The Studio Ghibli Series Part 9: When Marnie Was There

School of Movies

[School of Movies 2023]

A strange period for Ghibli brings us to the end of our current run, still with the closing triumph of Spirited Away (2000) to cap this body of work off, as well as this year's The Boy and the Heron paving the way for a future tenth instalment.

What we are looking at is the last film from Isao Takahata (who died only five years later) the visually resplendent as well as distinctive Princess Kaguya, which is my favourite of his works, but still has one glaring bad decision inherent to the edit.

Then there's the most astonishing surprise from this entire project, which is quite how I unexpectedly adored When Marnie was There (from Hiromasa Yonebayashi, the director of Arrietty). The most delicate, Gothic tale in their back catalogue.

After that, yet another film that deliberately defies the established Ghibli aesthetic, the first collaboration with a non-Japanese director Michael Dudok de Wit and the wordless caveman-accessible tale of a red turtle (who is secretly a woman, or vice versa).

And then for maximum shame, the definite WORST Ghibli film ever made, or that ever will be made; Earwig and the Witch, directed by Goro Miyazaki. A film so awful it dragged his father out of retirement yet again.

But to end on a pleasant note, we talk about both the RPG video game Ni no Kuni and the freshly established "Studio Ponoc" and their debut "Mary and the Witch's Flower". Truly the child of Ghibli, and a team we hope will continue making beautiful films far beyond our lifespans.

2013: The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (0m 35s)

2014: When Marnie Was There (16m 50s)

2016: The Red Turtle (29m 30s)

2020: Earwig and the Witch (45m 35s)

2017: Mary and the Witch's Flower (1h 4m 20s)