Forum - View topicHowl's Moving Castle
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Amasa
 Posts: 340 Location: Japan |
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Just finished the novel and it made me appreciate the film more. I think it was an excellent adaptation that didn't skip out on any fun or interesting concepts and captured the mood of the novel really well.
I remember when the film first came out and I was complaining that I didn't like it that a lot didn't make sense. Such as the scarecrow who suddenly turned into a Prince and a war that we had no background information on. Well, there isn't a war in the novel and the Prince thing is almost as confusing as it was in the film. The whole body fiasco of Prince Justin and Wizard Sullivan were revealed right at the end but I'm still not entirely sure what happened, but I don't really want to either. The novel was so much fun and very cute. The way it was written fitted Sophie's aged character so well. Everytime I would finish a reading I think I acted like a 90 year old women just from the wonderful characterization. I think Miyazaki captured that quite well, it's almost as if the novel was written for him to make a film from. One thing I really didn't like about the film after reading the novel was the downplay of the Witch's role. I would be interested in reading why Miyazaki made the war the main "villain" rather than the Witch of the Waste - even though she doesn't even appear in the novel that much her role is the most important. And I don't really understand why he made her obese and ugly, when in the novel she was skinny and beautiful... Apart from the very relaxed and sunshiney mood of the novel, my favorite concept was the "black dob" that led to Wales. I thought the scene where Sophie went into Wales and saw where Howl came from was one of the best in the book, and I was disappointed that Miyazaki left it out but I can understand why. Normally when I read a book after I've seen the film I hate the film. But it's the opposite with Howl and it's not because either one was bad. The characterization was reflected to the most minute detail in the main characters, from Sophie's haggish nanny ways and Howl's vein, slitherouter-ness, posing. The Castle itself had a makeover in Miyazaki's version and I definitely prefered it, I think the castle was most definitely Miyazaki's personal stamp on the film and something that's really attractive about the film. One last thing about Sophie's age ambiguity at the end of the film, I thought that was really well done now. It sort of makes sense if you read the novel. Magic curses in the book "wear off" after a while (like the one on Lettie and Martha), and Sophie's would have worn off over time if she didn't die of old age before. At the end of the book all that's said about her final appearance is her sister screaming at her "Sophie the spell's worn off!" and that's it. Her appearance and age was really downplayed at the end of the novel which I thought was very romantic and reflected well in the film. |
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littlegreenwolf
 Posts: 4796 Location: Seattle, WA |
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After reading the book before seeing Miyazaki's vision of it, I had a hard time enjoying the movie. It took a lot of effort for me to try and remove the events and characters of the book from that of the movie in order to enjoy the movie as its own thing, and even then, I didn't like it so much. Miyazaki is great and all, but Howl's Moving Castle was never that preachy, and he got completely off tangent from the original theme of the story.
But in terms of scenes from the book coming to life, I love the first half hour or so of the movie, the design of the castle, and the slime scene. Sophie, Calcifer, and Howl were great fun to see brought to life. Have you been able to read the sequel book yet? |
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Veoryn87
 Posts: 808 |
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I read on Nausicaa.net that the author liked the movie. She expected the movie to have differences from the book so they didn't really bother her.
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littlegreenwolf
Posts: 4796 Location: Seattle, WA |
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Yeah I was surprised by that. She must of really liked Miyazaki in order to let him get away with totally changing a number of her characters. Not a lot of authors would be happy with that. |
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Amasa
Posts: 340 Location: Japan |
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I wasn't aware that it had a sequel! Is it good?
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sabriyahm
 Posts: 294 Location: Georgia |
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I read the book a few months after seeing the movie. I was hoping it would make things clearer. It didn't. That said I enjoyed them both. In my mind though they are seperate stories. I never expect movies to be faithful adaptations and in this case I saw the movie first, but I think the movie captured the spirit of the book. I also think the plot changes made the film more excessible to all ages whereas the book is obviously a children's book.
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ANBUx3
 Posts: 187 |
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If you liked Howl's, then yes, I think Castle in the Air is worth reading. When you're reading it, you'll think 'How on earth is this a sequel?" But keep reading, it'll connect to Howl's in one way or another. |
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hack_benjamin22
Posts: 136 |
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You may all be interested to know that another book in the Howls Moving Castle series is slated to come out this summer(?). They say that it will have appearances of the original characters.
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yont
Posts: 10 |
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Can you tell me if the novel of howl's moving castle is in english or only in japanese I would like to read it can someone point me to someplace that would sell or have it online??
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Veoryn87
Posts: 808 |
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Howl's Moving Castle isn't a Japanese book. It was written in English. |
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yont
Posts: 10 |
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so it written by an american writer I thought it was Japanese because I watch the movie and it was bad ass....
how much different is the novel to the movie anywho is there major difference I really would like to read it now... |
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Veoryn87
Posts: 808 |
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It wasn't an American author either. It was written by Dianna Wynne Jones. A British author. The OP of the thread addresses some of the differences that the movie has from the book.
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Moomintroll
 Posts: 1600 Location: Nottingham (UK) |
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As Veoryn87 said, it wasn't written by an American author (she's actually Welsh). More to the point, why would you be suprised that a non-Japanese person could create something "bad ass"? |
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yont
Posts: 10 |
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I never knew thats all because it was an anime I considered the author to be japanese anywho i wasnt being racist or anything....
shessh |
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Veoryn87
Posts: 808 |
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Ah. Welsh. Close enough. >.>
Anyway, I keep forgetting about this book. I need to pick it up next time I'm at Barnes and Noble. |
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