Well, dear readers, when is a masterpiece not a masterpiece? Yes, I have posed a question in the very first sentence and I intend to answer it, at least from my perspective. I was going to answer it from Annette Funicello’s daughter’s perspective, but she’s across the street having her patio redone. I know this because her workers are taking up every parking space on both sides of the street. Well, they were, until I raised holy hell with one of them – now they confine their parking to in front of her house. So, I’m not answering anything from Annette Funicello’s daughter’s perspective right now. Perhaps later. So, when is a masterpiece not a masterpiece? I can answer that now, from my perspective, of course, because last night I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray that I thought was pretty much a masterpiece, in that it was perfectly made, achieved everything it set out to achieve and then some, and made me deliriously happy. And then I watched the first forty minutes of the same motion picture and it wasn’t pretty much a masterpiece, in that it was perfectly made, achieved everything it set out to achieve and then some, but was no longer interesting and had become much less unique and coarse. How can that be, you might ask, and I might tell you because why should I withhold such information from you dear readers. The motion picture is entitled The Secret World of Arietty, a Japanese film from Japan, produced by the masterful and wonderful Studio Ghibli. While this film was not directed by the great Hayao Miyazaki, it was “planned” and written by him. And what they have brought forth is the best Studio Ghibli film since Kiki’s Delivery Service, my personal favorite. It’s based on the Mary Norton book The Borrowers. First and foremost, the film is so beautiful to look at it takes the breath away. The colors, the design, the backgrounds, all of it – just perfection. The film is small, subtle, beautiful, moving, and magical, and had me in the palm of its hand from the opening shot. The Japanese voice cast is also perfection because they are subtle and don’t sound like they’re speaking in a “today” voice and vernacular. That’s what makes its world so special. It’s a little over ninety minutes of pure bliss, at least it was for me. The only tiny nitpick and it’s really tiny is that I missed the composer Joe Hisaishi. But as the film went on, I just went with the music and it works fine.
I’d heard that the Disney English dub was great, so after I finished and dried my eyeballs, I began the film again, this time in English. Well, guess what. The pretty much a masterpiece instantly became pretty mundane because the voice talent, while fine, is just what you’d imagine – they’ve changed the dialogue to the vernacular of a Disney Channel series, and that’s what all the young voices sound like. And it just coarsens everything and takes the magic away. For the people who like the dub I would just say you haven’t actually seen the film its makers made. So, stop being silly and read the damn subtitles, it’s really not that hard. Because if you do, the rewards will far outweigh whatever silly perceived bother it is to read subtitles. This film was made in Japan in Japanese and very much reflects their ethos. To Americanize it cheapens it, no matter how good the dub. Plus, Disney can’t let three seconds go by without music playing, and so things that are gloriously silent in the Japanese version have music in the American version. So, the Japanese version gets my highest recommendation and I can’t say enough good about it. Bravo to Studio Ghibli for once again doing it their own way – no bluster, no forced “conflict”, no real bad guy – just a gentle, sweet film about trust and friendship and trying to live in a sometimes difficult world.
And there you have it. Prior to watching that, I’d had a perfectly fine day. I got up at six in the morning and announced our two new titles, stayed up for a bit, then went back to bed and fell back asleep around seven-thirty, not arising again until three hours later. I then printed out a very nice number of orders (especially nice because most of them were ordering both CDs), and then I had to be on my way to have a birthday lunch with dear reader Jeanne. We went to Louise’s in Westwood. It was lovely to see her again and we had fun catching up and I always enjoy her tales of the stock market, something I know virtually nothing about.
After that, I came back to the San Fernando Valley, picked up one small package and an important envelope, did some banking, then came home. I printed out more orders, answered a LOT of e-mails, and did work on the computer. Finally I sat on my couch like so much fish.
After The Secret World of Arietty, I needed something Swedish, so I watched the first half of Paradiset, which is the prequel to the movie I watched last week, The Bomber, both based on novels by the popular Swedish writer, Liza Marklund. I’d enjoyed The Bomber but hadn’t loved it, but Paradiset is much better, at least so far it is. I had to stop halfway through due to the lateness of the hour and the hour of the lateness.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I really must get a good night’s beauty sleep.
Today, I shall have a nice, relaxing day and evening. I do have to write an article and I do have to start writing the contextual commentary, and hopefully I’ll pick up some packages, and I’m sure I’ll eat, otherwise I’m taking it easy.
Tomorrow, I’m meeting our very own FJL at the Mark Taper Forum to see a one o’clock matinee. Then we’re having an early dinner afterwards, and then I have to hie myself to my old neighborhood to see another play at seven. So, a busy play day. Monday I have to finish the article and the commentary, then we have our first Kritzerland rehearsal, then the rest of the week is very busy and includes more rehearsals, the beginning part of the second porcelain crown thing (the hard part – a shot, and filing down the tooth), our stumble-through and then our show.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, write, hopefully pick up some packages, write, eat, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: Subtitles or dubbed and why? What was the first movie you ever saw with subtitles? What was the first foreign film you ever saw dubbed and have you eventually seen it with subtitles? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall hopefully dream beautiful dreams.