A decidedly different, folklore-inspired story from Studio Ghibli's other founder, the somewhat lesser-known Isao Takahata. The Tale of Princess Kaguya depicts a divine child, mystically delivered to a pleasant little farming family in the base of a bamboo stalk, who begins growing at a rapid pace. When the same family discovers a wealth of gold and silks in another stalk, they take the windfall as a sign that the girl should be raised amongst royalty and whisk her away from their happy, humble country life to join the pompous, self-serving world of the upper class. Which, sadly, is the last thing the girl wants from life.
Driven by its storybook visuals, lush with watercolors and restraint, this film looks like nothing else in the Ghibli catalog. Sparse but expressionistic, it's a mesmerizing alternative to the warmer, more detail-oriented portrayals of the studio's house style. That shift is a welcome one, especially when the new methods prove their flexibility during the infrequent high-energy scenes; a real testament to the artists' ability to adapt and excel while outside their comfort zones. In a storytelling sense, however, it falls short of Ghibli's better films. I felt the same way about Pom Poko, another of Takahata's directorial efforts: delightful and charming for the first hour, but then the sprawl sets in and our sense of enchantment quickly fades away.
I loved this as an artistic exercise, and was entranced by the establishing shots, but the plot didn't have enough steam to carry its goods through two-plus hours. Takahata films just can't seem to find the exit before overstaying their welcome.
Driven by its storybook visuals, lush with watercolors and restraint, this film looks like nothing else in the Ghibli catalog. Sparse but expressionistic, it's a mesmerizing alternative to the warmer, more detail-oriented portrayals of the studio's house style. That shift is a welcome one, especially when the new methods prove their flexibility during the infrequent high-energy scenes; a real testament to the artists' ability to adapt and excel while outside their comfort zones. In a storytelling sense, however, it falls short of Ghibli's better films. I felt the same way about Pom Poko, another of Takahata's directorial efforts: delightful and charming for the first hour, but then the sprawl sets in and our sense of enchantment quickly fades away.
I loved this as an artistic exercise, and was entranced by the establishing shots, but the plot didn't have enough steam to carry its goods through two-plus hours. Takahata films just can't seem to find the exit before overstaying their welcome.