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| Howl's Moving Castle |
I thought that Sophie was an exciting heroine for the film because even though she didn’t start out having much confidence in herself, throughout the movie she started to become a stronger character with a determination to help those that she had become close to. The time she spent in the castle gave her a freedom she was probably craving and a chance to show that she can overcome many obstacles. It was also interesting to see how love started to affect her life. She was able to see through many of Howl’s flaws and realize that he is a caring and powerful wizard. It was interesting that each time she seemed to have confidence in herself and her love for Howl, the curse that was put on her would start to reverse. It’s interesting how Sophie’s presence is able to make Howl a better person throughout the film. He starts out as a vain wizard who usually runs away from his problems, sometimes with horrible consequences. However, Sophie isn't afraid to call him out on those flaws and show that she can be there for him. She gave him something worth fighting for. I think that both characters grew throughout the movie. Howl learned that he couldn’t always be selfish and run away from his troubles (hurting others in the progress), and Sophie became more strong-willed and gained confidence in both her actions and her appearance.
While part of this film dealt with the character development and love between the two main characters, much of the film dealt with the instability and danger magic presented. Much of Howl’s Moving Castle was focused on the curses and spells put on many of the characters. It mainly affected their appearance, but the magic also had an effect on their personalities as well, like how The Witch of the Waste was consumed by greed because of her magic. The whole war was fueled mainly by destructive powers. However, magic was eventually able to reverse many of the problems that it had caused. Miyazaki is able to bring out many different elements of magic and fantasy in all of his movies, and it’s seen in the beautiful artwork and story. Howl’s Moving Castle is another example of power and love in the fantasy genre.
Dear Destiny,
ReplyDeleteI loved your commentary on Howl’s Moving Castle. I agree with most of the points you brought up in your commentary. I also thought that Sophie was an interesting heroine character and the whole film in itself embodied a very playful and childlike atmosphere. I also loved how the characters developed and came into the story progressively one after the other. The way that was portrayed in the film was better than it was in the American novel. At the same time, the American aspect of the film where everything turned out fine in the end was still very much in tact. I sort of liked that because it paid homage to the original artistic value but with this the Japanese version was much more intriguing and more fun to analyze and watch. Overall, your commentary was extremely valid and a pleasure to read and I’m happy to read more!