PRINCESS MONONOKE
Hayao Miyazaki, director
PG-13, 1999
(of 5)
PRINCESS MONONOKE is a film of beauty and awe. Those are pretty high standards to live up to, but I think you will agree if you go to see it at the Nickelodeon Theater this weekend. The movie is directed by Hayao Miyazaki and translated into English by none other than Neil Gaiman.
I don't want to give the story away too much, but the basic idea is the classic tale of Man versus Nature in her purest form. Imagine a pristine forest, with sunlight filtering through the trees. A gentle score helps you to soak in the beauty of this scene when suddenly you hear a thundering as the forest god gallops past, or as Princess Mononoke herself roars by the screen in the company of her wolves.
Imagine next a civilization that is beginning to expand beyond its borders, with its eyes set upon this forest. The film uses contrast quite effectively; if it is not always night, it is usually dark within the city while daytime and light reign within the forest. Throughout the film, you are almost too caught up in the art to remember to read the subtitles. Speaking of art, the animation is quite different than Miyazaki's usual work - it seems fuller or more lively, showing good progress while reinforcing his long reign as one of the masters of anime. Whether older or newer, though, his animation style is always excellent.
PRINCESS MONONOKE is an emotionally charged film. To truly get a feel of this film and to experience it to the fullest, you should really see it twice: once to see it and a second time to feel it. It is beautifully rendered, both by hand and by computer, and it is truly a moving work of art. The awe that one feels towards the forest god makes it worth it, if nothing else.
To say more would give away the movie entirely, so go see it for yourself! See you at the Nickelodeon!
Copyright TLM 2000
