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Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke) |
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| Reviews 4 |
Reviews of the Miramax English-language version -- Film: Reviews 61 through 80
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61). San Jose Mercury News
The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 5, 1999, Friday By Mike Antonucci BOX-OFFICE returns in other markets suggest that
"Princess Mononoke" is succeeding, at least modestly, against some substantial
odds. [...] "Princess Mononoke" is a visual blast -- the equal in
painted and computer-generated artistry of any live-action, special-effects
production. And yes, it's serious, but it's intense and shrewd rather than
drearily polemical. Maybe spiritual is a better word for it than
philosophical. That's a thumbs-up, folks. [...] For film connoisseurs and animation buffs, "Princess
Mononoke" is a reflection of Miyazaki's genius. For everybody else of
reasonably mature age, it's a trip. 62). Detroit Free Press The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 5, 1999, Friday By Terry Lawson Before George Lucas turns the digital cameras on "Star
Wars: Episode II," he may want to take a look at "Princess Mononoke," an
animated epic from revered Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki. Just as Lucas
found inspiration for the original "Star Wars" in master filmmaker Akira
Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress," "Princess Mononoke" should remind Lucas of
what was lacking in "The Phantom Menace": Even a newly minted myth should feel
as if it has lived forever. Miyazaki has rooted "Princess Mononoke" -- now rescripted
and revoiced into English -- in his country's Muromachi era (1392-1573), when
an agricultural society was being plowed over by the Iron Age. But he admits
that he invented 90 percent of its mythology. Still, its action-filled,
philosophical and visually wondrous story of a young prince, whose quest to
find a remedy for a demon curse leads him to become a defender of a magical
forest, plays like a much-elaborated legend, one that has grown more complex,
populated and amazing with each telling. [...] 63). Philadelphia Inquirer The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 5, 1999, Friday By Desmond Ryan Ask the artists who have led the gratifying resurgence in
animation in the '90s at the Disney Studio and its rivals for the man who has
inspired them, and the name you will almost certainly hear is Hayao Miyazaki.
After you see Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke, no further explanation is
needed. Part myth-laden epic and part eco-fable, the film is a
masterpiece of Japanese animation that offers a fascinating and instructive
contrast with the admirable state of the art here. [...] It will take all of Miramax's storied marketing skill to
lure the audience that Princess Mononoke richly deserves. Animation
fans will need no encouragement, but anyone who relishes seeing the reach and
scope of the genre redefined should not miss this marvelously accomplished
picture. 64). Saint Paul Pioneer Press The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 5, 1999, Friday By Chris Hewitt [...] "Mononoke" dawdles big time. Miyazaki lavishes incredible
attention on each cloud, and the pastel palette is subtly stunning. It's
beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, but the reeds rustling in a morning rainstorm
are more interesting than the story, an ecological plea that boils down to
"nature=good, guns=bad." You can say that in two seconds, but it takes more
than two lavishly stunning hours for the movie to get there. The pokey pace rules "Mononoke" out for younger children,
as does its violence. Severed, gushing arms fly all over the place as Mononoke
and Ashitaka do battle with the land-rapers, struggling to prove that nature is
stronger than those who would try to defeat it. 65). Sacramento Bee The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 5, 1999, Friday By Joe Baltake We're not in Disneyland anymore, Toto. Strange and powerful, Hayao Miyazaki's "Princess
Mononoke" sets a new standard in animation -- not in terms of the supple
lushness of the characters in its foreground, something which has become the
hallmark of Disney animation, but rather in the dense, deeply layered details
and textures of its backgrounds and the subtle accompanying sounds. Even more impressively, the film -- a prime example of
Japanese animé, a strain of animation devoted to archetypal figures, mythical
storytelling and a sense of mysticism -- advances the plots of animation.
Geared toward adults and those older children with an appetite for the unusual,
"Princess Mononoke" concentrates on ecological and feminist themes in its
telling of a doomed young hero who wages a one-man battle to reinstate harmony
between man and nature. [...] 66). Seattle Times The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 5, 1999, Friday By Melanie McFarland True artistry in feature animation is so rare these days,
because something usually gets sacrificed in the process. If lots of effort is
expended in visual magic, the plot may suffer. Intricate stories may demand
that the visuals take a back seat. That's why Hayao Miyazaki's anime masterpiece "Princess
Mononoke," Japan's most successful film, is such a treat. Beautifully
constructed and painstakingly written, this is about as close to a perfect
animated epic as you're likely to get. [...] Making "Mononoke" had long been a dream of Miyazaki's,
and that's apparent in the visuals. This is a film that begs for a big screen -
Miayzaki's sweeping landscapes and wide shots of action sequences leave you
breathless. The director personally did the final edit on every one of tens of
thousands of animation cels. Not surprisingly, he said that "Mononoke" would be
the last film he directs - yet another reason to see this ravishing piece of
art while it's still in theaters. [...] 67). Dallas Morning News The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 5, 1999, Friday By Nancy Churnin When Hollywood does a children's movie about saving the
forest, it turns out like 1992's "Ferngully: The Last Rain Forest," a sweet,
animated tale of little tree fairies who have to stave off the big, bad
woodcutters before it's too late. When Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki tackles the
subject in "Princess Mononoke," well, that's a far more complex journey through
darkness and light. [...] [...] And yet, while all sides may be right in Mr. Miyazaki's
script (adapted to English by Neil Gaiman), the very artistry of the director's
mesmerizing brush strokes gives his heart away, making the most eloquent of
defenses for the forest with nary a word. How could anyone bear to part with
even one swaying blade of grass in the lovingly drawn frames of this richly
imagined world, where magical spirits fly from the trees and leaves shimmer
with life and light? 68). IGN Sci-Fi The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 3, 1999, Wednesday By Jeff Chen When I first saw Princess Mononoke in its
original Japanese format more than a year ago, I was taken with the quality and
detail of the animation and how much it differed from both formulaic Disney
films and the majority of anime seen here in the States. Even though my
Japanese isn't the best, the story was simple enough to be understood on a
purely visual level, but complex enough to register symbolically on many levels
(unlike its contemporary Hercules.) Still, when I learned Disney/Miramax was bringing it to
the US, I thought it was a gutsy move on its part, considering Princess
Mononoke is one of Miyazaki's least "kid-safe" films, featuring brutal
violence, light sexual themes, and an amazing amount of death for an animated
film. It was about as un-Disney as you can get. But, good taste prevailed, and
Miramax has dubbed it for US release, untouched except for a new script from
Sandman writer Neil Gaiman. If you like your animation grown-up and
slightly exotic, then you can't afford to miss this film. [...] 69). Mr. Cranky The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 5, 1999, Friday By Mr. Cranky If Disney animation is somehow representative of who we
are as Americans, then what does Hayao Miyazaki's stuff say about the
Japanese? If you take into consideration that Miyazaki hand-drew
something like 80% of all the animation in this film, I think the words
"obsessive-compulsive" could be put to good use. Isn't this a culture that's
pretty big on hand-washing? Then there's the whole theme of man living in
harmony with nature. What kind of fantasy is that? Miyazaki can wax positive
all he wants about woodland sprites and happy campers, but when he opens the
door to his house -- asphalt jungle. [...] 70). Access Atlanta The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 5, 1999, Friday By Eleanor Ringel Gillespie There's so much going on in "Princess Mononoke" that it
makes Wagner's Ring Cycle look like the Teletubbies. [...] If anything, "Princess Mononoke" is oddly reminiscent of
such late Akira Kurosawa works as "Ran" or "Kagemusha." That is, it's an
operatic epic with a complicated narrative to match its stunning visuals. In
fact, given its two-hour-plus running length, we might've used a little less
story. But director Hayao Miyazaki is a master filmmaker, and while he may tire
us out, he never bores us. [...] Boldly innovative yet eerily innocent, "Princess
Mononoke" is unlike anything you've seen in the theaters this year. It is, in
the best sense, something you simply have to see for yourself. 71). Houston Chronicle The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 5, 1999, Friday By Jeff Millar Princess Mononoke should delight fans of anime,
which is what animation is called in Japan, where this unusual film was
made. It is quite lovely to look at, and it is certainly
something that American/Western animated films are not -- folkloric,
philosophical and thematically complex. Don't expect a Disney or Warner Bros.
film anytime soon about the conflict between nature and industrialization in
the Middle Ages. But I found the film slow going. [...] 72). Moviequest The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 1999 By Richard Nilsen, The Arizona Republic [...] It would be a shame if American audiences missed such a
magical film as Princess Mononoke only because of the prejudices they carry
about animation. [...] But it is not the story that is the star of the film.
Miyazaki's animation creates a world of intense visual excitement. By
comparison, Disney's Fantasia is an earthbound lump. Every moment of the film offers some new enchantment.
Like the best fairy tales, it creates a complete world, totally believable in
its own logic and completely mesmerizing. The movie is not perfect: Viewers may become confused by
the contending factions. And visually anime blends quasi-realistic backgrounds
with the flat, stylized characters you might recognize from anime TV series
such as Speed Racer: the wide, round eyes and haystacks of hair on skinny
teenagers. They seem quite two-dimensional in the three dimensions of the
backgrounds.
And finally the movie ends in a battle set piece that
seems tacked on for a Big Ending. But even with those caveats, Princess Mononoke is a
stunning film and comes highly recommended to anyone willing to step outside
the run-of-the-mill Hollywood offerings and re-energize his or her
imagination. [...] 73). The Minnesota Daily (University of
Minnesota) The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 4, 1999, Thursday By Saiki Difrances If there's one thing you should know about Princess
Mononoke, it's this: Despite being the highest grossing movie in Japan's
history and the first semi-adult animated movie to see wide release in
theaters, Princess Mononoke is not good. It's hard to say where exactly it goes
wrong, but it may involve its brazenly insulting cheesiness. Sure, for the most
part, Princess Mononoke directs itself at a young audience -- so the fact that
even the youngest, most worldly unwise, backward child in the world could be
the victim of the movie's patronizing tone and clunky narrative makes it that
much more painful. [...] 74). Artistic review, Screen It! Entertainment Reviews
for Parents The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 5, 1999, Friday By Screen It! [...] Featuring an animation style that's more hard-edged than
the "softer" realism that Disney and other studios try to replicate, the effect
is quite striking, but it also may be a bit jarring to those unfamiliar with
it. As such, the film doesn't have the complete visual quality most are
accustomed to finding in the Disney films. While the computer-supplemented
backgrounds here are often quite stunning, the characters are less so and look
more like what one would expect to see on Saturday morning cartoons. That said, it ultimately doesn't really make any
difference as the overall story -- the other notable difference from most
animated features -- is truly epic in nature. As written and directed by
acclaimed anime filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki ("Kiki's Delivery Service," "Porco
Rosso") -- with an English script adaptation by Neil Gaiman -- the film is more
than engrossing enough to insure that most viewers will probably be so absorbed
in what's occurring with the story that they'll soon forget they're watching an
animated feature and thus not care in the slightest how any of it looks. A universal tale of man versus nature, and expansionism
versus environmentalism, the story is nothing short of outstanding, and while
Japanese audiences probably better understand the native folklore and mythology
that's liberally sprinkled throughout the production, audiences everywhere will
easily be able to identify with and appreciate most of what occurs. [...] 75). Parental review, Screen It! Entertainment Reviews
for Parents The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 5, 1999, Friday By Screen It! [...] OUR WORD TO PARENTS: While the film obviously isn't aimed at them, should
younger kids be allowed to see it they may just find many of those scenes and
others (that are accompanied by suspenseful music) featuring the likes of a
huge and menacing boar demon, as suspenseful or downright scary (all dependent
of course on their age and tolerance for such material). Profanity is mild with some uses of "damn" and a few
religious and colorful phrases also occurring. Women in a town are noted as
being former prostitutes (although no sexual activity is present) and a few of
the men wear loincloth-like apparel that shows part of their cartoon bare
butts. Beyond that, some bad attitudes and thematic elements of
man vs. nature and expansionism vs. conservation, the rest of the film's
categories have little or nothing in the way of major objectionable content.
Since some kids will probably want to see this film, however, we suggest that
you more closely examine our listed content should you still be concerned about
its appropriateness for anyone in your home. [...] 76). The Washington Post The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 5, 1999, Friday By Stephen Hunter [...] For some reason some of our better film scribes seem to
have gotten on the Princess's bandwagon, responding perhaps to its sponsorship
by a major American company (Miramax) and the dubbing of Japanese voices by
American actors like Billy Bob Thornton, Billy Crudup and Claire Danes. So you
will have been hearing that it's quite good. Well, it didn't strike me as
nearly as intriguing as "Akira," the underground sensation of several years
ago, which lacked those swanky credentials. It was about a gang of delinquents
who fought a giant in the future. I think. Anyway, it had lots of cool
destruction, machines and guns. Like "Akira," "Princess Mononoke" feels somewhat odd in
its progress. It's not a question so much of plot logic and cause-effect, which
is consistent if fanciful, but emphasis. The director Hayao Miyazaki seems
uncomfortable with pure aggression and naked hostility; the impulse in the film
is toward reconciliation, not conquest, a spirit that feels peculiar in an
environment so bloody and violent. [...] 77). Creative Loafing (Atlanta) The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 6, 1999, Saturday By Curt Holman [...] Miyazaki throws a lot of balls in the air but keeps them
in motion with confidence and offers one memorable image and exciting sequence
after another: Lady Eboshi and her traveling party fighting the massive white
wolves on a narrow mountain pass; Mononoke skittering like a squirrel over the
roofs of Iron Town, seeking to assassinate Eboshi; even the idyllic heart of
the forest, inhabited by weirdly cute tree sprites with rattling heads akin to
Munch's "The Scream." The muzzle-scratching animal characters tend to be more
vividly animated than the humans, whose faces tend to have the usual limited
expression range of Japanese animation. Likewise, the climax goes over-the-top
in a fashion typical of anime, in which heroes, for whatever reason, invariably
risk fatal smothering by writhing tentacles or dark, deadly glop. The icky
eccentricity of Mononoke's climax detracts a bit from what comes
before it. Otherwise Princess Mononoke is a gorgeous movie,
with colors and vistas worthy of Akira Kurosawa and animated people who seem
credibly human, despite the supernatural goings on. It's hard to imagine
Princess Mononoke becoming a big crossover hit, especially when an
American animated film as lovely as The Iron Giant couldn't find the
audience it deserved. But it's bound to spellbind anyone who chances to see
it. 78). People Magazine The following are representative quotes only. November 8, 1999, Monday By Tom Gliatto The work of Hayao Miyazaki, an animator revered in Japan,
this epic about a medieval prince's quest in a mythical forest is full of
suffering so intense it makes Bambi's wood look like Canyon Ranch. A demon,
afflicted with some wriggling, wormy growth, rampages in agony. A wolf,
adoptive mother of a young woman (the princess of the title), is torched and
shot by a nature-hating lady industrialist. A kind spirit who looks like your
old aunt stuffed into an elk suit has its head blown clean off. The convoluted, violent story, which begins when the
prince slays the demon and incurs a curse that can be lifted (if at all) only
by journeying to the monster's homeland, makes this unsuitable fare for kids.
And the marriage of English-speaking voices (Billy Crudup, Minnie Driver) to a
Japanese cartoon is a clumsy one (think Speed Racer). But the
animation --from elaborate (the supernatural creatures) to simple (a rain
shower) -- is superb. (PG-13) Bottom Line: A must for animation
buffs 79). Science Fiction Weekly The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: November 8, 1999, Monday By Tasha Robinson [...] Despite its grimness, Mononoke is an extravagantly
gorgeous and well-characterized movie. Miyazaki gives both sides of the
conflict their due--the natural world is depicted in fantastic detail and rich
colors, as Ashitaka passes by wind-dappled ponds and fields of shifting
sunbeams, or gallops through lavishly painted greenery. Irontown, while
visually plainer, is shown as a warm nest full of enough love, hope, bravery,
humor and loyalty to overpower its moments of greed and ignorance. Both places
are beautiful, but neither is wholly good or wholly right. Ashitaka, despite
his youth, clearly knows this. His unswerving determination and too-complete
understanding make him at once sadder and more evocative to watch than
Miyazaki's usual blithe, good-hearted child-warriors. Miramax's English dub of this 1997 Japanese film is
reasonably good, though it has its rocky spots. Neil Gaiman's translation can
be a bit too dry at times, losing personal interaction in order to add cultural
and religious exposition. The casting is also slightly off--Thornton is too
twangy, and Driver hasn't stopped doing Jane from Tarzan. Anderson is a
particularly odd choice for a role played by a man in the original. But Crudup
is perfect as the quiet Ashitaka, the heart of the film. And anyway, it doesn't
matter terribly. By Mononoke's end, the characters are nearly lost in
the film's epic themes and preternatural beauty. Viewers probably will be as
well. [...] 80). culturevulture.net The following are representative quotes only; the full
text is available online at: October 28, 1999, Thursday By Scott Von Doviak [...] Miyazaki weaves elements of Japanese history and folklore
with an ecological message that is laid on a bit too thickly at times. His
characters, though, evince a complexity that belies their two-dimensional
status. Even the villainous Lady Eboshi proves to have facets that take her
beyond Cruella DeVille caricature, as we see her caring for lepers and other
outcasts who have no place outside Iron Town. This may be the most meticulous,
multi-layered piece of storytelling ever attempted within an animated
format. Mononoke has a clean and convincing fairy tale look and
decidedly non-Disney rhythms. American audiences accustomed to their cartoons
ending in under an hour and a half may grow restless during the more low-key
passages in the movie's 133 minutes. Parents with very small children beware:
the graphic violence includes several decapitations, at least one of which is
played for laughs. But there are also moments of quiet, mesmerizing beauty.
The woods seem truly enchanted, particularly in a scene where the Forest God, a
shimmering, translucent being, undergoes a transformation in a darkened lake.
Miyazaki has a natural, fluid sense of movement that segues effortlessly from
pastoral splendor to the most brutal of battles, and his muted colors convey
the dreamlike texture of a world far away in time.
[...] Quibbles aside, Princess Mononoke is certainly a landmark
achievement in animated cinema. If anime is ever to break through to a mass
audience, this is the time. Older children and fantasy enthusiasts of all ages
will see to that.
http://www.mercurycenter.com/justgo/special/mononoke/review-sjmn.shtml
Spiritual 'Princess Mononoke' stuns senses
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http://www.mercurycenter.com/justgo/special/mononoke/review-detroit.shtml
'Princess' is a magical introduction to anime
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http://www.mercurycenter.com/justgo/special/mononoke/review-phillyinq.shtml
A 'Princess' unlike her predecessors
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http://www.mercurycenter.com/justgo/special/mononoke/review-stpaul.shtml
Attention to detail slows 'Princess' to a crawl
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http://www.sacbee.com/sacbeat/news/sacbeat01_19991105.html
Masterpiece of myth: Japan's animated 'Princess
Mononoke' is a visual wonder
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http://www.seattletimes.com/news/entertainment/html98/prin_19991105.html
"Princess Mononoke": Beautiful on every level
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http://dfw.citysearch.com/E/M/DALTX/0000/08/58/cs1.html
Princess Mononoke
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http://scifi.ign.com/movies/2941.html
Princess Mononoke
review: Will Japan's blockbuster anime hit charm
American audiences? Read the review and find out!
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http://www.mrcranky.com/movies/princessmononoke.html
Princess Mononoke
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http://www.accessatlanta.com/FEATURES/movies/princessmononoke.html
Princess Mononoke
Verdict: This animated epic from Japan is like a
Disney film by way of Akira Kurosawa.
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http://cg.zip2.com/houstonchronicle/scripts/staticpage.dll?only=y&spage=AE/movies/movies_details.htm&id=21191&ck=&ver=hb1.0.10
Good animation isn't enough to save slow-going `Princess
Mononoke'
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http://www.moviequest.com/screens/contentarticle/0,1503,1156,00.html
Expert animation in 'Princess' jump-starts imagination
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http://www.daily.umn.edu/ae/Print/1999/39/storys/cipm.html
Princess Mononoke
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http://www.screenit.com/ourtake/1999/princess_mononoke.html
SCREEN IT! ARTISTIC REVIEW: PRINCESS MONONOKE
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http://www.screenit.com/movies/1999/princess_mononoke.html
SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: PRINCESS MONONOKE
Here's a quick look at the content found in this PG-13 animated drama. Although
the film is animated and features well-known performers providing the vocal
services, this isn't your typical G-rated Disney flick. As such, a great deal
of violence occurs with characters and creatures fighting and many being
wounded, killed, decapitated or having limbs severed, often with rather bloody
(but obviously cartoon drawn) results.
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http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-11/05/125l-110599-idx.html
The Bland Violence of 'Mononoke'
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http://loaf.ilcnet.com/scripts/oneweb.nl.cla?Page=Article&UID=KUTTNLOCT7CBFAKFWP6S&333=6364
Ambitious anime - Princess Mononoke a
spellbinding adventure
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Picks & Pans - Screen - Princess Mononoke
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http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue134/screen.html
Princess Mononoke - Beauty and the bestial
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http://www.culturevulture.net/Movies/PrincessMononoke.html
Princess Mononoke
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