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At the start, you’d be forgiven for thinking the vain and malicious Witch Of The Waste will torment our heroes after cursing Sophie.
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Sophie’s cracking bones and newfound belligerence does her much better than her young self’s meek politeness.Īnother masterstroke of the movie, and a typical Miyazaki one at that, is the absence of any real antagonist. Instead, Miyazaki has plenty to say about age as Sophie’s transmutation to old lady frees her from the worry that she has, in her own words, ‘never been beautiful'. This is a love story that pops up quickly and without fleshing out characterisation enough to make it feel genuine. Unlike other Ghibli female leads (Kiki in Kiki’s Delivery Service, or Shizuku in Whisper Of The Heart) her growth is defined in how she drags the reticent Howl out of self-indulgent depression by virtue of loving him, which in itself happens rather fast. Moments that take away from this often flounder.Īs a protagonist, Sophie somewhat lacks her own agency. It is Howl’s dynamic with Sophie, along with young apprentice Markl, and fire demon Calcifer that provide the kind of bouncy dialogue that is an endless joy. The insertion of a magical land at war leads to some dazzlingly animated set pieces, but has the side effect of constantly derailing the main narrative. This feat is made all the more tricky due to him using several false identifies for both sides of the combat, all accessible through a magical doorway that, with a twist of the handle, opens out to many different places. Miyazaki’s pacifist voice comes through with Howl’s refusal to fight. The movie deviates significantly from the source material by inserting a multi-territory war into the background. Every inch of the screen is packed with visual treats. The inventiveness of design is present from the flamboyantly dressed Howl (surely channeling a sexy Labyrinth-era David Bowie), ‘old’ Sophie creaking her way across the kitchen, or the ramshackle castle itself that strides the wastelands atop scrawny chicken-like legs. In particular, it is absolutely gorgeous to look at. The movie is packed with his iconic touches. For fans of the movies from Studio Ghibli, and Miyazaki in particular, Howl’s Moving Castle is a firm favourite.