Howl's Moving Castle

[wendybeth]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

I had the same reaction. But I wonder if it was because we heard the Japanese characterization first. I imagine we might have just accepted husky Howl if that's how we'd first been introduced to him.

We just got the film, and I like the contrast between the lithe, effeminate image and the husky voice. If he'd had a higher voice he'd not been as sympathetic to me. (I did not see the Japanese version). I think Asian audiences like characters like Howl- I notice in almost all the anime I've seen that the male hero (and sometimes the villian as well) has that same sort of look. Heck, Bao Joon has it as well in real life and he's doing quite well.

Loved the movie, btw. NOt as much as Spirited Away, but close.

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by wendybeth

Heck, Bao Joon has it as well in real life and he's doing quite well.

Astute observation there WB!

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by Wendybeth

I think Asian audiences like characters like Howl- I notice in almost all the anime I've seen that the male hero (and sometimes the villian as well) has that same sort of look.

Definitely. That's part of what I love about anime. I wouldn't usually consider the androgenous type my thing, but in this genre I adore the guys.

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

I had the same reaction. But I wonder if it was because we heard the Japanese characterization first. I imagine we might have just accepted husky Howl if that's how we'd first been introduced to him.

I'd have to say no way to that one. Do you think this guy is supposed to sound like Batman?

His real voice has a sexy allure all its own, and like I said, I totally fell for him.

[innerSpaceman]

Well, having finished the novel ... I can state categorically ... that both batman and johnny soko are right for the character Howl.

Howl is a ladies' man, a lothario, a love-'em-and-leave-'em heartbreaker, and a sexified con man. If sexy means androgenous boy to the Japanese (and to Cadaverous Pallor), then that's what's required for the Nipponese version of Howl. But that would simply NOT work for American audiences, and so I believe the husky batman voice was appropriate for the dubbing.


Now that I've read the book, I have 10 times more admiration for the Ghibli movie ... which invented practically everything other than the basic characters, their basic situation, and a few of the events that take place inside the Castle.

The Ghibli version invents the war scenario ... which I found so hamfisted. But that's comfortably grounded compared to the Ugh factor of the novel when ....

Spoiler:

Sophie finds one of the Castle's rotating portals leads to modern-day Wales, where she discovers that Howl is a 20th-century Welshman who grew up among the reader's own society ... in one of the most painfully embarrasing scenes to read. Ugh.

Wow, Ghibli invented practically everything for their version of the story, including ...

Spoiler:

The Witch of the Waste being turned old and benevolent by the King's sorceress Suliman and then hanging out at Howl's Castle for the rest of the story; Sophie switching back and forth between her young and old selves in a series of clues about the uniquely movie-version nature of the spell; the entire age-of-steam backdrop for society; the entire war (which was suggested by one line in the book); the giant bird-thing alter-ego of Howl; the blob creatures of Sulimon and Witch of the Waste (also merely suggested by a minor event in the book); the dog Hine (based ever so loosely on a character in the book); the secret identity of the Scarecrow (who is NOT Sophie's friend in the book, and turns out to be not the Prince, but Wizard Suliman - who is a man in the book and has nothing to do with Sophie's visit to the palace, where she actually meets with the King himself); the very nature of the moving castle (simply a floating illusion of a featureless, black castle in the book); Sophie's trip to Howl's past to discover his I-Heart-Calcifer meeting; and Sophie and Howl's entire relationship (though they end up together on the final page, they are antagonistic to each other throughout the story.) Oh, and in the book - a lot more people are witches ... including Sophie herself!

So much more is either different in the movie or entirely made up that I'd hesitate to say the film was based on the book AT ALL. They kept the title, a few things that happen, and the names of most of the characters. That's it.

They didn't even keep all of the characters' names: Heheh, Howl's apprentice is 15-year-old Michael in the book vs. the 8 or 9 year-old "Markl" in the movie. I give the movie uber props just for inventing the name "Markl" !!

But, overwhelmingly, I prefer the movie version of the story. Not since Disney adapted Pinocchio has an unwieldy piece of children's literature been so vastly and (imo) successfully molded into an animated film.

[Nephythys]

*skipping over the the library web site to put Howl on my request list*

Dying of curiousity as to why that part was embarrassing?

Oh- got Spirited Away from Netflix....LOVED it!

Next on the list- Nausica.

[innerSpaceman]

Well, the whole concept was embarassing ...

Spoiler:

As if it weren't bad enough that Howl turns out to be a 20th Century Welshman, we have the indignity of Sophie being sickened by the mysterious conveyance ride in an automobile, and gaping at the wizardry of the magic boxes that kids play video games on. Gak. It totally took me out of the story to even know that our world existed within the fairy tale fabric of the novel's events, much less have our heroine bedazzled by our tech gizmos and our titular hero be a mere human from our own mundane world. Bah.

I thought the war stuff invented by Ghibli was GAY, but the novel's unfortunate twist was downright QUEER.

[Nephythys]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Well, the whole concept was embarassing ...

Spoiler:

As if it weren't bad enough that Howl turns out to be a 20th Century Welshman, we have the indignity of Sophie being sickened by the mysterious conveyance ride in an automobile, and gaping at the wizardry of the magic boxes that kids play video games on. Gak. It totally took me out of the story to even know that our world existed within the fairy tale fabric of the novel's events, much less have our heroine bedazzled by our tech gizmos and our titular hero be a mere human from our own mundane world. Bah.

I thought the war stuff invented by Ghibli was GAY, but the novel's unfortunate twist was downright QUEER.

I see what you mean- that does detract from the wonder of it all. I'll still read it though.

I love the worlds these movies take me to- they are amazing.

[innerSpaceman]

I love the movie so much more after having read the book that - even though I've had my Netflix copy out for like 10 days now - I'm gonna go ahead and buy it.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Man, I liked the movie. Read the book and I much prefer the novel. Saw the movie again, and it could barely keep my interest, the animation and the characters of Howl and Sophie aside. The contemporary element in the novel was abrupt, but it certainly didn't bother me as much as it did you, and I still prefer it.

Watched Whispers of the Heart for the first time. Now THAT is a Ghibli movie that recieves my full support. The story, animation, characters, little asides...it was just a perfect movie in every way. I fell madly in love with it.

The second time I watched Howl, I found myself wanting to fast forward some parts. Ah, well. To each her own.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Now that I've read the book, I have 10 times more admiration for the Ghibli movie ... which invented practically everything other than the basic characters, their basic situation, and a few of the events that take place inside the Castle.

So I presume then that you'll be watching it from now on in the proper Japanese, as obviously the real meat of the story is Japanese in origin?