cool even back then.")
I literally remember nothing past the first 5 minutes of the movie. Man was I bored of it, and completely unimpressed by the animation. But I'll give it a try. You guys made a good argument.
I love Miyazaki's works. His films are full of wonderment and powerful stories. While the film is not his best, the manga for Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind is of my all-time favorite stories. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Miyazaki, manga, or just plain good story writing.
2:27 this happens within every country with communities, my own dad tells me of old Irish Traveller sayings, words and whatnot but then complains, “none of the young ones do it anymore”. Meanwhile I’m 22 and he is only just mentioning this to me now. It’s their own fault for these old traditions for dying out. You instil these traditions into people as children because of you try to do it with them as adults it’s far too late.
I'm currently collecting all the ghibli films, and I must admit this is one I need to revisit. I don't remember liking it as much as spirited Away or princess mononoke, but it's been over a decade since I've seen it and I'm sure my perspective would change
I do think the essence of Sophie's curse in the film is self-pity. She is old when she is thinking only of herself, becomes younger at times when she is concerned for others...
Self-pity it one way to say it, but I always understood it as lack of confidence.
When Sophie is self-conscious she holds herself back and she is old. But, when she helps people she is confident and doesn’t second guess herself.
That’s also why she’s young when she sleeps. Because she isn’t over thinking or dragging herself down.
In the book it’s implied that Sophie placed the curse on herself by talking about herself as if she was an old woman.
@@missybees1104 Perhaps I should rephrase it to self-absorption? Because I still think the film makes it obvious that she becomes younger when not thinking about herself. Pity, or lack of confidence, it's still being focused on herself.
In fairness, the difference could simply be due to not having read the book and interpreting only what is in the film. I always meant to read the book, and have read a couple of Wynn-Jones's other books, ( _Archer's Goon, Fire and Hemlock_ )but never have gotten around to it...
@@_XR40_ Sophie is definitely at her best when she’s helping others. That that key to her growth and the breaking of her curse.
In the source material, Sophie has a complex about being the eldest of three sisters, the one who (by fairy-tale logic) will be the biggest failure. She is so convinced of her own mundanity that she never realizes that she is a witch until nearly the end of the story. Long before she realizes that, she has made the curse her own, and the only thing keeping her an old woman is herself. The film does a good job at hinting at that (the sleeping Sophie scene, and some of of her early comments about how her clothes finally suit her), but it's never really stated clearly. So you're right about the self-pity, but it's more than just that.
I think it also is a reflection of the fact that she already lives like an old woman in the beginning, diligently works away on accessories for others, isnt much about fun and adventures. Only when she realizes what shes lost she goes out wherever the road takes her...
Miyazaki has mentioned a couple of times that even though hes happy about his work and has the most fun doing it, it also feels like lost time sometimes, having worked literally full-time for 2-3 years on a movie and thats all thats left of those years...(he should know how us normies feel =D ) and the cycle repeats and suddenly youre old and everyone around you starts dying. Maybe theres something of that sentiment in there.
Howl's Moving Castle was the only animated movie I ever watched with my grandfather that he sat through and actually paid attention to and enjoyed. I made a great memory that evening.
Check out, Castle in the Sky. That one, had blown my mind. Just the great amount of imagination put into that one, is a fun ride. Besides, the experience of watching one of the films on a big screen does tune up the experience to 11. 😎
Princess Mononoke is my favourite Ghibli movie. Well worth a watch.
My grandfather was the one who showed me Princess M.
I love how this podcast breaks away from the ugliness of politics from time to time and just discusses something they enjoy. Thats the main reason I became a paying member on the lotus eaters website.
Speaking about Japan losing its heritage there was a gentleman greatly concerned about it called Yukio Mishima. His tetralogy is incredibly interesting to read and is on that subject.
Absolute legend.
Interesting bloke, but a tad over zealous and dramatically overestimated his clout.
The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea. Great book.
RIP Mishima-san
There is also that excellent 1985 Paul Schrader film about his life
As a German (and second to that a european) Kikis Delivery Service is a must watch for all of us. It perfectly encompasses what Europe is: A place of beauty. The little bakery she works at reminds me our old local bakery (seemed very german to me). Anyway, this is how a japanese artist thinks of Europe (and I dont mean the friggin EU, but Europe as in every single nation on its own). We should start living up to that expectations again.
amen brother.
Fun fact: it’s actually Swedish locations in the film. Miyazaki got hired to make a Pippi Longstocking movie, and made all the research for the movie on location but then the project got scrapped. So Miyazaki used those locations for Kiki.
Gross.
A great example of how to have a message or underlying lesson to give in a piece of media without turning it into blatant soapbox with zero quality.
The people who screech "everything is political" have no idea what they're doing, and simply use good works as their shield to justify their own nonsense.
The reason people don't mind (and even enjoy) politics in older movies is because the politics in those don't suck.
The politics in modern entertainment/media sucks, and so it would be better if it is absent.
@@theevermindcoming from the future to agree with that statement, todays politics in media sucks ass 😂
Most people didn't notice it was a critique on the Bush administration. It was probably a little TOO subtle but I commend Miyazaki for prioritizing a good story over espousing his politics.
Miyazaki is incredibly good at putting story over politics, even when it would be acceptable to throw them in.
The horrors of war are universal.
'TOO Subtle'?
This movie was anything but subtle and accusing that tidbit (of the movie being a critic of Bush) of being subtle is giving a brick to the face too much credit.
I love this movie (it's my second favorite Ghibli movie) but this movie is so far from subtle that it has to get the Hubble Telescope to even see its outline.
@@Mariusweeddeath You're acting like it was obvious. It's not like the King was named Hubs and looked exactly like Dubya. The fact is that it wasn't obvious to most people. I know, given your obvious IQ of 1000, it was obvious but to us normal people, it was actually subtle.
@@slashbash1347 No. I thought the thing that tipped the King off as being Bush was how he walks into the whole meeting with Howl and Sofia, looks at Howl being a basic duplicate of himself and laughs it off, telling Sullivan that she's doing great and basically goes off to do his own thing.
Its basically the rumored relationship that was in the Whitehouse at the time with Bush just being the idiot frontman (the King laughing off what is basically a tense conversation between two powerful magic users), who could put on a good face while Cheney was the man behind all the action (Sullivan basically manipulating and maneuvering all magicians into the army to become monsters).
Once you get that down, the rest just sort of falls into place. It actually why its my second favorite of his movies. Its really hard to look past the movies (rightful) bashing of him once you see it. (The peeper bug that Sofia's mother leaves at the house during her brief visit basically at threat to her husband can't not be seen a nod to the Patriot Act and how we started spying on citizens for 'the protection of our soldiers on the war front' and all. The bombing of the flower fields Howl gives to Sofia being seen as a sort of reverse of the the scouring of the deserts for oil fields during the war on terror.)
Howl's was amazing, probably my favorite animated movie of all time, with spirited away a close second.
If you haven't watched princess mononoke please do, it's probably my favorite of the ghibli movies, and it's super good
Princess Mononke > Howl's Moving Castle > Spirited Away.
And I think Spirited Away is an amazing film and totally deserving of it's Oscar. That'll give you an idea of how great I think the other 2 films are.
All great suggestions but there are some amazing animated films outside of Miyazaki.
@@Clembo such as?
@@CharlieKellyEsq The Last Unicorn
My favorite is and probably always will be Princess Mononoke. I'm drawn to the tragic hero story, as well as the environmental message. It also has a theme of duality that a lot of people miss, and as a result, have heard some misinterpretations of some scenes.
*Spoilers here on in.
It's not just man vs nature, but man vs man.
After the initial demon, the first conflict Ashitaka encounters is a village being massacred by the army of a warlord (who comes into play later). They're fighting for land and power.
His next encounter is with the mercenary, another antagonist who's motivation is money, and also working for a third party, the Emperor, who wanted the head of the forest spirit.
THEN he gets to Iron Town. These are the only "good" humans (other than Ashitakas tribe) because the only reason they're cutting the forest down is for resources to defend from the constant attacks by that same warlord samurai from the start. The contrast between the two groups is stark.
The warlord massacres innocent villagers etc, while the leader of Iron Town essentially rescues and employs the people otherwise neglected or abused by society, and there is a very clearly sympathetic society (abused women, lepers, etc.) They all care about each other deeply, and are united by sentiment rather than greed.
One scene after Iron Town which is misinterpreted is when Ashitaka is nursed back to health, and the first thing he says to San is "You're beautiful..." and she's so shocked she leaps back and then threatens to kill him she's so confused by it, seeing herself as an animal.
People have mistaken this as a forced love story, but there's a lot more to it than that. Duality comes back into play, as he says "You're beautiful" he doesn't just mean her, but what she represents thematically, which is a link between humans and nature. It also reminds her of her dual identity, and begins questioning her place.
In a way, they're kindred spirits but from two completely different worlds.
Even the final conflict doesn't end up being man vs nature, because as the forest events with the Forest Spirit are going on, a combination of man vs nature vs nature (3 way battle), Iron Town is under siege by the samurai army.
In the end, though there is some love between our main characters, it's not pointless and they don't stay together, but close. Ashitaka stays to help Iron Town be more environmentally friendly, and San stays in the forest as what I interpret as a sort of ambassador for humans. Together they keep a balance between man and nature.
I watched a behind the scenes mini doc about it, and if I remember right, Miyazaki personally reviewed every single frame and redrew anything he thought needed improvement. I'm not sure he did this with any other film.
I think he did many more fps than any traditional animated production, because it's usually lower than the standard 24fps because it's so much extra work for hand drawn animation. This may be all Ghibli films, I'm not certain.
Princess mononoke is my favourite ghibli movie too. They have such an amazing way of telling very real stories with real lessons in fantasy settings
Its my favorite movie too. Lady Eboshi did nothing wrong.
@@Paul-A01 She did a lot of good, really. Like I said, she employed women who were abused or rescued from prostitution, as well as cleverly using lepers as her R&D department, so to speak. If you want to deter people from stealing your secrets, surround your secrets with contagious disease!
Jokes aside, her only issue with San is that she and the wolves attack the caravans, which carry essential supplies. The only reason she's even considered clearing forest is because she needs weapons to defend from the one and only true antagonist in the story: the never seen samurai that sends his armies to attack Iron Town.
She's between a rock and a hard place. Even Ashitaka is impressed by her society, which says a lot since he's generally been disappointed in how the rest of the outside world works.
Princess Mononoke is one of my favourite movies in general. I love how the characters are so nuanced and not just good or bad.
Princess mononoke is my favourite because it actually has (roughly) a traditional story structure.
Miyazaki has a somewhat "freestyle" movie writing process. Sometimes it works great, sometimes it doesn't quite land.
Overshadowed because it came out after Spirited Away.
Love this film. My wife and I discovered Howls Moving Castle completely by accident and couldn't be happier. It's one of the rare films I have physical copy of.
Spirited Away is my favorite. It’s so steeped in japanese folklore and fantastical à la Alice in Wonderland, with a great heroine that has to learn to grow up and wins due to hard work and smarts. And the music is superb. Love it.
I was so lucky to have seen this in the cinema with family years ago when the English dub first released. Such an amazing watch from start to finish.
Y’all go out and read THE BOOK. It’s a trilogy (not sequels though). Miyazaki did a beautiful job of it, but all movies miss important things due to time constraints. The book is phenomenal.
Arguably, the movie left out the THE single most important aspect of the original novel. The fact that (spoilers)...
Howl comes from Wales.
I rather wanted to hear that funny song that Sophie could not understand. It would have been fun to see some of Howls family and his rugby shirt
i read the book after seeing the movie, and i REALLY enjoyed it. I highly recommend the book, i felt the story made more sense in the book as John says, the ending is tied up somewhat hurriedly in the movie but in the book things line up better IMO
The first time I read Howl's moving castle, I borrowed my friend's physical copy. At the end Jones talks about how much more pure and innocent the movie versions are.
I didn't know how much I needed you to analyse Ghibli movies! This is phenomenal. Please do more!!
My favorite Miyazaki film is actually "Porco Rosso", but for the life of me I currently don't have the words to explain why.
Because it's _literally_ "When a Pig Flys!" 😉
@@danielseelye6005 It's definitely not that. But I appreciate you taking the time to make a pun. It wasn't timed quite right, but that's all part of the learning process. You'll get their eventually. :)
My favorite too. I think because Porco Rosso feels a bit smaller in scope and more relatable than many of the other films - it's a story about how Porco deals with his survivor's guilt, overcomes his personal demons and self doubt. His pig form is just a manifestation of his internal self loathing, and it's powerful because it's the only supernatural part of the story. And also I love airplanes and pirates :)
I just love the romanticism of Marco's story and the wholesomeness and charm of the women in his life
@@vashnator That's certainly an aspect I enjoy as well. From Gina at her bar to the older Italian Women at the workshop.
Ayooo, this is basically the female hero's journey.
I'm glad that Carl has finally accepted anime beyond air bender.
Miyazaki’s works have such an amazing sense of humanity to them
John! Good to see you again.
It's that artwork that shows dedication and hard work. It's hard to find people today that are willing to go to those lengths. Even in retirement, Miyazaki is still working. Also, I believe he just loves flying machines, especially in Kiki's delivery service.
It's a fantastic movie. Beautiful, terrifying, sweet, heart-wrenching, funny, and generally wholesome. The characters show actual growth over the course of the movie. They help each other to grow. There is forgiveness and mercy. There is a man who hates the war, and hates the politics, but fights to protect the things he loves at the cost of his soul (which in itself is a message to take away). Overall, it shows the transformative power of love- whether it's romantic love, familial love, patriotic love, or love for your fellow man.
As far as fairy tales are concerned, I'm impressed by the way so many familiar fairy tale elements were used and combined in such a way as to make an original story. Such a well-crafted piece of work. It might be one of my favorite movies. I love it so much that I don't watch it very often, so that I don't get too used to it or bored of it. I want it to always be special.
There's just such an energizing, infectious joy in the way John talks about something he loves or is positively invested in, I've really missed seeing him on this show.
Love these indepth looks at Miyazaki's works!
Fantastic movie, really hits all the nostalgic notes no matter your background
To your comments about Miyazaki's love for western architecture. Miyazaki absolutely fell in love with Mediterranean cities and their warm aesthetic. I believe he named his studio "Ghibli" after the warm northern winds from Africa that touch the southern coasts of Italy. You get to see his love for Italy in Porco Rosso as well.
Howl’s*
My second favourite Miyazaki movie. First is Nausicca of the Valley of the Wind.
Have you read the manga?
@@DD-vu7ir no, but I heard its really good.
@@GeraltofRivia22 yeah. If you like the movie I recommend it. Miyazaki flushed out the story with more detail.
I love ALL of Miyazaki s films.
This is a nice change of pace, I got tired of politics and just decided to live my life, I mean news is important but outside of politics people get along more than it would seem when you're hyper focus on it
@@PanelVulture yeah I completely agree with everything you said
Do like Howl's moving castle, it was a long while ago now but I did also enjoy Princess Mononoke and Spirited away they came before this release but just as emotionally touching if not more so in certain ways. Ghibli has a way with conveying the heartbreak of tragedy in story telling that other studios have never replicated.
im amazed how many things here are attibuted to miyazaki when its literaly in the novel they even mentioned in the beginning
Just watched this with my students yesterday. I thought only the girls would like it but the boys enjoyed it even more and watched so intently.
Then you will be surprised to learn that boys also like flowers, art and romance.
Merry Go Round of Life is one of the greatest pieces of orchestral music ever written. Hisashi Joe is a legendary composer.
Princess Mononoke or Spirited away are the most beautiful visually with porco Rosso a close second
My personal favorite is Kiki's Delivery Service.
It is simpler, yes, but I think it does extremely well at settling in with the viewer. You feel like you're actually in the seaside town, following Kiki through her days. And it leaves you with an thoroughly pleasant feeling at the end.
loved this commentary, Howl's Moving Castle was and still is, one of my favorite movies.
13:01 It could be showing that when you're elderly, and you love someone, you don't view their exterior, rather, their younger selves/their internal beauty.
Thanks for talking about one of my favourite films, Miyazaki’s work with Studio Ghibli is undoubtedly some of the best storytelling in film history.
I love how passionately he talks about Howl's Moving Castle, my man really loves this work and it shows
Howl’s Moving Castle is my favorite after My Neighbor Totoro. We’ve gotten rid of Disney plus, so these films are my kids’ favorites. Makes me happy to think of the nostalgia it will bring them some day.
And Disney lost all the rights to giblhi films. Big win.
I almost bought this movie last night. I’ll get it tonight.
Bruh it's good. Get spirited away as well
it`s impossible for me to pick a favorite Miyazaki film. I am just too spoiled for choice but Howl would be pretty close to the top.
I really enjoyed spirited away I think because it was the first one I actually saw.
The title is clearly wrong. Miyazaki's best work is Spirited Away. Objectively.
It's my most favorite too!!
I love it so much I've probably watched more than 100 times!
Love love love Howl's Moving Castle!
I recently just finished reading the book actually, which I think I prefer.
The war was in the books and it was sparked because the prince of the kingdom went missing and another kingdom was blamed. both sides used wizards magic to fight which is Ironic because it was magic that caused the prince to go missing.
I’ve just watch it last week !
Its so good!
I knew there was a reason i loved this channel and these lads ! Beautiful movie .. my first favourite is Arrietty but Howls is right next to it easily :D
I saw Arietty when it first came out. In it the boy says to Arietty something like "There are 6.7 billion of us, and only a handful of you". I went home that day and on the news they said the Earth's population had reached 7 billion. You just can't release these movies fast enough in a growing world. :)
@@steveunderwood3683 this is so sweet !!
To be frank: the war scenes kind of confused me, and seemed a lot like a tangent struggling to add background gravity (Howl risks his life and very soul to fight them even though he's vain and selfish; that never made sense to me). It certainly is made to work in HMC, but knowing that Miyazaki put it in as a protest statement really lends more sense as to why it's there.
It's so enjoyable to hear at least one other individual gush over these movies that I also enjoy so much. It really brings a smile to my face. Thanks for doing these analyses! They're great and bring some really interesting new perspective.
This is my favorite animated film. Its the one I show people who say they don't like cartoons, and that they are for kids. I've yet to meet someone who didn't love this movie. I recently saw Up on Poppy Hill for the first time. It's really good. Studio Ghibli puts every other animation house to shame. Its not even close.
Edit: oh yeah you know the Yule log videos that pop up during the holidays? There is a Howls moving castle one that I used for months to help me sleep
A beautiful movie, but I was too young to understand any of those themes last time I saw it.
Time for a rewatch I guess.
More of this on Lotuseaters please.
Less of the lazily recycling Twitter comments into whole segments.
Great to have John back even if it's only for 1 episode.
This one was always my favorite
I have always loved Howl’s Moving Castle.
The themes of the book was quite different than the anime; however, I do recommend both (best to treat them as separate stories on different timelines; Sophie had two sisters in the novel-- there are two sequel novels as well, I enjoyed House of Many Ways as well). Concerning Sophie's reverting in her sleep, I have noticed that while she was not being self-conscious and was relaxed, she had partially reverted in age several times. This would imply something reflected in the books, she holds on to her curse herself (in the book while having what seemed to be a heartattack, Howl and Calcifer were rather "intense" for a moment and then pain stopped; it is implied the curse was broken then, but her own magic was maintaining the appearance given how she viewed herself).
Loved the book when I was a kid, loved the movie When I was a teenager.. love them both as an adult.
New editions of the book have Diana Wynne Jones's reaction to the movie at the end. She liked it, and talked about how much more innocent Movie Howl and Sophie are in comparison to her Howl and Sophie
this is such a good movie
This series is great. It's amazing to hear from real fans discussing this brilliant film. Keep 'em coming. :)
I would recommend the book
One of the early scenes where Sophie turns young again was so beautiful that I literally started tearing up.
Gotta watch this later. I love howl’s moving castle.
I read the book and I have to say...the film was actually better. I listen to the soundtrack pretty regularly, it's one of my favourites.
This is fascinating. I have a friend who is really into Ghibli, and one time she texted me and told me she wanted to watch her favorite movies next time I visited. I remembered Howl's Moving Castle being one of the names she mentioned, and I stumbled upon the book in the library one day and decided to read it before so I'd get the original story first (yes, I'm that annoying friend who insists the book is better and you should read it first in almost all cases.) I fell in love with the book, and devoured everything else I could find by the author.
When I watched the anime with my friend, I loved it too (now that I've seen more Ghibli movies, it's still my favorite) - but I was confused for most of it. I've never really watched anime, and I'm not familiar with a lot of the culture or storytelling devices, so maybe that's why? The parts that WERE in the book were gorgeously done, and I really liked the movie all things considered, but I felt like everything new that they added I couldn't understand.
This was really neat to listen to, since it explained a lot of the war inspiration and the more subtle themes I totally missed. Now that I have a much better idea of the story, it's interesting thinking back and realizing that the movie and book are almost telling completely different stories and teaching completely different morals. The movie isn't lessening the impact of themes in the book due to time constraints (like I originally thought) but is actually creating its own themes entirely. They're both superficially similar but thematically different. I'll have to rewatch it again now that I appreciate the story a little more.
Im assuming Carl is on vacation with all the weebry?
I've never watched this movie...had no idea it was any good. Well I thank you gentlemen for enlightening me. I shall indulge when I get the chance to watch it
My only complaint about Howls moving Castle is Sophie was old looking a little to often for my taste, but its still a pretty fun, and visually stunning studio Ghibli film, and thanx for doing this light hearted video, politics gets so bleh after a while.
Beautiful movie, stunning animation, enchanting theme, great characters. One of my top ten favourite animated films of all time, and sitting in my top 20 films of all time too.
You should do a comparison of Nausicaa of the valley of the wind and princess mononoke. Both have an environmentalist message, but also take it in different ways. I've seen a lot of videos analyzing both, but not comparing them.
That's actually the first twenty minutes of the podcast that this clip is taken from! It's available for subscribers on the website
It's a wonderful movie. Watched it after drinking a disgusting psychedelic cactus brew prob about 15 years ago. Such a lovely piece of art. Makes modern Hollywood seem so lowest common denominator.
I am loving this retrospectives/reviews
Yes , yes yes Great movie , thanks for reminding me about it, need to vatch it again.
That's how I feel about watching every Studio Ghibli movies. There is so much great anime that has a lot of moving storyline. Catching up with One Piece, and always never disappointed when it comes to how big the world is built from Eiichiro Oda. Note that, this series started back in the 90s and still going strong.
As someone who came across the movie quite by accident and then went and sought the book out, I will say that the movie did a good job of capturing the feelings of the book while making the themes more sweeping. The book however has a clearer individual message about Sophie's journey to self-love. I find this very interesting because both artists behind the work shared trauma from growing up during WW2 that they used to inspire their work. Miyazaki uses his works to remind people of the horror so that it does not happen again. Dianna used her works to give people a place to escape from the horrors of the real world (book Howl being an escapee from our world is a good example of this). However, above all else, they both believed in the magic of the mundane and this is how two such vastly different approaches could achieve the same feelings. Personally, I enjoy both but I will admit that the book holds an appeal all its own if only because it managed to pull off the equivalent of the optical illusion books where you can only see a picture if you squint just right.
12:50
Does the husband of a long married couple see his life long wife as she is or as she was?
Seems to me when the wife maintains her beauty in character it seems the husband always sees her as beautiful.
I liked the movie, but it didn't feel as strong as the others to me, I watched it a couple of times but it never grew on me like a lot of the others did.
The castle is pretty dope tho
I love the romace in the film and the book. Sophie wins over and reforms Howl not by being beautiful but by being sincere and hardworking, and learning to be assertive. Her reward is thatshe gets to be beautiful, and to be truly loved by Howl. Howl starts off as assertive and competent, but irresponsible, and has to learn to be responsible from Sophie.
The plot is a bit weak, but I love all the weird vignettes in this film.
Howl frying bacon and eggs on Calcifer.
Sophie dragging an impossibly heavy dog up loads of stairs, only to turn around and cheer on the Witch who is struggling to follow.
Sophie and Turniphead putting out the washing to dry and sitting by the lake.
Howl gathering everyone together to add the extra rooms onto the castle.
I've seen it so many times these moments are etched into my memory.
You guys are nailing it.
I love how they randomly made a film set in Wales.
It's set in Ingary, which is a fantasy version of England. The book is set in Ingary, and Wales features in it a bit. But in the book Wynne-Jones makes it very clear that Ingary and Wales are completely different worlds.
@@Azdaja13 Ahhh OK. I didn't know that. Cheers.
@@All_Hail_Chael I'd recommend the book. It's very different but I honestly prefer it. A lot of the characters in the book are way better fleshed out. Book also has Sophie developing her personality more as she's transformed into an old woman, but also there's a lesson about agency, and also the themes are more about masculinity and femininity (in a way that isn't obnoxious). Transformation is a very big theme in the book. Also, Sophie's family in the book have a way bigger role. Won't spoil though.
I prefer Porco Rosso myself but I have a love of seaplains and the anti-fashist tones it produces is both appropriate for the time and location as well as entertaining
Howl's Moving Castle is a beautiful film to watch, but as someone with ex-servicemen in the family, and forebears who fought in the world wars, Miyazaki's hate boner for soldiers and anything even remotely military rubs me the wrong way.
He hates war but loves soldiers and all the machines. You should read his comic about Otto Carius if you havent
@@Reiman33
This is a nice sentiment, but military men are universally depicted as awful human beings in Miyazaki films. Literal pirates, mercenaries and thieves are depicted as better people than those who have the temerity to serve their country.
I mean, this is the man who threw a fit over Shinzo Abe trying to get rid of article 9 in the Japanese Constitution. The whole "the People's Republic of China is on your doorstep" clearly doesn't get in the way of his pacifism boner.
I just watched "HMC" for the first time a few months ago. I have to say, it makes me feel like a Philistine that I missed a lot of the commentary in it. (Criminy, I think my first takeaway was related to the scene where she dreams he's become a monster, specifically "Oh, God, Bale thought that doofy voice he'd use for Batman was cool even back then.")
I literally remember nothing past the first 5 minutes of the movie. Man was I bored of it, and completely unimpressed by the animation. But I'll give it a try. You guys made a good argument.
Alright. When you watch it knowing the metaphorical context, it is rather interesting.
Although I’m not a big fan of Gibli films, I just am in awe of their beauty!
Waltz is absolutely beautiful in it
My favorite of Miyazaki work too.
Nice to see John 😊
The war is in the original work, but it is portrayed differently, more distant.
Beautiful
Good video chaps. I watched this years ago, I enjoyed it but didn't have a bloody clue what was happening. 👍🏻
I love Miyazaki's works. His films are full of wonderment and powerful stories. While the film is not his best, the manga for Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind is of my all-time favorite stories. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Miyazaki, manga, or just plain good story writing.
I have to read it, it's honestly one of my favorites and I love the sound track
More like this please! Do "The wind rises" too, its an underappreciated masterpiece.
So funny I'm wearing my calcifer shirt . I love Miyazaki movies
this and valley of the wind are my all time favorite
2:27 this happens within every country with communities, my own dad tells me of old Irish Traveller sayings, words and whatnot but then complains, “none of the young ones do it anymore”. Meanwhile I’m 22 and he is only just mentioning this to me now. It’s their own fault for these old traditions for dying out.
You instil these traditions into people as children because of you try to do it with them as adults it’s far too late.
Over time I have gowning to love Laputa: Castle in the Sky has his best work.
I'm currently collecting all the ghibli films, and I must admit this is one I need to revisit. I don't remember liking it as much as spirited Away or princess mononoke, but it's been over a decade since I've seen it and I'm sure my perspective would change