The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness

Dir: Mami Sunada

2013

***

Studio Ghibli's films are a beautiful mix of adventure, fantasy, sci-fi and heart-warming tales that thrill, excite and inspire. Unfortunately this fly-on-the-wall documentary that follows the production of 2013's The Wind Rises and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is none of those things. It is however, an interesting insight into the behind the scenes working life of the studio, it's just that the illusion is somewhat shattered as a result. Studio Ghibli is the result of three men; Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. Suzuki was the editor of a Manga magazine and he encouraged Miyazaki to produce feature animations from his early rejected cartoons. Isao Takahata had worked alongside Miyazaki at Toei Animation and been a big influence to him. After various disputes with animation companies and wanting to push certain boundaries, Miyazaki made Nausicaäof the Valley of the Wind with Suzuki and it was a great success. With a clear vision and money to back up an independent venture, Miyazaki and Suzuki formed Studio Ghibli and asked Takahata to join them. The name Ghibli came from the Italian World War II aircraft the Caproni Ca.309 Ghibli. The word Ghibli is roughly translated from the Libyan-Arabic name for the Sirocco, or Mediterranean wind, although the fighter jet was regarded as the 'desert wind'. Miyazaki is an aviation enthusiast (as seen in many of his films) but he picked the name as he thought that between them, their films would "blow a new wind through the anime industry". He was right. Known for their structured work ethic - Work hard, stick to budget constraints and schedule, the studio enjoyed early success. They slapped a 'no cuts' policy on all of their films after foreign distributors meddled with Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and integrity became their silent motto. Things changed somewhat after Toshifumi Kondo died after filming the studio's eighth film, Whisper of theHeart. Kondo died of an Aortic dissection which was believed to have been a result of excessive working hours. His death hit the studio hard and Miyazaki declared that he didn't want to go the same way and vigorous working conditions were greatly relaxed. Since then, the studio worked at a very different pace that worked for them but looked chaotic to outsiders. Mami Sunada gained access to the studio just before Miyazaki announced his retirement and this film is as much about that then the day to day workings of what has become an institution. It's not always an easy film to watch as Sunada films over people's shoulders and not very much happens. The younger employees are in awe of Miyazaki and the interviews are quite gushy and for show. The really interesting aspect of the documentary is something that I found hardest to watch. Miyazaki is tired and understandably wants to retire but he seems to have given up on the modern world. His attitude comes across as a very gentle 'to hell with it all' which filled me with sadness. He and Isao Takahata work so separately that they see each other rarely and hardly ever speak. The only magical moment of the film is when the three men cross paths unexpectedly and spend a silent moment together in the studio's gardens, the rest of the film is muddled, confusing and just dreadfully sad. It is left unclear what the future is for the studio and if it has a future at all. It could be classed as a horror from a fans viewpoint.