Ghibli’s 借りぐらしのアリエッティ (aka “The Secret World of Arietty”) being released in US!
31 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in Japan, Movies, Uncategorized Tags: animated movies, anime, Disney, Hayao Miyazaki, new release, Studio Ghibli, The Secret World of Arietty, 借りぐらしのアリエッティ
I was so excited when I saw a friend post on Facebook this morning that the most recent Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli film, “The Secret World of Arietty” will be in theaters in the US in February of 2012! I was lucky enough to see it in theaters in July of 2010, and I was blown away. Here’s the Japanese trailer:
The story is based off the classic children’s novel “The Borrowers” by Mary Norton. Essentially, the Borrowers are kobito, literally “tiny people,” who live by borrowing the things they need from humans. They live under the floorboards or close to human’s houses so they can sneak in when no-one’s around to borrow what they need. The main characters are Arietty and her family, the last remaining Borrower family in their area. One day, while borrowing sugar from the house, Arietty is seen by the sick boy who’s come to visit the house for the summer. What will happen now that a human has seen her? The adventure begins!
Studio Ghibli films are always beautifully produced, but I thought that Arietty was even a step above their normal production. The scenery from the garden around the house was exquisite… every leaf, flower and dew drop was so fresh and colorful that when you watch it on the big screen you truly feel you are the size of a Borrower, walking though the jungle of an overgrown garden. The soundtrack was equally amazing – ethereal and quirky, performed by the immensely talented French singer and harpist Cecile Corbel. I’m not one for buying movie soundtracks, but after I saw the movie I immediately went to the closest Tower Records and bought the “Kari-gurashi SONGBOOK” soundtrack, which has all of the best themes and songs from the movie on it. Here’s the main theme:
Disney will be releasing Arietty in February. Although I’m a die-hard subtitle fan, I’ve been really impressed by Disney’s translation and dubbing for the other Ghibli movies. They bring in top-notch actors and really smooth out the dialogue while keeping close to the original meaning and feeling of the Japanese. Translation of movies has got to be one of the hardest jobs ever – it’s not just language but a whole different set of cultural cues that you’re translating for another audience. Arietty will be voiced by Bridget Mendler and supported by a great cast including Carol Burnett, Amy Poehler, and Will Arnet.
If you’re intrigued by the glimpse of Miyazaki and Ghibli’s world that you got from the Arietty trailer and don’t want to wait until next year to learn more, check out some of their other movies! My favorites include:
Porco Rosso (紅の豚 Kurenai no Buta), the Casablanca-esque story of a mysteriously enchanted pig-cum-bounty hunter who swoops around the Adriatic saving school children and the hearts of beautiful cafe owners…
My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ Tonari no Totoro), a story of two little girls who move to a new house in the country with their father. Strangely enough, the house is inhabited by an amazing array or spirits that can only be seen by children, including the large, fuzzy, and toothy monster called Totoro and his friend the Cat Bus.
Howl’s Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城 Hauru no Ugoku Shiro), based on the Diana Wynne Jones YA book of the same name, is a light tale of love and magic with a twist of Miyazaki’s anti-war messages…
I hope you guys will get as excited about Ghibli and Miyazaki as I am, it’s a great way to get introduced to Japanese culture and animation and find your next favorite movie!
~MS the Younger
Marching to a Different Drummer – NYC’s Steuben Day Parade
27 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: German Americans, German culture, NYC, Steuben Day Parade
Two lovely girls in their traditional outfits on the day of the parade - picture from New York Daily New's coverage of the parade.
Watching NYC’s Steuben Day Parade lead me to disturbing speculations on the impact of the American melting pot upon cultural pluralism. If we are all equal as Americans does that mean we are all the same? Will the cultural idiosyncrasies of small groups of German citizens as reflected in their manner of dress, language, cuisine, dance and music lose their savor and fade away into the American cultural hodgepodge? Is the parade merely a pale reflection of the glory of German culture now many times generationally removed?
Moreover, will the American cultural juggernaut and forces of globalization encourage a world-wide cultural landscape where difference is minimized and pluralism reduced? I can imagine a worldwide cultural landscape where the nail that sticks up is hammered down, differences homogenized and creativity stifled. What a tragedy! It would be a sad and insipid world indeed without the glories of the dirndl, lederhosen, and Schuhplattler, the flavors of bratwurst, sauerkraut, potatoes and beer.
German marching band - hope they didn't drink too much beer before the parade! From NYDailyNews.com
According to Michael Kimmelman of The New York Times, we have little to fear from American cultural imperialism and the forces of globalization.
“Nationalism, regionalism and tribalism are all on the rise. Societies are splitting even as they share more common goods and attributes than ever before. Culture is increasingly an instrument to divide and differentiate communities. And the leveling pressures of globalization have at the same time provided more and more people with the technological resources to decide for themselves, culturally speaking, who they are and how they choose to be known, seen, distinguished from others.”
Kimmelman believes that globalization acts rather to increase our choices.
The “…leveling pressures of globalization have … provided more and more people with the technological resources to decide for themselves, culturally speaking, who they are and how they choose to be known, seen, distinguished from others. […] Anyone may now pick through the marketplace of global culture.”
The Steuben Day Parade may reflect the growing need for people to distinguish themselves one from the other, to resist the trend toward sameness, or rather to encourage the preservation and dissemination of individuality. That individuality which is, paradoxically, another basic American trait.
“This may sound like the essence of globalization, but the fact that everybody from Yerevan to Brasilia, Jakarta to Jerusalem, knows songs by the Black Eyed Peas or wears New York Yankees caps doesn’t mean that culture is the same everywhere.”
So wear your lederhosen and hold your bratwurst with pride!
~MS the O&W
Last Chance to See – Fall Flowers of Japan @ NY Botanical Gardens
25 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Halloween, Japan, NY Botanical Garden, Trips
Head on over to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx to see the Fall Flowers of Japan display! It’s open until October 30th, this coming Sunday costs $20 to see, and is completely worth it. The MadSilence family headed there last weekend. It was our first time to visit, and we were blown away! The main focus of the display is kiku, or chrysanthemum.
These mums were bigger than a grapefruit, and were so glossy and translucent that they should be made of spun sugar!
They also had an amazing sculptural piece of art there, created by Kawana Tetsunori, a master of the Sogestsu school of ikebana, Japanese flower arranging. It’s made entirely of tree and shrub branches that fell after Hurricanes Irene and Jeff rolled over New York. The artist named it Tanjou, or “rebirth.”
The piece is displayed in the center of a still pool in the Conservatory greenhouse... its beautiful reflection in the water doubles its grandeur.
This special event also brings traditional music and dancing to the lecture hall on the garden grounds, a rare chance to see such a special performance in New York. I ran over to the performers to say hello after they finished their display, it felt great to speak Japanese again! But even if you don’t make it for the Fall Flowers display, there are still amazing things to see at the Garden. I was flabbergasted by the fairytale greenhouses.
And of course the awesome Halloween displays!
BRAINSSSSSSSSSSSSSS... or maybe more like.... SEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDSSSSSSS....
~MS the Family
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