Forum - View topicPrincess Arete
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HellKorn
Posts: 1669 Location: Columbus, OH |
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My first thoughts immediately viewing Princess Arete? "What an utterly delightful and heart-warming fairy tale." Seriously, I kid you not. In a nutshell, that's what Studio 4°C's Princess Arete is, along with being accused of a "sub-par, uninspired Ghibli knock-off," yet there's still much more than described in the former, and it couldn't be farther from the truth with the latter (it is a type of anime that Ghibli would do, mind).
Firstly, on a technical level, the movie is a wonder to behold. It has a soothing musical score with some fun tracks thrown around here and there. The animation, as per usual with Studio 4°C's line of work, is fluid and smooth which compliments the luscious background art and simple yet effective character designs. The fantastical elements come out exceptionally well due to the accomplished art. It's easily accomplished in these areas. Now then, the story itself is a slow-paced one, and I can imagine more than a few people being downright bored. Some sequences occur where not much happens, but this weakness can also be viewed as a strength for those who take joy in those small peaceful moments where you can take in the beauty of the world and/or the actions of the characters in it. The beginning displays this perfectly with spoiler[Princess Arete "sneaking" about the town and observing folk at work.] The plot could be described as a cookie-cutter fantastical tale about a princess spoiler[being abducted by an evil wizard,] and one wouldn't be entirely incorrect, but it goes to greater lengths than that. Most of this is largely because of the major theme developed, and while it is not a completely subtle one, you aren't smacked on the head and forced to eat it in unbearably large chunks like you do with some Ghibli movies. Because of this the characters themselves are very entertaining to observe, particularly the growth of the princess herself. If you're looking for something conventional yet different, I encourage you to look into Princess Arete. I feel as though I didn't do an adequate job going over it (I'm feeling oddly lazy at the moment), but it is something to check out. It is sadly not available on R1 DVD, but fansubs of it are around and obtainable should you have the patience. |
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Cloe
Moderator
 Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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I adore Princess Arete. It's one of my favorite Studio 4°C works (that's not saying a lot, I know, since I love everything they've done) and one of the best fantasy anime films ever made. I can kinda understand where the Ghibli comparison comes from, considering the high production quality of the animation and kid-friendly story, but personally I think that is where the similarities stop. Princess Arete, to me, isn't about presenting the fantastical and magical, but the common and mundane--the everyday workings of a magical world. If one absolutely insisted comparing to a Ghibli work, I would concede that it sort of feels like an Isao Takahata film. This is definitely much closer to Gauche the Cellist than Castle in the Sky. Arete muses to herself, "All people have their own kind of magic in their hands." That sums up the tone of the film quite nicely.
What is so unique and wonderful about Arete is that she's completely fleshed out, self-motivated, and likeable as a person from the very beginning of the film. She already has a clear vision of what she wants from her life, and only needs the opportunity. A lot of these archetypical fantasy tales, especially about princesses, focus entirely on the journey of self-discovery and re-invention. While that's not a bad thing by any means, it's refreshing to find such a nice twist on an age-old formula. When Arete spoiler[is controlled by Boax], it is this new re-invention she must overcome to discover the person she was in the first place. It's a much better message than most movies send. Instead of "one must reach self-discovery through pain and trial," it's "be proud of the person you are." Just lovely. Despite being such a slow-paced (I prefer to say "relaxed pace"  ) film, the treasures of Princess Arete lie in the small details. The sequence you mentioned at the beginning, with Arete wandering around the town observing people while "Krasno Sontse" plays in the background (more on the music later), is one of my favorite sequences in filmmaking. There's a nice echo of this later in the film, when Arete is observing people from her tower window. While the opening sequence is about seeing people through the way they use their talents, the latter sequence is about seeing people through the way they interact with each other. I love the shot where spoiler[the little boy is pressured into scaring two girls by his friends, only to immediately feel bad and apologize after the gang of boys leaves]. I love the incidental shots of Boax and Ample throughout the film as well, and that shot from Boax's memory spoiler[where you see him a tiny baby running into the arms of his mother] makes me cry every damn time. It really drives home the fact that yes, this is a person who once had hopes and dreams, too, before years of loneliness turned him into a miserly old man. It makes me connect with Boax on not only a personal level, but almost a deeply intimate one.
Finally, the music. Oh, the music. The soundtrack is one of my most-listened-to CDs by far (thanks, dormcat! I still owe you for that) and the way it is interspersed throughout the film is perfect. The moment I heard "Krasno Sontse" played at the beginning, I knew this film would be something special. And it was. The interlude in the middle of the film, likewise, is breathtaking. I love how everything just stops and the viewer is treated to a few moments of unadulterated visual and musical beauty. I highly recommend this film to anyone with the patience to appreciate the subtle nuances of an unconventionally standard fantasy story. |
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