A Film by Hayao Miyazaki

This past weekend, I was able to attend a showing of Hayao Miyazaki’s fantasy epic Howl’s Moving Castle; the film that, from my own observations, seems to be on the top of a lot of Ghibli fan’s favorite lists. Released originally in 2004, the film is being re-released through Fathom Events as part of their Ghibli Fest series that has been running since this past Spring. This is the tenth showing (of eleven) for this year’s iteration, and it has been a doozy. Normally these things have maybe 5-6 films, but this year they went all out honoring the full career of Miyazaki. This will lead up nicely to the release of his previously reported “Final Film”, The Boy and the Heron, which will hit western theaters in December. I assume they did this assuming he was about to retire, but we all know the dude never will. He has already started storyboarding another film according to news outlets!

“Sophie, a quiet girl working in a hat shop, finds her life thrown into turmoil when she is literally swept off her feet by a handsome but mysterious wizard named Howl. The vain and vengeful Witch of the Waste, jealous of their friendship, puts a curse on Sophie and turns her into a 90-year-old woman. On a quest to break the spell, Sophie climbs aboard Howl’s magnificent Moving Castle and into a new life of wonder and adventure. But as the true power of Howl’s wizardry is revealed, Sophie finds herself fighting to protect them both from a dangerous war of sorcery that threatens their world.”

Howl’s Moving Castle has everything you’d imagine from a Miyazaki film:

• Strong female protagonist? YES!
• Flying machines/airships/planes? YES!
• Girls with bob haircuts? YES! But he almost made it one film without it lol!
• A nod to nature and it’s innocent and healing nature? YES!
• Pacifist messaging? YES!
• No typical villains? YES!

Howl’s Moving Castle is yet another cinematic masterpiece that seamlessly weaves together an amazing narrative (based on a novel by Diana Wynne Jones that I plan to read and review fairly soon) with breathtaking animation. Even at almost TWENTY years on, at this point, the movie still looks amazing. This is especially surprising considering it being released during a period of anime history characterized by smudgy poorly done “digipaint animation” that has not aged well at all. I guess the saving grace for this is that it was produced for film, and by default will look better than something made for TV. This film, like many of Miyazaki’s works, transcends age boundaries, captivating both children and adults alike, solidifying its status as a great family adventure film.

The film is set in an interesting and meticulously crafted fantasy world, where two Kingdoms are fighting a grizzly war with menacing airships and magical weapons. The war seemingly started as a way to pass blame for the disappearance of the crown prince from one of the kingdoms. While the war is largely on the periphery of the film, its fingerprint is everywhere and militarism is the new way of the land for many of the characters even though most of them try to avoid it.

Outside of these warzones, the story follows the remarkable journey of a young girl named Sophie that seems to feel that she is a very plain girl in a family of beautiful women, and as such has trouble associating with others and is determined just to “lay low” and blend in. She is very hard-working, putting in hours as a cleaning lady and some kind of seamstress in a hat shop. Sophie ends up in the wrong place in the wrong time one night, and ends of being saved from both sexual harassment from some soldiers and later some magical creatures by an enigmatic wizard that she later finds out is the infamous Howl.

By coming in contact with Howl, Sophie is “guilty by association”, drawing the ire of a former jilted lover- The Witch of the Waste. This wicked witch seeks Howl’s whereabouts and these magical creatures are her minions. Sophie is transformed into an elderly woman, with the implication that the witch is absorbing her youth as far as I could tell.

Howl, himself, has become somewhat of an urban legend as a philandering, narcissistic, ladies’ man that may or may not capture girls and eat their hearts. In fact, no one really knows anything about Howl, and everything known about the wizard is told through these very same bits of hearsay and rumors which are taken as fact by seemingly everyone. Now cursed to potentially live life as a ninety year old woman, Sophie tries to travel to the so-called “Wasteland” (where wizards are said to live) seeking answers and a potential cure for her predicament. It is then when Sophie’s life takes an unexpected turn when she seeks refuge in the enigmatic moving castle owned by the very same reclusive wizard Howl. She was led there by a magical scarecrow that she assumes is also a person that has been cursed like herself.

I will say that the plot for this film sometimes leaves the audience to fill in some of the gaps in the narrative and I’m absolutely sure that reading the original novel will open my eyes to a lot more subtext and background information than that we got here. Miyazaki has a specific way he makes films, storyboarding things first, and large dumps of exposition are not usually in his wheelhouse. I never once felt like I couldn’t understand what was going on, but it’s a movie where the viewer has to be able to fill in the gaps themselves quite a bit.

One of the most striking aspects of Howl’s Moving Castle is its visual splendor. Miyazaki’s dedication to intricate details and hand-drawn animation shines through. The titular moving castle itself is a masterpiece of imaginative design, a fantastical and whimsical creation that unfolds with the same sense of wonder and discovery that the audience experiences. The film is a testament to Miyazaki’s commitment to preserving the artistry of traditional animation, with lush, hand-drawn landscapes and intricate character designs that transport viewers into a world brimming with magic.

I think the moment I was reminded of just how good this looks was in one of the numerous crowd shots of the city Sophie lives in. Hundreds of people, all different from each other stand in huge masses with airships flying overhead, confetti, flags waving in the breeze, and so many other things going on it’s easy to forget that you are watching an animated film. Everything is gorgeous and leagues ahead of other animation at the time.

Miyazaki’s storytelling is marked by its subtlety and nuance. In Howl’s Moving Castle, he addresses weighty themes such as the horrors of war, the consequences of human greed, and the importance of compassion without resorting to heavy-handed moralizing. Instead, these themes are woven seamlessly into the fabric of the narrative, encouraging viewers to contemplate and reflect upon them long after the credits roll.

The characters are beautifully developed, each with their own quirks and hidden depths. Sophie’s transformation from a timid and self-effacing young woman to a self-assured and independent individual is both inspiring and heartwarming. Howl, with his complex personality, moral dilemmas, and ever-shifting appearance, adds layers of complexity to the narrative. You can’t ever really pin him down until towards the end of the film, and when one gets a feel for what is going on with him, the viewer really feels for the guy. Other characters such as Howl’s apprentice, Markl, The Witch of the Waste (who is not a villain throughout the entire film), and even the mysterious scarecrow are great. This film easily has one of the best ensemble casts of anything Miyazaki has done.

Howl’s Moving Castle Features the voice talents of Lauren Bacall, Christian Bale, Billy Crystal, Blythe Danner, Emily Mortimer and Jean Simmons. I always end up seeing these in English because I am not a pretentious person that chides others for watching dubs, and because my son, who is only seven years old, cannot really process subtitles has been coming with me. I really don’t mind these Disney dubs, with these later ones being especially decent. Billy Crystal is especially great as Calcifer, a needy and somewhat neurotic fire demon – a role that steals many scenes in the film.

The film’s musical score, composed by the brilliant Joe Hisaishi, complements the story impeccably. Hisaishi’s music enhances every emotional beat of the film, from the enchanting moments of flight to the tender expressions of love, adding to the overall sense of wonder and immersion. His collaborations with Miyazaki are legendary, and if there’s anything I have taken away from watching all of these back-to-back like this is that I need to get more of his music and drop it into my normal rotation.

I think my only issue with the film, and I touched on it a bit before, is that the film kind of leaves you out of the loop on certain things making it seem like things are just “randomly happening”. I’m sure the original novel explains everything well, and there just wasn’t enough time to have everything in a feature length movie. Things such as the revelation of just who the mysterious scarecrow is, and how we figure it out, is somewhat random and almost acts as a Deus ex Machina to quickly end the film. I’ve heard the book also races into the ending, but it’s very fast here. I want to stress that this is, by no means, something that detracts from the film, and honestly, I have no idea how it could have been fixed without making the runtime unbearably long.

In conclusion, Howl’s Moving Castle is a cinematic marvel that embodies the magic of Miyazaki’s storytelling and animation expertise. It invites audiences to escape into a world of wonder, to reflect on the complexities of life, and to rediscover the power of love and self-acceptance. This film is a masterclass in storytelling and animation, leaving an indelible mark on the heart and destined to be cherished for generations. Whether you’re an animation enthusiast or simply someone who appreciates exceptional storytelling, Howl’s Moving Castle is an absolute must-see that continues to enchant and inspire.

Be sure to check back in pretty soon, because I have planned a series of book reviews for books that eventually became Miyazaki films, and once I finish this huge book on the Korean War that I’m currently reading, it’s go-time!

There’s only one more left! Join me around Halloween for my review of Spirited Away, perhaps the most famous of any Studio Ghibli film to date, and the one that granted Hayao Miyazaki an Oscar!

If you want to see more GKIDS material that I’ve reviewed, click HERE.

And for more Ghibli content, Click HERE