rating:
(out of
4 stars)Japan; 1984
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki; produced by Isao Takahata, Rick Dempsey; screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki
Starring (the voices of) Sumi Shimamoto, Mahito Tsujimura, Hisako Kyôda, Gorô Naya, Ichirô Nagai, Kôhei Miyauchi
Below you will find a temporary review for this film. The real (better, more complete) review will be online very soon.
'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Winds' comes from the hand of animation
master Hayao Miyazaki and you can see that right away. He uses animation the
way it should be used, creating fantasies that play in fictional worlds with
fictional creatures. The great thing here is the fact that the viewer really
cares what will happen, something that would not happen in the hands of a
lesser director or with live action. Think of 'Starship Troopers', a nice
film, but we care for the action or special effects and nothing else.
The reason I name 'Starship Troopers' is because this film also deals with
giant insects. This film treats them with a lot more intelligence and not
simply as the villains for the human beings. The hero is Princess Nausicaä
(voice by Sumi Shimamoto). She is from the Valley of the Winds, a valley
where normal live is still possible. Not far from that valley lies the
Wastelands, a place where pollution has made it impossible to live. Now
their valley is invaded by others who think they have the solution for the
problem of the expanding Wastelands. Princess Nausicaä thinks their methods
will cause the opposite effect they think. Nausicaä escapes from the
invaders and with the help of Asbel (Yôji Matsuda) she tries to save her
people from the invading people, a second tribe wit wrong intentions and the
insect who seem to be the key to everything.
When you read the above it may sound a little difficult but Miyazaki makes
sure every little thing is very clear. It can also sound like a stupid
fantasy adventure and I guess you are right when you think it is. But again,
this is an intelligent film that uses these fictional things to learn things
about real life. The most obvious thing is that violence very often does not
solve a problem and we should respect the world we live in. I think you will
be surprised about how much you like Princess Nausicaä and how much you want
her to succeed and care for her cause.
Besides that, the animation looks very good as well, especially considering
the film was released back in 1984. Miyazaki really creates a world for its
characters, not just a couple of nice settings. He chooses the right way to
show the action scenes, exciting but not with too much detail, and gives
more detail when he wants us to see that world. 'Nausicaä' is as good as any
other Miyazaki film ('My Neighbor Totoro' and 'Spirited Away' to name a few)
and that can only be a compliment.