Miyazaki intends to explore the relationship between man and nature, man and plight. When conflicts become fierce and conflicts are difficult to reconcile, what should people do. Maybe only those three words: live.
The movie [Princess Mononoke] , released on July 12, 1997 , has always been regarded as one of Miyazaki's most profound works.
The story of the film takes place in the legendary unicorn beast forest . It revolves around the confrontation between Shan , a human girl raised by the White Wolf God , and Magic Ji who mines iron ore .
One side is the beast representing nature , and the other side is the villager representing human beings . Many people interpret it as a war between man and nature, which is intended to express Miyazaki’s environmental protection philosophy .
The ups and downs are ridiculously wrong.
It's like trying to explore the secrets of the universe, but finally clinging to a dust.
Miyazaki is not an environmentalist .
He himself also dislikes the title of "environmentalist", which has been mentioned on many occasions and in many books.
It is a pity that the audience always likes to over-interpret and one-sided understanding .
From the 1997 release of the film until now, 21 years later, this misconception still not changed.
one.
The confusion of Japanese reality is the most important thing to survive
The plan for the movie [Princess Mononoke] began with a chat between Hayao Miyazaki and the producer Toshio Suzuki.
16 years ago, Hayao Miyazaki painted a story called "Princess Mononoke" .
It was a period drama with a bit of Kurosawa taste.
The heroine is the third daughter "Three Princesses" of the monster Big Lynx . Later in the movie "Shan" , which is "three" homophonic princess.
Suzuki Toshio said:
Lao Miya (Hayao Miyazaki) has always wanted to make a period adventure film with Japan as the stage . Since I met him, he has always wanted to realize this wish.
Unfortunately, the deeper the conversation, the more Miyazaki felt that this subject was difficult to complete by himself.
First of all, this story is a plan 16 years ago. Great changes have taken place in the times and environment.
The core idea of the story is no longer suitable for the current society.
Secondly, this kind of action adventure movie is bound to consume huge manpower and financial resources , and it is also a big gamble for the entire studio .
Miyazaki flinched a little, and wanted to switch to a simpler animation, which is "Caterpillar Polo" released this year .
My friend Suzuki spotted Hayao Miyazaki's inner thoughts and made a move in time to dissuade him:
I offered three reasons to persuade him: First, Lao Gong is also getting old. Considering his age, this may be the last chance to make an action movie.
Second, Ghibli hired a group of animators in the name of postgraduate painters. Many of them are 30 years old. It is the best time for them to exert their strength. I want to train (them).
Third: Thanks to Ghibli’s past successes, I think it ’s time to make a big shot as early as possible .
After much thinking, Miyazaki decided to completely overthrow his previous assumptions and start over.
He believes that the film must involve the biggest problem we are facing now , otherwise it will lose the meaning of creating a film.
Over the years, Japanese society has faced many difficult problems of hollowing out life goals , and many people have lost their spiritual sustenance.
They feel that they are not happy , which is an instinctive feeling.
What to do, he wanted to find the answer.
It is easy to make a movie with a slogan alone. It would be boring to simply say to protect green plants .
I don't know if we can create a movie with the theme "We want to live with excitement" .
In order to better find inspiration, he went to the virgin forest of Yakushima for the second time. He once created another masterpiece here [Nausicaa] .
The movie [Princess Mononoke] also shows the relationship between man and nature.
In the Green Wave woodlands, a cursed boy Aspen Dhaka , and was raised by wolves girl Alexandra met two people together in a brutal reality, finding your way to survive.
As Miyazaki said, although the story is full of conflicts , he never intends to assign different roles to a clear position of a showdown between good and evil and good and evil .
The nature here does not represent pure kindness and justice. The fantasy girl who destroys nature is still a brave hero .
Miyazaki intends to explore the relationship between man and nature, man and plight . When conflicts become fierce and conflicts are difficult to reconcile, what should people do.
Maybe only those three words:
Stay alive.
Because only by living, there is hope.
As for protecting the environment, there is no such thing from beginning to end.
two.
Details crazy, masterpieces piled up
February 1996 .
There is less than a year and a half left before the movie is released .
Miyazaki's story is only half painted.
Judging from the average progress of Ghibli's 5-minute animation a month , time can be said to be very tight.
But this detail crazy demon didn't seem to be anxious. Still not hurriedly, discussing the seemingly inconspicuous little points with the staff .
For the character setting, Hayao Miyazaki can be said to have taken great pains.
Take Asdaka , the hero .
He didn't want to use the traditional man with a hair tie and a knife as the protagonist. There is no innovation at all on the spiritual level.
He wants people to see a boy who is puzzled , not a Japanese samurai.
How to reflect this?
detail.
He made Asdaka wear a headscarf to guard against leeches , and clothes, shoes and props were also set up to adapt to life in the mountains .
He doesn't understand the outside world, and when he buys things, he sells precious gold sand .
He wanted to save the suffering people.
The heroine, Princess Mononoke , is a girl who was raised by a mountain dog . She is violent and has high self-esteem.
The fur on her body, the necklace on her chest, and the blood-colored decorations on her face can all highlight this. Miyazaki even designed red hair for her .
At the beginning of the film, the costumes of the girls in the Ezo villages specifically refer to the ethnic costumes of Bhutan . The color of the cuffs of each girl's dress is different.
The requirements for belts are also very interesting.
Because of the different settings from the kimono, each person's belt position has been specially changed .
As soon as Asdaka came out, the belt was placed higher , highlighting his young and immature side, just like the way Mifune Toshiro wears in the movie [Seven Samurai] .
People who come and go in the market have a low belt position, especially the traveling monk .
In addition, there are arrows used by Asdaka, specially drawn with obsidian arrows , with three feathers on the tail .
As well as the shape of Fan Ji's hat , the pattern on the mountain beast...every point has been repeatedly refined and improved before it can be presented in front of the audience.
Countless details support this 134-minute work.
September 26, 1996 . According to the movie, there is still half a year left .
Director Hayao Miyazaki's hand had a severe tenosynovitis and was covered with plasters. Can only work while acupuncture.
In my spare time, I ran to massage the shoulders of other staff members.
Even in the era of Internet technology, Miyazaki was reluctant to give up the original creative way , still a one of hand-painted out.
This is one of the reasons why Ghibli animation is so unique .
He often said:
The length of a line that a person can draw in a lifetime is limited, about 7 and a half times around the earth , although I have already drawn more than that. Still don't want to stop.
Now 21 years past , and it is still the case.
Many people are obsessed with Hayao Miyazaki's animation, because it is really a masterpiece that combines thought and craftsmanship .
Moreover, one is missing one.
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Silly cat
The article was first published on the WeChat public account "Film Breaking Things"
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