![]() ![]() "Arrietty" is a refreshing work for anyone who has grown tried of the frenzied pace of American animation, which seems almost exclusively aimed at kids. distributor of all of Studio Ghibli's films) the messages are gracefully rather than heavy-handedly delivered. But unlike Disney (which ironically is the U.S. They are also, like the raccoons of "Pom Poko," in danger of extinction because humans pose a threat of destroying their environment. They take only what they need, not wanting to upset the balance. In an odd way, Arrietty and her family also carry on the environmental messages of Miyazaki's earlier films. Studio Ghibli/Walt Disney "The Secret World of Arrietty"Īrrietty is clearly a kindred spirit to the heroines of Miyazaki's earlier "Nausicaä," "Kiki's Delivery Service," "Princess Mononoke," and "Spirited Away." She is smart, self-sufficient, and rebellious without being disrespectful. Despite the best intentions of the youngsters, the little borrowers do find their quiet life thrown into massive upheaval. Shawn and Arrietty are mutually intrigued and develop a friendship despite the dire warnings of Arrietty's parents. One night, while out on a mission, Arrietty is spotted by Shawn, a young human boy living with his aunt as he awaits heart surgery. They survive by going out each night and "borrowing" just what they need to live on from the big, wasteful humans. The teenage Arrietty is eager to explore and doesn't like her parents' warnings to avoid the humans. This latest incarnation of Norton's popular children's fantasy is transplanted to Japan where we find little (about 6 inch) Arrietty living with her father Pod and her mother Homily under the floorboards of an old country house. The basic story is taken from Mary Norton's 1952 children's novel "The Borrowers." The novel has already inspired an American TV and theatrical film as well as a British TV show and feature film. The story involves a family of little people living under the floorboards of a house. But for this project, Miyazaki has handed over reins over to first time director Hiromasa Yonebayashi. Miyazaki wrote the screenplay and his influence is readily apparent in the feisty female heroine, the character design, and the use of literary source material. "The Secret World of Arrietty" is further proof that he is looking for fresh talent to mentor in order to secure the future for Studio Ghibli. Miyazaki, who is now 71, has threatened to retire ever since "Princess Mononoke" in 1997, and he has definitely been slowing down. The studio has famously produced Miyazaki's great animations "Spirited Away," "Princess Mononoke," " Howl's Moving Castle," and " Ponyo" as well as the rare film by someone else. The studio was founded just after the success of Miyazaki's 1984 "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind." The company takes its name from the Arabic word the Italians used to name their Saharan scout planes in World War II. Studio Ghibli is the Japanese animation and film studio founded in 1985, by animator/filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki along with Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. If the Studio Ghibli production " The Secret World of Arrietty" (opened February 17 in select theaters) had come out last year it would have cleaned up on awards because it is leaps and bounds better than anything Hollywood produced last year. ![]()
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