"Lions and Tigers and--" no, wait a minute, there's only a rather plump cat and a huge scary crow to worry about in this new favorite film of mine… well, plus some wonderful pill bugs, a few rats that don't get too close, and a cricket or two. Yeah, some butterflies as well.
Anyway, I must confess that this newest Studio Ghibli film enchants me on many levels. For starters, I grew up having Many Norton's books, The Borrowers and its sequels being read to me by a magickal adult: Miss Amala Rose Wood. Only a few years ago did I learn that much later Norton wrote a fifth book of the series called The Borrowers Avenged, which was a profound delight.
Though three feature films and a TV series have been made about the little family named Clock that lived under the floor of an English country house, none until this gorgeous, luminous creation under the loving supervision of Hayao Miyazaki really captured the child-heart magick of the books for me.
It's not only the elegant, restrained and yet vivid animation that Miyazaki's crew always creates--there's so much more to savor and treasure here. For the first time I've ever seen, some element of a "tiny people's world" are treated with more than usual realism: drops of water are thick and bouncy; tissue paper is thick and stiff; the little people themselves are quite tough and resilient as we know that mice are!
There's also the emotional and spiritual element. There is so much this film says about relationships, the nature of home and security, bigness and smallness, mortality and humanity. And yet there's no ghastly violence either. The truth is, I cried near the end, not from sadness, but a rich and beautiful poignance.
I suggest that if you believe in Real Magick, as I do, don't wait for the DVD--see it in a theater, as it's glorious visually. A rare treat on many levels.
What's not to like here, if you have eyes to see, ears to hear, + a heart to feel?
Astonishing work!
Here's the latest trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp2nb9Vq0yY
Peace, Bruce
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