Film Of The Week #13 - Grave Of The Fireflies

Karl Hungus · 06-04-2007 09:27AM #1

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095327/

What a remarkable film this is. The first, I'm sure, of many Studio Ghibli films to be exhalted in our prestigious FotW.

If you've not seen it, quite simply, you're missing out on possibly one of the most important war films ever made. This is a harrowing tale that focuses on the effects that war has on the innocent, as two children try to survive WWII Japan. It's probably one of the most incredibly tragic films you could ever watch, almost devestating, as we see an older brother taking care of his little sister, trying to capture some small moments of happiness and safety among not only the fear and destruction of the war, but the hard-hearted selfishness of the adults they have to deal with.

I can't help but feel sad just thinking about the film, it was such a powerfull emotional experience.

See it. No exceptions.

johnny_ultimate · 06-04-2007 11:14AM

As a huge Ghibli fan, Im delighted to see one of their many slices of genius here.

I have gone on record as saying Im not a massive GotF man, but I still think it blows away most other war films Ive seen. Takahata has produced one of the most human films around - by more or less relegating the firebombings to the side, he successfully focuses on a young brother and sister forced to fend for themselves.

The animation is very good indeed, but I suppose what I felt was some odd pacing issues and some missing plot elements (

it could just be me but I didnt really understand the motivation of the aunt character

) let it down just a little for me.

While I think Pom Poko is Takahata's stronger film, GotF is still a superb film - just not quite in the top echelons of Ghibli films (Totoro, Spirted Away etc...).

Two quick asides:
a) Would have been very interesting to see the original Fireflies / Totoro double bill from Japan. Two very different films that still sort of act as companion pieces to each other.
b) What's up with that weird swingset scene?

Karl Hungus · 06-04-2007 05:16PM

Hmm... I love Pom Poko, but I don't think you can really compare it to GotF. I enjoyed both, but on different levels. I'd be very hard pressed to pick a stronger of the two.

johnny_ultimate · 07-04-2007 12:27AM

Karl Hungus wrote:

Hmm... I love Pom Poko, but I don't think you can really compare it to GotF. I enjoyed both, but on different levels. I'd be very hard pressed to pick a stronger of the two.

Yeah two different films alright. Perhaps stronger was a bad choice of word... it was probably more personal preference i.e. I tend to prefer the more imaginative Ghibli works (although maybe not the Cat Returns, which I thought was an utterly bizarre, fairly unlikable film)

dr.bollocko · 07-04-2007 03:46PM

:eek:
Ashamed to admit that I have never seen this.
I hang my head in shame.
And also, where in the hell am I gonna find me a copy?

Karl Hungus · 07-04-2007 06:38PM

dr.bollocko wrote:

And also, where in the hell am I gonna find me a copy?

They had it in HMV on special offer a while ago, along with all the other Studio Ghibli films.

Basq · 07-04-2007 06:49PM

Have heard nothing but rave reviews for this but unfortunately haven't got a chance to pick it up.

It's on the top of my to-buy list however.

Karl Hungus · 08-04-2007 12:12AM

Basquille! Get to it!

johnny_ultimate wrote:

Yeah two different films alright. Perhaps stronger was a bad choice of word... it was probably more personal preference i.e. I tend to prefer the more imaginative Ghibli works (although maybe not the Cat Returns, which I thought was an utterly bizarre, fairly unlikable film)

I see where you're coming from, and generally it's Miyazaki's movies that are the most imaginative and fantasy based, whereas Isao Takahata's are more sombre, dramatic and realistic. Take Only Yesterday for example.

However, Pom Poko is definetly the most Miyazaki-esque of Takahata's work, especially considering the very 'Tree-hugging' enviromental outlook of the film, and it's certainly more light-hearted and comedic than anything he had done before. He seems to be quite an odd film maker, because if you look at his work with Ghibli it seemed to have taking vastly different directions as time went on. It went from harrowing bleakness to childish silliness in just 4 films.

Mind you, I absolutely love Pom Poko, I've watched it repeatedly, and it's just such an incredibly good film. It still had it's moments of sadness though, such as

when the racoons who tried to fight the riot police were killed, and we saw the vision of them sailing off in their treasure ship.

It's definetly one of the most gloriously fun films I've ever had the pleasure of seeing, and still packs a serious emotional depth. It's the racoons' balls.

Oh, and how did you not like The Cat Returns? It's certainly not on par with Miyazaki's or Takahata's work, and it's really very short at just 75 minutes, but it's still a good film with a magic of it's own. C'mon, what about that scene with the cat king arriving with the parade and escort?

Really enjoyable little film I thought.

johnny_ultimate · 08-04-2007 12:06PM

Karl Hungus wrote:

I see where you're coming from, and generally it's Miyazaki's movies that are the most imaginative and fantasy based, whereas Isao Takahata's are more sombre, dramatic and realistic. Take Only Yesterday for example.

However, Pom Poko is definetly the most Miyazaki-esque of Takahata's work, especially considering the very 'Tree-hugging' enviromental outlook of the film, and it's certainly more light-hearted and comedic than anything he had done before. He seems to be quite an odd film maker, because if you look at his work with Ghibli it seemed to have taking vastly different directions as time went on. It went from harrowing bleakness to childish silliness in just 4 films.

Mind you, I absolutely love Pom Poko, I've watched it repeatedly, and it's just such an incredibly good film. It still had it's moments of sadness though, such as
when the racoons who tried to fight the riot police were killed, and we saw the vision of them sailing off in their treasure ship.
It's definetly one of the most gloriously fun films I've ever had the pleasure of seeing, and still packs a serious emotional depth. It's the racoons' balls.

Oh, and how did you not like The Cat Returns? It's certainly not on par with Miyazaki's or Takahata's work, and it's really very short at just 75 minutes, but it's still a good film with a magic of it's own. C'mon, what about that scene with the cat king arriving with the parade and escort?

Really enjoyable little film I thought.

I enjoyed Only Yesterday alot. Only saw the second half, but some wonderfully drawn landscape scenes, and the flashbacks were wonderful. One of those films that don't in theory need to be animated, but are all the more effective because they are.

As for the Cat Returns, I was a little unsettled by it. It was the last Ghibli film I saw (only have Whisper of the Heart left to watch, probably because of the presence of the Baron

) and I had put it off for ages as I thought I wouldn't like it at all (I always feel bad criticising Ghibli - Porco Rosso is the only other one I really disliked). I felt the whole thing was a little too childish, and some of the storylines were extremely odd (the whole marriage subplot especially). But it was those darn cats that freaked me out most. There is something very wrong about a cat walking around with a tiny package in it's mouth. *shudders*

But you're right, the cat parade scene is pretty cool.

And since this is a GotF thread, I feel I must make some reference to it. Came across this a while ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPsOxAnKby8&mode=related&search=
Might be worth a gander if youre a

Karl Hungus · 08-04-2007 01:12PM

Jesus, I can't imagine anyone would've been freaked out by The Cat Returns. It's such a cute little film. ^_^

I've never seen the live action GotF miniseries, and I'm not sure if I even really want to... I've seen clips and trailers for it before, and there's just something so terribly 'Made for TV' about it.

Pugsley · 08-04-2007 03:13PM

Decided to grab this after seeing an animated film getting Film of the Week, had only heard of this film in passing before.

Wasnt what I was expecting at all, absolutely superb show, really moving and superbly 'acted', if thats the word, the charecters really feel like people, and the animation is second to none. Was definately worth watching.

Kingp35 · 08-04-2007 08:08PM

Amazing movie but its very depressing. Excellent animation and voice work and definitely one of Studio Ghibli's stronger films.

You cant really compare GotF and Pom Poko but I personally feel that GotF is the better of the two.

Goodshape · 08-04-2007 10:22PM

Haven't seen this one. Must get it.

Fookin luv teh Ghibli.

Retr0gamer · 09-04-2007 12:42AM

Bought this on DVD ages ago and have never been able to bring myself to watch it more than once. Absolutely superb film. I've made a lot of people depressed by making them watch this film.

Rabies · 09-04-2007 06:14AM

Great movie. Picked it up a few months ago after the constant talk about it on Boards. Loved it, but it is a depressing movie.

spacecoyote · 10-04-2007 06:52AM

yeah i've only seen a couple of the ghibli movies, and this is not one of them. Loved what i saw in the previous ones so i'll definitley have to look this one up!!!

Pigman II · 22-04-2007 07:00PM

Got this one as it's the only "film of the week" so far that I haven't ever seen.

Have to say it starts brilliantly but dies out about a 3rd of the way thru and is only so-so after that. Worth a watch but it is nothing exceptional.

I was hoping for something that would be the ideal accompaniment for "When the Wind Blows" but Hotaru no haka isn't even in the same league imho.

Rabies · 23-04-2007 12:06AM

I gave a girl I work with the dvd to watch over the weekend. She told me it made her cry.... She ended up watching it twice in one night.

Film Of The Week #13 - Grave Of The Fireflies

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