My Neighbor Totoro

[ellen_datlow]

Just finished watching it and it's really lovely. Utterly charming and quite moving with the underlying worry throughout (for those who haven't seen in, I won't go into detail).
I'm glad I finally got to see it. So are there any sequels to it?

Comments

[czakbar.livejournal.com]

Ellen, no sequels, but lots of other Miyazaki films that you will love if you loved this one. I suggest Howl's Moving Castle, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Kiki's Delivery Service, and Spirited Away.

I LOVE Miyazaki. Totoro is one of my favorites for sure. :)

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I've seen Howl's Moving Castle and Spirited Away and loved them both.
I'll add the others to my queue, though.
Thanks.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

My favorite Miyazaki is Kiki's Delivery Service. A witch is sent out as a young teen to find her own way and she makes mistakes and finds friends.

[elenuial.livejournal.com]

I can second this comment. Miyazaki films are magnificent. Two more of his films that I'm quite fond of are "Princess Mononoke" and "Castle in the Sky" (a different, and older, film, than "Howl's Moving Castle" -- though the two are remarkably similar). Both are also excellent to watch.

I count myself fortunate that I have family in Japan. They sent me Totoro when I was young, and it's been one of my favorite movies ever since I was tiny. :)

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I think I might have seen Princess Mononoke first. I see that Totoro came out in 1988--too bad it wasn't out when I was a kid. One of the other things I missed out on was going to Disneyland when I was young enough to really appreciate it ;-)

[elenuial.livejournal.com]

Heh heh. Maybe so. I ran away from Mickey Mouse, though. He was bigger than me! That equals scaaaaary!

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

How old were you at the time?
I would think 10 or so would have been the perfect age maybe 30 years ago. I'm assuming it became more homogenized than when it first opened. First time I went I was an adult and it was 1980.

[elenuial.livejournal.com]

My foggy memory puts me at about 5 -- which means late 80's. My childhood recollection tells me that's about the time Disney was making the big push to be "hip" with the youth crowd.

I think 30 years ago would've been a good time. Or even earlier; back when Disney Corp. could still feign an innocence of sorts.

How was it as an adult? I haven't gone, but I imagine it would be rather disappointing by comparison.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I've gone a few times and probably won't again (although I may try Disneyworld in Orlando next year while I'm in town).

The first time I was excited even though I was an adult. I enjoyed the rides that I went on and enjoyed the "fun fun fun" atmosphere but all the stores were too similar and had the same products all over the park and that was disappointing. Nothing I couldn't buy in other Disney stores around the country. So a mix of fun and disappointment. I think I went twice after that.

[alexotica.livejournal.com]

There's a short film sequel that plays exclusively at the Studio Ghibli museum in Tokyo, just one of many reasons to visit. A friend who visited the museum recently had all kinds of love for the experience, but alas the film wasn't playing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mei_and_the_Kittenbus

Alex.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Nuts. I was just in Japan and several people went to the studio but I didn't. Oh well perhaps I'll return.
thanks
Ellen

[upstart-crow.livejournal.com]

Oh, Totoro is one of my favorite Miyazaki films, too, Ellen!

Since no one has recommended it yet, try to get your hands on his Lupin III film. It does feature a character who has his own series, but you don't really need to know anything about the series to enjoy it. It's very light-hearted and playful detective film, and just a fun, light earlier piece.

Castle in the Air (aka Laputa) isn't one of my favorites, but it is also worth seeing and has a stunning ending. Be sure to see Nausicaa and Princess Mononoke next, though. I really think you will like these if you enjoyed Spirited Away. Mononoke is among my favorite movies of all.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Is that: Lupin the 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro or Lupin the 3rd: The Movie: The Secret of Mamo? The first isn't yet available on netflix...

[upstart-crow.livejournal.com]

Oh! I'm sorry. It's Cagliostro. I've never seen the other Lupin films, and I often forget other exist!

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Well, I'll put that one on my list and wait.

[upstart-crow.livejournal.com]

I do hope you enjoy it.

Netflix sounds wonderful. I don't use it, but I'm considering signing up one day when I have the money.

I like the kitty in your icon too.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Because it's on "save" that means Netflix doesn't have it...hopefully they will eventually. In the meantime, I'll be checking out the others in between bouts of the last season of the Sopranos and other goodies.

I'll let Bella know :-)

[upstart-crow.livejournal.com]

Watch Nausicaa first :D It's so worth it.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Ok. Moved up to #2 (Boiler Room is first) and they'll get to me by Wednesday or Thursday the latest.

[alexotica.livejournal.com]

If you're into comics, I'd recommend _reading_ Nausicaa before seeing the movie. I love both the book series and the movie, but it's probably my favorite manga--maybe because it's epic but finite.

Alex.

[charlesatan.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen Lupin: Castle of Cagliostro but I think it has a different feel from the other Studio Ghibli films because well, it is tackling Lupin III and his escapades (which while fantastical, is different from catbuses and something like Howl's Moving Castle). Of course the comments are consistent that among all the Lupin films, Miyzaki's is best. (The treatment of the other Lupin films are more serious and fitting for the thief/spy that is Lupin.)

Also additional recommendations:

Grave of the Fireflies is a real tear-jerker (don't watch if you don't want to cry!), and I recommend Whisper of the Heart too in addition to what others have recommended.

[nick-kaufmann.livejournal.com]

It's an absolutely charming movie, intended for children but wonderful for adults too. No sequels that I know of, though.

[14theditch.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I dig that Totoro too.

[slithytove.livejournal.com]

Agree with the Miyazaki/Ghibli films that everyone else has been recommending.

Also take a look at Porco Rosso. Hemingway-esque Lost Generation stuff around the Mediterranean, but played for comedy rather than tragedy. Oh, yeah, and the hero's an anthropomorphic pig. Who's an aviator.

Also: Pom Poko. Screwball ecological comedy with tanuki. And scrotums. Lots of scrotums.

Also, if you can find it: Only Yesterday (Omoide Poro Poro). Realist story about love and loneliness, city and country, and the power of childhood memories. Lovely teary ending. Apparently available in Canada, but has not yet been released in the US.

[charlesatan.livejournal.com]

No direct sequel but there are a lot of Miyaaki/Studio Ghilbi films that have the same feel. Kiki's Delivery Service is a good recommendation.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I'll watch whatever Netflix has. I put the following on my list:
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Kiki's Delivery Service
Porco Rosso
The Cat Returns
and on the "saved" list if it shows up:
Lupin: Castle of Cagliostro

Those should keep me going for a while.

[cinriter.livejournal.com]

Yep, I'm a full-on Miyazaki fanatic. I've even watched the early television things that he only worked on as an animator or director.

Netflix should also have CASTLE IN THE SKY, although they may have it as LAPUTA: CASTLE IN THE SKY. I'd put that and KIKI'S at the top, myself, although NAUSICAA is astounding (and his one real science fiction film).

What was disappointing was Studio Ghibli's recent TALES FROM EARTHSEA. It was directed by Miyazaki's son, and had beautiful moments but never worked as a whole. Turns out Ursula K. LeGuin has basically disowned the film, and I can see why.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Castle in the Sky added. I don't like to watch too much of any sort of movie in a row (except for tv shows) so will mix and move my queue around periodically. Otherwise, I'll sometimes find myself with three really depressing movies and don't want to watch any of them!

[cinriter.livejournal.com]

Good philosophy!

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

Oh, if you want to see The Cat Returns you should probably watch Whisper of the Heart first (which was written but not directed by Miyazaki Hayao). Cat is a loose sequel; it's fun, but not the best effort to come out of Ghibli.

You should also add Pom Poko and My Neighbors the Yamadas, which were directed by Takahata Isao, the guy who did the much more depressing Grave of the Fireflies. They're both very quirky films. As I mentioned, you're welcome to borrow my copies and free up Netflix for other things.

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

Cagliostro has been issued on DVD a couple of times. I have a DVD I copied from my VHS tape, as well as most of the other Lupin films (though Cagliostro is by far the best and least Lupin-like of them all).

I have all the US-released Ghibli films and a couple that haven't been yet (including the interesting but not great Earthsea adaptation)--I can drop them off sometime if you like :)

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Yes, please --I'd love to have them and will watch them as quickly as I can...but I won't need Nausica, as that should be enroute...