#162- Princess Mononoke

Quick recap: After Ashitaka is attacked by a demon, he goes in search of a cure. While on his journey, he becomes involved with a war between the animals of the forest and a mining town.

Is it too much to ask for a two hour movie with just these guys?

Fun (?) fact: This is probably common knowledge, but Neil Gaiman was the one to adapt the dialogue so that English speakers could better understand what was going on. Is there anything that guy can’t do?

‘I know Neil Gaiman needs to be an animal, but how white can we portray him?’
‘SO white. As white as you can possibly get.’

My thoughts: I had no idea what to expect going into this since my knowledge of anime is about as stereotypically American as you can get (translation- I’ve seen Cowboy Bebop and parts of Inuyasha thanks to late night Adult Swim). That’s not to say I have anything against the genre. There is just so much to choose from that I wouldn’t know where to begin. I’m not sure Princess Mononoke was a good starting point but that’s not because it was a bad movie.

First, let me admit that as much as I tried, I kept being reminded of FernGully, even though the two aren’t that similar. I guess it was the battle between nature versus industry that led me down that path, although-side note- FernGully doesn’t hold up after all these years. I watched it a couple of years ago and it brought back some great nostalgia but that’s about it. Princess Mononoke is leaps and bounds much more complex than that movie and I would venture to say more complex than most animated films. I was really impressed with how much the film required me to concentrate and didn’t just tell me how I was supposed to feel. My thoughts toward the characters changed with each scene and even at the end, I wasn’t sure how I felt. I won’t give away the ending but I will say that if you are looking for a feel good film for the entire family, this ain’t it.

also not kid appropriate because of this scene. Pictured is a big fat NOPE.

My one complaint, and I’m not even sure it is one, is that I felt like some of the movie was lost in translation. I understand that there are words in the Japanese language that are almost impossible to translate but the dialogue just seemed so simple compared to the plot I tried to follow. Is there a version I could watch with subtitles? I’m not even sure that would fix anything. The American voices also threw me off more than I expected (Billy Bob Thornton? Really?) and they didn’t seem to fit at all with the characters. I guess I was hoping for something a little more authentic to the original and not so Disneyfied.

Final review: 4/5. The animation alone is worth the score and is one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen but the theme also impressed me. I feel like I would need to watch it again to really understand what was going on.

Up next: Kandahar

#144- Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Quick recap: King Arthur and his knights go on a journey to find the Holy Grail, encountering many terrifying obstacles along the way.

like this rabbit with nasty, big, pointy teeth

Fun (?) fact: The airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow is roughly 24 miles per hour.

My thoughts: I planned on starting out this section with the belief that people either love or hate Monty Python, but then I thought about it a bit and realized that I don’t know anyone who hates this movie. I might just know some awesome people, though. I watched this movie back in college after my roommate, a theatre major, stared at me with dropped jaw when I admitted I had never seen it. I remember being reluctant to try it because I knew barely anything about British humor except for a couple of shows I would catch on PBS sometimes late at night, and those were just stuffy sitcoms. From the second the credits came on, I knew that this movie was for me.

I had the pleasure of attending a Monty Python Quote-Along at my local Alamo Drafthouse , which I don’t recommend if this is your first time seeing a movie. The Drafthouse subtitled the most popular lines, although I was a little disappointed that a few of my favorites weren’t included. But then I remembered that I have this blog and can do whatever I want! So now, without further ado, I present my 5, I mean 3, favorite Monty Python scenes. I’d love to just quote the whole thing right now but for the few people who are reading this and have not seen the movie, I’ll refrain.

1. The opening credits

2. the witch scene

3. the scene where the knights must answer 3 questions before crossing the bridge

What I loved most about watching this on the big screen is being with other people who love this movie even more than I do. There were some in the audience who have watched the Holy Grail upwards of a hundred times and still enjoy it. I’m nowhere near that number but if given the opportunity, I would gladly watch it again and laugh the entire time.

Final review: 5/5. Watch it!

Up next: 4 Weddings and a Funeral

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#126- The Thief of Bagdad

Quick recap: A thief-who lives in Bagdad- has a lot of fun stealing stuff until he falls in love with the princess. Basically it’s like Aladdin but without the monkey and the altruistic reasons. And without Genie (RIP Robin Williams).

Instead of getting a Middle Eastern guy to play the Thief of Bagdad, they got Douglas Fairbanks-the whitest name ever.

Fun (?) fact: The special effects for this movie are amazing, considering it was made in 1924. During one scene, as Fairbanks is jumping in and out of the large pots, he actually installed trampolines in each one to make it easier to hop.

I suspect this was also done with special effects. Can’t be sure, though.

My thoughts: A bonus fun fact: I started this blog chronologically, but after sitting through 9 silent films I couldn’t take it anymore and gave up. It wasn’t even that they were bad, but that they were so EPIC. It was hard to continually sit through something so heavy and long (that’s what she said) and know that the next movie would give me no reprieve. But then I saw A Clockwork Orange at the Alamo Drafthouse several months later and it renewed my passion. All that to say I made the right choice to watch randomly so that when the time came for another silent movie, I’d be ready.

The Thief of Bagdad comes from the 1001 Arabian Nights collection of stories so it’s basically your quintessential adventure movie. Fairbanks, who plays Ahmed the Thief, was the go to actor for all things adventure, starring in movies such as Robin Hood, The Three Musketeers and The Black Pirate. He spends the entire movie flexing his muscles and practically winking at the camera, to show the audience how awesome he is. It was difficult to root for him at times because he was a thief just for the sport of it instead of helping others.Not that I was expecting much, but Aladdin is the only story I know from Arabian Nights and that guy stole bread to give to children. Kind of a lot to live up to, though. Fairbanks was enjoyable to look at, although the thin lips bothered me. Was that a fashionable thing to have or did all people in the 20s just have naturally thin lips? This bothers me more than it should.

Not a complaint, but it seems like he should’ve been able to steal a shirt at some point.

If there is any reason to watch The Thief of Bagdad, it’s the setting. Director Raul Walsh had the set built on 6 1/2 acres of land and spared no expense. Every detail is beautiful and ornate. The fact that it was made in 1924 makes it all the more inspiring to think of the work that went into making this movie.

Final review: 4/5. When you take into account that the story came from an ancient book, the racism is not as bad as I expected.

Up next: Singin’ in the Rain

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#123- Dead Man

A big thank you to S for recommending this movie. My favorite part was that it was an ‘art house’ film that didn’t make me want to drink heavily.

Quick recap: Johnny Depp plays William Blake (not the poet), an accountant on the run from the law. After murdering a guy, Blake is shot. Thus begins his journey as a dead man (wanted for murder) and a dead man (because he got shot).

Johnny Depp pre judging himself on later film roles

Fun (?) fact: Many of the lines spoken by Nobody are taken from the real William Blake’s poetry.

My thoughts: My thoughts on Johnny Depp the actor are as follows: I have none. I’m aware of his career and I’ve seen many of his films but I wouldn’t call him a favorite by any means. Or even an actor that I hate (yeah, Bill Paxton, you’re still number one for that). I don’t really think it’s that big of a deal that he has done so many films with Tim Burton because he is well suited for those roles. It is nice, however, to watch a movie like Dead Man and be reminded how talented Depp really is.

Of the many aspects of the film, it was the scenery I was drawn to most. I read trivia that cinematographer Robert Müller ‘s idea to shoot in black and white was based off of Ansel Adam’s photographs. For a fantasy film, the setting was entirely realistic and I imagine that’s exactly how it would’ve looked and felt back in the 19th century. With the school year starting, my wanderlust has picked back up and I now find myself fantasizing a trip up north to make my own trek through the woods that Blake and Nobody rode through.

What interested me most about Dead Man is that although there are plot elements, the emphasis is really on the journey. There aren’t any monologues concerning Blake’s thoughts on his impending death or what he will leave behind. He is just along for the ride and for whatever happens. The scene where Nobody brings him to his tribe is a great example of this, as Blake just lays there and watches what is being done around him. He doesn’t fight death or argue about it. It just is.

Final review: 5/5. I’m shocked at this rating because immediately after watching it, I had planned on giving it just a 3. Considering I’m still talking about it to people and thinking about the meaning behind some parts, I felt it best to bump it up to a more deserving score.

Up next: The Thin Blue Line

1001 Movie Nights

Tag Archives: fantasy

#162- Princess Mononoke

#144- Monty Python and the Holy Grail

#126- The Thief of Bagdad

#123- Dead Man

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