Entertainment Discussion Forum

[DesEsseintes]

I didn't know that - thank you. I had always read it was based on Miyazaki's child-hood, but of course you are absolutely right. Studio Ghibli has such a tight 'style', for want of a better word, that I assumed it was the same director.

As you say - immensely powerful stuff. On a cheerier but still moving note, I do love Princess Mononoke.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

I only know that I need to see "Totoro" and "Princess Mononoke" an "Porco Rosso" and "Howl's moving castle" and "Chihiro" and... MOAR! It is a good feeling to have so many unwatched good films to look forward to.

 

[DesEsseintes]

I envy you that feeling - like that sad moment when you finish reading an indisputably great book and know you will never again encounter it for the first time.

Mononoke and Spirited Away are absolute must-watch, I'd say. The others are all fun, and very well done, but I've not felt the need to re-watch them.

Now Tarkovsky is a director who makes me feel as you do about Miyazaki. I've only seen Solaris and Mirror, and they are both so meditative and wonderful that I'm deliberately holding back on watching Stalker and the others...

 

[Niceandbrutal]

I had that feeling after finishing "Master and Margarita", one of the greatest novels I've ever read. I have to hang my head in shame and confess: I haven't watched ANY of Tarkovsky's output. I know I ought to but...

 

[StarryEyed665]

OH MY GOD I missed the Miyazaki/Studio Gibli fangirling?! No effin' way

Feels like it's been agesss since I've last seen one . . . I was in Forbidden Planet a few weeks ago and saw all the DVDs and like had a breakdown because MY CHILDHOOD.

Spirited Away and HMC are probably my favourites, watched them the most <3 Anyone read the book? Love love love Mononoke . . . oh God I watched Grave of the Fireflies like the day before my History GCSE which was NOT a good idea.

I do play the soundtracks often though, just makes my heart hurt.

 

[StarryEyed665]

Oh, and watch Stalker. That is all.

 

[DesEsseintes]

I had that feeling after finishing "Master and Margarita", one of the greatest novels I've ever read. I have to hang my head in shame and confess: I haven't watched ANY of Tarkovsky's output. I know I ought to but...

I think we are going to get on, Mr Brutal - I thought The Master and Margarita was stunning. But then I like a lot of modernist Russian writing - Mandelstam and Mayakovsky are incredible poets, for example. Post Revolution until Stalin really got going with the murdering of opposition in the late 30s was an astonishing flowering of suppressed talent. And then, of course, as is sometimes the way with revolutions, it all got buried again even more brutally.

I'd start with the original Solaris - monumentally, mesmerically slow at the start, and leaves spaces for thoughts to grow, as Derek Mahon put it beautifully. Mirror is even more of an achievement, I think, but I wouldn't star there - at least Solaris has a more or less recognisable plot.

Speaking of brilliant Russians and obscure plots - have you seen Russian Ark?

 

[DesEsseintes]

OH MY GOD I missed the Miyazaki/Studio Gibli fangirling?! No effin' way

Feels like it's been agesss since I've last seen one . . . I was in Forbidden Planet a few weeks ago and saw all the DVDs and like had a breakdown because MY CHILDHOOD.

Spirited Away and HMC are probably my favourites, watched them the most <3 Anyone read the book? Love love love Mononoke . . . oh God I watched Grave of the Fireflies like the day before my History GCSE which was NOT a good idea.

I do play the soundtracks often though, just makes my heart hurt.

I have the feeling we shall be returning to Ghibli/Miyazaki, so I'm sure you've not missed out - with so much love, how could we not go back? Though I confess I feel slightly put out at being referred to as a 'fan-girl'...

Watching Grace of the Fireflies before doing anything important is, indeed, probably a mistake. I hope your History GCSE did not suffer too badly. And, as you say, the music is often just as wonderful as the visuals. Both sound and image allow, as Derek Mahon put it beautifully, space for 'a thought might grow' - there is no hurtling rush to the next plot device in Miyazaki films, which is why I made the connection with Tarkovsky.

I think my very favourite combination of music and visuals in the whole Ghibli ouevre is when Chihiro travels to Yubaba's sister on the train, with No-name. There is something haunting and multi-layered about the quiet music, the absence of dialogue, the occasional sound effect, and the black, silhouetted passengers, silent and faceless, destined never to appear again...

 

[StarryEyed665]

I just shivered with recollection. I even remember the music for that ('Sixth Station' I think? I tried to learn how to play it on the piano).

You are definitely right to make that connection . . . the pace of Stalker really frustrated my sister, patience is a requirement but it just makes the whole film that much more beautiful in the end.

Don't worry, still managed an A in History somehow ;D

 

[DesEsseintes]

I just shivered with recollection. I even remember the music for that ('Sixth Station' I think? I tried to learn how to play it on the piano).

You are definitely right to make that connection . . . the pace of Stalker really frustrated my sister, patience is a requirement but it just makes the whole film that much more beautiful in the end.

Don't worry, still managed an A in History somehow ;D

Ah, Ms. Starry-Eyed - talking with you is what it must feel like to be a British explorer hopelessly lost in the jungle, whose crackling short-wave radio suddenly and inexplicably tunes itself to the World Service.
Patience is a virtue much underrated in today's society - everything must be quicker. Well, I am not ashamed to say I prefer walking to running, ale to lager, and letters to emails. There ought to be more space for the innate slowness of things.

I am delighted you still got an A in History - my own result, which was its own kind of miracle given that I distinctly remember describing the Japanese economic miracle of post WW2 by using the phrase 'Every mushroom cloud has a silver lining.' Dear Lord.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Master and Margarita was my first and hitherto only foray into modernist russian literature. I like to read lighter stuff most of the time, as well as history books. But once in a while I get the urge to serve my mind a gourmet meal and I delve into classics old and new.

I also resent being called a fangirl, by the way!

 

[StarryEyed665]

My apologies, gentlemen! I've spent far too much time in the company of actual fangirls this week (and tumblr...), it just slipped out before I could stop my fingers. They're out of control, I tell you.

I will punish myself by watching more American Horror Story at 1am dans le dark D=

 

[DesEsseintes]

You have out of control fingers? It seems to be a problem affecting many of the women of Literotica, to judge by the most cursory glance at other threads.

And, forgive me, but I think that watching American Horror late at night would, for you, be no punishment. Still, your presence alone warrants an entire forgiveness.

 

[prettyserpentine]

What's Pax?

 

[prettyserpentine]

iz jelly

 

[Scuttle Buttin']

iz jelly

*goes in search of peanut butter*

 

[prettyserpentine]

*goes in search of peanut butter*

Awesome, Scuttle. Let's make a sandwich.

 

[StarryEyed665]

*noms sandwich* soz guys

 

[prettyserpentine]

*noms sandwich* soz guys

is nommed

 

[StarryEyed665]

is nommed

If it's any consolation, you were deeeeelicious!

 

[prettyserpentine]

If it's any consolation, you were deeeeelicious!

So I'm told.

winks in a really sleazy and downright disturbing manner

 

[DesEsseintes]

<Tiptoes through twitching body parts with chilling lack of concern.>
So, anyway - what's Pax Week?

 

[Scuttle Buttin']

So I'm told.

winks in a really sleazy and downright disturbing manner

*iz disturbed*

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Pax vobiscum.

 

[thestruggle]

*iz disturbed*

Like you don't make sleazy jokes!