Written by Caballero Oscuro
As a general rule, I am diametrically opposed to dubbed versions of foreign films, choosing to exercise my Snob right to view material in its completely unadulterated original form. If the U.S. distributor further decides to edit or alter the original, the end result is a virtual no-starter for me. However, Disney sweetened the pot with their presentation of Studio Ghibli’s latest production, Ponyo, by hiring a top-flight vocal cast and E.T. screenwriter Melissa Mathison for its U.S. script. This improved my assignment to provide a thorough review of my Blu-ray screener, but still left me feeling a bit dubious as I settled in for a viewing last night.
Originally titled Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, writer/director Hayao Miyazaki’s latest effort follows the adventures of a little girl sea creature and the five-year-old human boy she befriends. If that sounds like The Little Mermaid in a junior edition, that’s not an inaccurate description, but it fails to convey the wholly original magic contained in this tale. Much of that magic is derived by the film’s decidedly hand-made feel, as Miyazaki continues in his dogged devotion to traditional hand-drawn cel animation in direct opposition to the popular modern conventions of the CG animation era. Backgrounds are a pastel-painted wonderland with clearly visible brush strokes, while characters are animated in a slow, slightly jerky manner that points to devotion to homemade craft instead of high frame rates. The opening sequence sets the tone for the entire film, as Ponyo’s underwater world teems with hundreds of different sea creatures forming a kaleidoscope of animated wonder. The world above-water is equally inviting, as the humans move through a charming coastal town fully in tune with the beauty of its natural surroundings. Miyazaki ’s master touch delivers an animated world you’ll want to inhabit for long after the film ends.
As for the story, I had some concerns after viewing the original last year as it seemed a bit challenging for mass appeal, with a somewhat creepy and confusing father figure for Ponyo and some unclear motivation for Ponyo’s relationship with her human friend, Sosuke. Although I’m hard-pressed to find any difference in the final cut of the original and U.S. versions, the U.S. dub thankfully tones down the bizarre nature of Ponyo’s dad, a human living under the sea, to make him a more sympathetic figure as he attempts to keep Ponyo protected from the human world. I still had some trouble buying Ponyo’s instant and permanent devotion to Sosuke or their prospects for the future, but keeping in mind Miyazaki ’s definition of this as a film for five-year-olds with their corresponding limited, black and white world view, it became a non-issue as I let myself experience the world from their perspective. It also helped to watch with my completely enraptured three-year-old daughter as she sat transfixed throughout the film with barely any questions about its progression, apparently because it made perfect sense to her. Miyazaki is right, this is a film for kids, but it’s made with such care and respect for its audience that it’s winning entertainment for the entire family.
Article comments