The Fantasy Hall of Fame

Tools    





did you ever see the series, The Jim Henson Creature Shop? They had one that was where the contestants had to create Skeksis.
My roommates and I watched it when it was new, and I'm having a hard time processing that that was 6 years ago.

Around that time we also watched Face Off regularly. I remember the final season of that being quite disappointing. Strangely, that feels like it was longer than 2 years ago haha.



I watched this in English dub and I'm glad I did. I knew the cat's voice was very familiar and I had thought it sounded like Phil Hartman but I was surprised to see during the end credits, that I was right. Though I had no clue that Kiki was voiced by Kirsten Dunst and one of the old ladies was by Debbie Reynolds.
This seemed strange to me, because I've discussed the dubs of various Ghibli films with my roommates on a number of occasions, and they mentioned how Kiki was one of the better ones, because it was when the studio was still relying on trained voice actors instead of casting movie stars.

Apparently there are two English dubs. Kirsten Dunst was in the more recent Disney version. Either my room mates somehow saw the earlier one, or they meant it was good despite having live action actors (who often gave much weaker performances in these dubs compared to when voice actors were used).

Edit: I just double checked, and both the VHS and DVD in the house mention Kirsten Dunst, so I guess they were praising the Disney release after all. They're not here right now so I couldn't just ask for clarification haha.





Kiki's Delivery Service / 魔女の宅急便(1989)
Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Minami Takayama, Rei Sakuma, Keiko Toda

The names of Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli always elicit mixed emotions from me. I admire Miyazaki's creativity, and his animation studio never fails to deliver breathtakingly beautiful art. However I've now seen eleven of the films he directed, as well as two other Ghibli films that he had minimal involvement with, and the vast majority of them just don't work for me. I'd even describe some of them, particularly Miyazaki's passion project The Wind Rises, as torturous to sit through.

With that kind of track record, and a general aversion to coming of age stories, why then was I so excited to finally watch Kiki's Delivery Service? I think some part of me must have been able to tell that this was going to be one of those rare Miyazaki films that I actually enjoy. It's an incredibly charming film, set in a world that combines tradition with modernity in a manner we often see in Miyazaki's work. The old and new are able to co-exist, but not without occasionally clashing with each other.

The plot is fairly simple as it follows Kiki's journey into adulthood, and the central conflict stems primarily from her own self-doubt and insecurities. It's incredibly relatable, and the somewhat abrupt ending that doesn't resolve all of Kiki's problems, which initially felt odd to me, seems quite fitting now that I've had time to reflect on it. It shows that she still has work to do, and room to grow. For a film about a young witch striking out on her own, it's a refreshingly realistic conclusion.

Attachments
Click image for larger version

Name:	kiki.jpg
Views:	261
Size:	296.9 KB
ID:	65812  



It is actually a puppet. It looks more detailed because it's from The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, a prequel series on Netflix that just came out last year.
Ah that explains it. I thought it looked different than in The Dark Crystal, similar but more detailed. I actually just got Netflix and will have it for 3 more months. I'll have to take a look at The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance just to see the difference in sets.



I'll have to take a look at The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance just to see the difference in sets.
It uses more CGI than the original film does, but it is primarily puppetry and real sets and props. The visuals are great, I just wish the pacing was better. The first episode felt 3 times longer than it actually was.



This seemed strange to me, because I've discussed the dubs of various Ghibli films with my roommates on a number of occasions, and they mentioned how Kiki was one of the better ones, because it was when the studio was still relying on trained voice actors instead of casting movie stars.

Apparently there are two English dubs. Kirsten Dunst was in the more recent Disney version. Either my room mates somehow saw the earlier one, or they meant it was good despite having live action actors (who often gave much weaker performances in these dubs compared to when voice actors were used).

Edit: I just double checked, and both the VHS and DVD in the house mention Kirsten Dunst, so I guess they were praising the Disney release after all. They're not here right now so I couldn't just ask for clarification haha.
I liked Kirsten Dunst as Kiki's voice, I thought all the voices were excellent.

I was just suggesting that the reason why GBG thought Kiki was annoying and seemed to treat Tombo rudely was due to the difference in the personalities between the Japanese actress voice and Kirsten Dunst.



And one last thing. Did Tombo remind anyone else of Curious George when he looks through binoculars?
Despite not wearing a hat, I couldn't help but think of Waldo every time I saw him in that striped shirt haha.



The trick is not minding
Will probably get into this late. Gotta finish the personal recc this week and then follow that up with 22 HOF. Might hit a few of these along the way, most likely Dragon Slayer and Tideland since they’re on Amazon Prime to stream.
I’m On my way back from vacation as we speak.



Women will be your undoing, Pépé
be safe, Wylde!
__________________
What I actually said to win MovieGal's heart:
- I might not be a real King of Kinkiness, but I make good pancakes
~Mr Minio



The trick is not minding
My right arm is already in pain around the elbow. Was thrown from the jet ski yesterday at around 50 mph when my brother took too sharp of a turn.



The Dark Crystal (1982)

Fables and fairytales tend to have a specific way of telling their stories. It's like stripped-down narration focusing on the least possible characters and building the world only enough to motivate their actions. The main reason for that is most likely the fact that a large portion of their audience consists of children. But when done right, it can also add to the mystique and give the story the feel of an old legend. The Dark Crystal mostly succeeds in this.


The story is simple and nothing new (an unexpected hero finds himself entangled in a prophecy). The lore and the details are muddled and obscure. All that we know of the world is the stuff of legends, not history. The big picture of The Dark Crystal works.

What doesn't work that well is the hero's journey. Ultimately Jen is quite an uninteresting character, and to some degree, the same can be said of everyone. The style of the film doesn't allow much character development, but it should somehow make them memorable and fascinating. Now the only character that, to me, fits that bill is the Chamberlain (and perhaps Aughra to a far lesser degree). Two months after the film, Jen and Kira are just names.

The puppetry in The Dark Crystal is outstanding. It's worth noting that the new Netflix series is worse in this regard (and it's not limited to that, I gave it up after watching half of the episodes). Also, the sets are brilliant, and the flora and fauna of Thra are both beautiful and innovative.

So, I love the style and atmosphere of The Dark Crystal. Unfortunately, the majority of the characters are so bland, and the prophecy driving the story is a bit too familiar. Still, I do like the film, and it's the kind of a children's movie that I wish there were more.
__________________



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
I was just suggesting that the reason why GBG thought Kiki was annoying and seemed to treat Tombo rudely was due to the difference in the personalities between the Japanese actress voice and Kirsten Dunst.

I don't think it was her voice that was annoying. I thought the character was annoying because of the way she was treating people, especially Tombo. It just felt like she was a stuck-up little girl at times, and a nice young lady at other times.
__________________
.
If I answer a game thread correctly, just skip my turn and continue with the game.
OPEN FLOOR.



I don't think it was her voice that was annoying. I thought the character was annoying because of the way she was treating people, especially Tombo. It just felt like she was a stuck-up little girl at times, and a nice young lady at other times.
Oh OK. To be honest while I was watching the movie I thought Tombo was annoying, but in a comical way.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
Oh OK. To be honest while I was watching the movie I thought Tombo was annoying, but in a comical way.

I didn't find Tombo annoying at all, (but I may have been distracted by how much he looked like Curious George. )



2022 Mofo Fantasy Football Champ
Will probably get into this late. Gotta finish the personal recc this week and then follow that up with 22 HOF. Might hit a few of these along the way, most likely Dragon Slayer and Tideland since they’re on Amazon Prime to stream.
I’m On my way back from vacation as we speak.
Don't worry I'll be late to the party on this too





Kwaidan / 怪談 (1964)
Directed By: Masaki Kobayashi
Starring: Katsuo Nakamura, Keiko Kishi, Rentaro Mikuni

Kwaidan is an anthology of ghost stories based on Japanese folklore. They are similar in tone and pacing, however each fable contains a distinct narrative with no crossover of characters, and there are no bridging segments to tie them together either. This makes it difficult to judge the film as a whole, since the individual stories vary greatly. While some parts were more enjoyable than others, Kwaidan is overall a very satisfying collection of imaginative and tragic tales.

“The Black Hair / 黒髪
The opening segment is perhaps one of the weaker entries, though it has a comfortably familiar feeling. The focus here is on regret, as it follows a man who is haunted by the mistakes he made in pursuit of wealth and power - specifically the caring wife he left behind. The sound design is effective during the main part of the story, however during the climax, the weakened and displaced effects fail to elicit any emotion. It's difficult to feel pity for the husband, so leaving the ending vague seems like an odd choice, when retribution would've been more satisfying.

“The Woman of the Snow / 雪女
While the set design in the previous story was very much grounded in reality, “The Woman in the Snow” goes in the opposite direction, featuring highly stylized backdrops and saturated colours which enhance the atmosphere of each scene. To me this is the most tragic segment, as it manages to garner sympathy for a snow spirit who grants a young man a life of happiness instead of death. Her only condition was that he never tell anyone about the night she spared him. His broken promise ultimately hurts her more than it does him.

“Hoichi the Earless / 耳無し芳一の話
This narrative is easily the most visually impressive. It is filled with hauntingly beautiful imagery, and features many elaborate sets, costumes, and effects. The design is fantastic, making this my favourite part of the film. Unlike the previous two segments, “Hoichi the Earless” lacks a major betrayal that requires its main character to be punished, though Hoichi is still forced to endure great pain. While “The Black Hair” and the “The Woman of the Snow” can be seen as cautionary tales, “Hoichi the Earless” is more about honour and perseverance.

“In a Cup of Tea / 茶碗の中
Despite the fact that I had previously seen Kwaidan only a few months ago, I had honestly forgotten about this final story. It's not that I didn't like it, it's just that after how impressed I was with “Hoichi the Earless”, the last segment was always going to struggle to be memorable if it didn't leave an even bigger impact. The embedded narrative is rather interesting, and I do appreciate the more psychological direction this story heads in. The other tales all flow in a telegraphed manner, so it's refreshing that “In a Cup of Tea” has the least obvious conclusion.

Attachments
Click image for larger version

Name:	kwaidan.jpg
Views:	173
Size:	151.8 KB
ID:	65830  



Your review of Kwaidan, makes the movie sound pretty interesting to me. I'm guessing I might like it. I often have liked Siddon's noms, they're unique for sure. I'll probably watch another nom pretty soon.



Your review of Kwaidan, makes the movie sound pretty interesting to me. I'm guessing I might like it. I often have liked Siddon's noms, they're unique for sure. I'll probably watch another nom pretty soon.
I'm interested to see the reactions to Kwaidan, and whether or not everyone's favourite and least favourite segments will line up. I hope you do like it. It has a very slow pace, and even though it's categorized as a horror film, it's far more haunting and eerie than it is actually horrifying.



I'm interested to see the reactions to Kwaidan, and whether or not everyone's favourite and least favourite segments will line up. I hope you do like it. It has a very slow pace, and even though it's categorized as a horror film, it's far more haunting and eerie than it is actually horrifying.
Yeah it'll be interesting to see what we all think of the individual segments. So I'll try to remember and review each segment separately, like you did.

I often like slow paced films, as long as they have something of interest for me and I'm betting Kwaidan will. I've often like Japanese films when they deal with mysticism or their ancient history. I'm glad to hear it's not an outright horror film as I'm not a fan of those usually.