Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle

I've got two films to cover, as I didn't find the time to discuss Sprited Away last week. I think it might be suitable to discuss them in the same post anyway as I find it curious that the films were released one after the other but while Spirited Away may be one of my favorite Miyazaki films, Howl's Moving Castle may be one of my least favorite.

I'm not quite sure what it was about Howl's Moving Castle that didn't sit right with me. To be completely fair I should probably watch it again before deciding I don't like it too much, but first impressions are important.

Howl's Moving Castle feels like Miyazaki trying to cash in on his legacy. Every single frame of it is so gorgeous and dripping with the talents of the best and brightest artists of Japan that speaks to the success that Studia Ghibli has become off of the financial whoppers of Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. Studio Ghibli had come a long way since its most iconographic film My Neighbor Totoro had to be released alongside Grave of the Fire Flies over fears it wouldn't perform well on its own...

So that brings me back to Howl's Moving Castle. It felt like Eye Candy for the sake of Eye Candy. And Fantasy for the sake of Fantasy. rather than being fascinated into struggling to understand it, I found myself trying to care enough to struggle to understand it. Spirited Away on the other hand, while not always crystal clear, spoke at a much more deep and artistic level to me... it was clear that the Fantasy all served an important purpose... and the beautiful exciting visuals heightened what we had come to actually care about.

I'm also not sure where to fit Howl's Moving Castle in terms of Miyazaki's distinct voice, besides the theme of Howl's pacifism towards the war. Spirited Away seems like an important sequel to My Neighbor Totoro, though...  it delves deeper into fortifying ones spirit through spirituality, tradition, and nature. I'm not quite sure which 10 year old is more tragic - Satsuki or Chihiro. In some ways I have to say it's Chihiro because she's so modern.. We all grew up with Chihiros, and we encounter them daily. The listless child who has a light they can't seem to turn on...  who is jaded 30 or 40 years too soon on and by superficial culture. Satsuki is tragic in a more extraordinary way... having to deal with a sick mother... her tragedy is still heightened by realism, however; I certainly felt for her more upon learning that she's somewhat autobiographical for Miyazaki and his brothers...

It's the ordinariness of Chihiro's tragedy that makes it so powerful.. She's so ordinary that we have to be hit over the head with Spirited Away to even realize it's tragic!

No Face in Sprited away is quite an enigma.. I've been trying to marinate on him quite a bit. It's clear that eating is a huge theme in Spirited Away... Chihiro must eat of the world to keep from vanishing from it. The biscuit of the river god causes no face to vomit out his crazy consumption. All of which was a grotesque depiction and metaphor for materialistic consumption. What I puzzle over with no face though is how he doesn't start indulging in all of his consumption without first being a sycophant having to literally consume other people through false gifts. He doesn't even have a voice prior to consuming that frog guy. It's all quite puzzling but it seems to speak to me at very core level..  like it all somehow makes total sense in spite of its craziness.