SPIRITED AWAY (2001)

SPIRITED AWAY
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Starring the voices of Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleschette, Jason Marsden, Susan Egan, and David Ogden Stiers (American Version)

Hayao Miyazaki is known as the Walt Disney of Japan. He is widely known around the world for such films and television series as “Lupin III”, “Castle in the Sky”, “Kiki's Delivery Service”, and his masterpiece “Princes Mononoke”. In 1985 he founded Studio Ghibli, which has become a giant in the world of animation. In 1997 Miyazaki said he was going to retire after the premier of “Princess Mononoke”, but he was inspired to make “Spirited Away” after observing a friend's daughter.

What luck that inspiration was for those of us who get to see “Spirited Away”, because it's an amazing film. The story is about a young girl named Chihiro (Daveigh Chase) who is moving to a new house with her parents. Along the way they find what they believe is an abandoned amusement park. Lured by the smell of food, her parents keep walking deeper and deeper into the park. Chihiro eventually wanders off and runs into Haku (Jason Marsden), who warns her that she must leave before nightfall. She runs back to find her parents who have gorged themselves on the food they found and turned into swine. The time for running has past, and now Chihiro must find a way to rescue her parents and avoid danger in a public bath house for the spirits.

“Spirited Away” is wonderful. It is wonderfully imaginative and a stunning example of storytelling. The artistry and style of the animation is beyond compare. Those people who were raised on Disney animation will be intrigued by the Miyazaki style, but the differences are not so great to alienate people who don't like change. Children will love “Spirited Away” because of the wonderful visuals and magic performed. When I was watching I felt a remarkable nostalgia, despite the fact that I've never been to a magical bath house. I suspect that other adults will feel this nostalgia too.

“Spirited Away” set all kinds of records. It was the first film to earn $200 million gross before it opened in the United States. It is also the highest-grossing non-American film ever released. It won the Japanese equivalent of the Oscar for Best Picture, as well as top awards at several other international film contests.

In addition to all this, “Spirited Away” is the only Japanese animated film to win an Oscar. It won in the category of Best Animated Feature—A category that was only one year old when it won. The other nominated films were “Ice Age”, “Lilo & Stitch”, “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron”, and “Treasure Planet”.

This review was written on July 6, 2008