Howls Moving Castel

 

This is my favourite film and my favourite book. As someone who has read the books to howls moving castle, my love for the film is extremely strong. I love that fact that the story is set in wales, as I am welsh, having such an amazing piece of art, that is based in my country really gives me a sense of pride. The fact that the story is based in wales isn't pressed in the film, but the book has a whole scene in which howl goes to wales. 

The difference between the film and the book are quite large, for example in the film there is a war going on and the whole premise of the story revolves around the war, and how howl is being summoned to go fight in this war. Where as the book doesn't actually focus on the war at all, if anything it is motioned in passing. The story follows more on Howls personal life, and how Sophie comes to terms with becoming an older woman. There is even more to do with Sophie's sisters, as they become much more of a part of the story. 

As the film was made by Studio Ghibli you already know that the animation is of phenomenal quality. The backgrounds area incredible as usually with a Ghibli feature, and each character is exceptionally good, and have such an amazing amount of personality. 

But, and I say this with difficultly as I love this film, I prefer the story from the book, over the story from the film. I would love to see a version of the film that follows the story of the book to the letter as that version of the story is amazingly well done. You learn so much more about the characters past and there personality, and you actually find out where the door leads and what howl does in his spare time, over it all being focused on war. Miyazaki finds war extremely interesting, which is why it is added to the film, you may notice a similar pattern in some of the other Ghibli films. 

Moster Mash

I've been doing some research on youtube regarding short films and stumbled across another short that I really like, its called 'I'm a monster'. It follows the life of a monster and his family planning to go on a holiday. 

The thing that drew me towards this animation in the first place, was the style, its got rather sketchy illustrations that I really love, the characters are different and lovable, and the colours used a fun and lighthearted.  The way the characters interact with each other is extremly well done, and I especially like the diversity in shape and size that where used when designing them.

The company that made this short, 'HEADLESS PRODUCTIONS' has worked on a lot of films and has done several other short films (expect more blog posts about them soon). 

Monkey Rag

Recently I stumbled across a really cute little animation. The style is lovely, and the character designs are gorgeous and the backgrounds are beautifully done. In other words I love it. The use of style is so well done in this, having such a bouncy sound track gave this animation so much life. The use of colour is amazingly well done, each complementing each other and the backgrounds.  I love the old fashioned look to this animation, as I am a massive fan of the 1950's this was right up my street. 

They was the animation has been made is really interesting, Joanna Davidovich the creator of the animation, made a behind the scene's.  Where she explains how she went about the animation process. She began by drawing the characters by hand on hundreds of pieces of paper, and then went on to add colour, sound and background digitally. 

 The characters she created for the animation are called Mitzi and Spanky, she designed and created them herself.  Here are some reference sheets for the both of them. 

 

Gravity Falls

This is Grunkle Stan

This show to me is the best thing to grace planet earth. I absolutely love this show. It full of mystery, full of comedy and the characters are all lovably.The show focuses on twins Dipper and Mabel pines, going to stay with their 'Grunkle Stan' who lives in a tiny town called Gravity falls in Oregon America.
The story begins with Dipper finding a journal in the woods, filled with the weird happenings of Gravity Falls. Dipper being an intuitive 12 year old, wants to learn more about the odd town, along side with Mabel, and a few others of the main cast, they go on  adventures to discover who wrote the journals and to discover the weird and supernatural.
The show is heavily based on mystery which I love, I've always been a fan of finding out the secrets and clues in shows. So due to this show having so much mystery it was right up my street. That and its sense of humor is sublime.
Most of the characters are based of real people, or are subtle references to real people. For example Dipper and Mabel are based off Alex Hirsch's (the creator of the shows) memory of what it was like to be a child, and his memory of his sister as a child.  Grunkle Stan is also based off of Hirsch's grandfather. Which is a lovely sentimental touch to the show.

There are so many references in the show, subtle hints to what the episodes are going to entail, and secret hints to upcoming events in the show.  For example this is a scene with Mabel running after someone, during the running senescence the sentence 'Goat and a Pig' are subtly placed in the background. Its cleverly hidden and well thought through which I find amazing.

Another part to the show that really pleases me is that there are a lot of scenes and reference connecting the show Twin Peaks to Gravity Falls. The use of the red room from Twin peaks appears in Gravity Falls as a restaurant. There are similarity in the opening theme and even a club that is similar to that of one in Twin Peaks.