Let’s Complete Studio Ghibli XI

Good Morning Everyone!

Coming to you live from the third chair of a small town orchestra. Here, no instrument is played, they are just heard. How can that be? Think of it this way: breathing comes natural. No one has to remind us to breathe unless we have become utterly dumbfounded or awestruck. From my third chair you can see the oneness between instrument and instrumenter. It’s almost natural. As they move, the instrument moves. Like breathing…it’s jubilant.

Freude, schöner Götterfunken
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum!
Deine Zauber binden wieder
Was die Mode streng geteilt;
Alle Menschen werden Brüder,
Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt.

There was once a time where I preferred classic music over my usual funk. The reason: a lack of words. But then…then there was the 9^th. (Not to sound like a London droog.) The 9^th was something else. It’s beauty magnified. While feeling beautiful, we continue our journey through the Studio Ghibli Hayao Miyazaki Collection 32.

Disc 11: Goshu the Cellist, Sero Hiki no Gōshu, セロ弾きのゴーシュ
Director: Isao Takahata
Release Date: January 23, 1982

Goshu is a young, mediocre cellist who plays for a small town orchestra. The movie opens with a classically-laced vignette: a rainy-day, a rehearsal of Beethoven’s 6^th and our hero struggling. After a short berating from his instructor, a crying Goshu walks home.

Wem der große Wurf gelungen,
Eines Freundes Freund zu sein;
Wer ein holdes Weib errungen,
Mische seinen Jubel ein!
Ja, wer auch nur eine Seele
Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund!
Und wer’s nie gekonnt, der stehle
Weinend sich aus diesem Bund!

The 1^st night: Tortoiseshell Cat

The cat bears vegetables and offers them to Goshu and advice in how to become a wonderful cellist. Upon offering, he requests that Goshu play Schumann’s Träumerei. Seeing that the vegetables were picked from his garden, Goshu angrily ignores the request and plays Tiger Hunt in India instead. His rendition startles the cat, causing him to run away.

Freude trinken alle Wesen
An den Brüsten der Natur;
Alle Guten, alle Bösen
Folgen ihrer Rosenspur.
Küsse gab sie uns und Reben,
Einen Freund, geprüft im Tod;
Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben,
Und der Cherub steht vor Gott.
Vor Gott!

The 2^nd night: Cuckoo Bird

The lessons continue with a cuckoo bird, who literally enough teaches Goshu scale by cuckoo’ing. Goshu plucked “cuckoo, cuckoo” as the bird voiced the same. Feeling that the cuckoo was sounding better than him, Goshu chases the bird away.

Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen
Durch des Himmels prächt’gen Plan,
Laufet, Brüder, eure Bahn,
Freudig, wie ein Held zum Siegen.

The 3^rd night: Raccoon Dog

Wanting to practice his timpani, the raccoon dog requests to play with Goshu: together, they played The Merry Master of a Coach Station, with Goshu on the cello and the raccoon dog beating on the cello with a stick. The song finishes, both leave content.

Seid umschlungen, Millionen!
Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!
Brüder, über’m Sternenzelt
Muss ein lieber Vater wohnen.
Ihr stürzt nieder, Millionen?
Ahnest du den Schöpfer, Welt?
Such’ ihn über’m Sternenzelt!
Über Sternen muss er wohnen.

The 4^th night: A Mother and Her Son

As Goshu was sleeping, a mother mouse and her sick son pay him a visit. The mother asks Goshu to heal her sick son with his music as his music has already healed a number of animals. Goshu puts the mouse inside his cello and plays. Upon completion, the mouse runs away and the mother thanks Goshu profusely.

Seid umschlungen, Millionen!
Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!
Brüder, über’m Sternenzelt
Muss ein lieber Vater wohnen.
Seid umschlungen,
Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!
Freude, schöner Götterfunken
Tochter aus Elysium,
Freude, schöner Götterfunken
Götterfunken!

The movie ends with the performance of Beethoven’s 6^th. Goshu plays well. The conductor asks Goshu to play an encore, where he decides to play Tiger Hunt in India, as he thought he was being made fun of. Goshu plays, the audience roars their approval. In the end, Goshu is in his home at peace with all of the animals with Pastoral in the air.

General Comments: a short movie. I enjoyed the soundtrack. The overall look of the movie was flat compared to the past Ghibli flicks. It’s the simple things that are grand.

O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!
Sondern laßt uns angenehmere an stimmen,
und freudenvollere.
Freude!  
Freude!

I thank you for reading. Until next time! Keep watching.

Let’s Complete Studio Ghibli X

Good Morning Everyone!

Coming to you live from the Adriatic Seaand it’s a soft, wet love that you have for me. When describing the male gender, I once said this to a “good” friend: (1) A through Z, all men are dogs; (2) we have two brains, but only think with one of them during a given circumstance; (3) thus, we are stupid (especially when the stars are aligned and the pheromones are kicking); (4) therefore, we are easily subdues by love, lust, infatuation, intrigue and the like; (5) but, we have little to offer (the main thing being one of #2); (6) that is why we are hunters; (7) thus, we must provide.

I can see the castle
I can see the throne
I can see the beloved and she’s not alone
But it’s cool like that
Cuz I’ll be diggin’ her just the same
I can see the curtain wrestled from the wall
I can see her hands tied
I can see it all
He pulls a gat
This is how they play the game
And I’m ’round the the back
Cuz curiosity it knows no shame

Pheromone, rush over me like an ocean
Pheromone, controllin’ my every motion
Pheromone, I’m helpless as a pet
Pheromone, when your body’s wet

Disc 10: Porco Rosso, Crimson Pig, Kurenai no Buta, 紅の豚
Director and Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
Release Date: July 18, 1992

Ah…the seclusion of an island all to yourself. Crystal clear water and a calming breeze; a lost little hole for you to sleep and ponder on the good things. And the fact that you have been cursed to live as a pig for the rest of your life. Here, we have Marco Pagot, a former ace fighter pilot from World War I, now a freelance bounty hunter chasing air pirates. Of said air pirates, the movie opens with a group of sea pirates attempting to kidnap a group of young girls and burgle a cruise liner, who are more excited about the kidnapping as opposed to scared…it was a playful kidnapping. Marco rescues the girls, leaving behind some of the stolen loot to the pirates so that they can repair their now damaged airship. Afterwards, Marco flies to Hotel Adriano, where we find a group of pirates who are negotiating a contract to kill Marco with a cocky American pilot, Curtis and where Marco meets his closest friend, the owner of the hotel, Gina.

Life is precious baby, love is so rare
I can take the breakup if u say that u care
He had 2 run away, his pride was 2 strong
It started raining, baby, the birds were gone
(I love u baby, I love u so much)
Maybe (Maybe we can stay in touch)
Meet me in another world (Meet me in another world, space and joy)
vous etes tres belle (vous etes tres belle, mama)
Girls and boys (girls and boys)

A short time after, and after a short flight fight, Curtis believes that he has killed Marco. With his plane badly wrecked, Marco goes toMilanto repair his plane. Here, we find Piccolo and his granddaughter, Fio, who is a mechanical genius in disguise…in disguise of a 17 year old girl. Hesitant at first, Marco refuses to have his plane repaired by Fio. He eventually changes his mind. The plane is repaired by Fio and an all female workforce.

If I had a harem like all the papers say
If I had a harem like all the papers say
I’d have me a different girl 4 each and every day

If I had a harem here’s what I’d do
If I had a harem here’s what I’d do
I’d get me 7, 8, or 9 just 2 take care of U
This is true
Yeah

With the plane repaired. Macro leaves to go after Curtis. To his surprise, Fio, who fashioned a compartment for herself in the plane, decides to leave with him. Again, hesitant at first, Marco succumbs to Fio’s and her grandfather’s will. Together they fly escaping the Italian police. Marco flies over the Hotel Adriano, where Curtis is trying to soothsay Gina into joining him toAmerica. At the sight of Marco, Gina reminisces of her childhood days, when her and a then human Marco would fly together. Gina proclaims her love for Marco. Upon their return to Marco’s private island, they are found ambushed by the band of pirates. Curtis then appears and challenges Marco to a duel. If Marco wins, Curtis will pay for Marco’s plane-repair bills. If Curtis wins, he wins Fio’s hand in marriage. Having made friends with the pirates and regretting the decision for not padding the bill, Fio takes a swim.

Hot thing!
Hot thing, barely 21
Hot thing, looking 4 big fun
Hot thing, what’s your fantasy?
Do U wanna play with me?

Hot thing, baby U dance so good
Hot thing, baby I knew U would
Hot thing, tell me what U see
Hot thing, When U smile, when U smile, when U smile
Are your smiles, are your smiles 4 me?

That night, Fio wakes from her sleep to find Macro cleaning bullets. At first site, she sees Marco as human. Awakened, Fio asks Marco to tell her a story. He tells her about the last summer of the war when he was still human. Marco’s best friend Bellini married Gina. While flying, Bellini and Marco are attacked by Austrian pilots. Unable to control his plane, Marco gives up and the plane pilots itself into a cloud. Above the cloud there is a convoy of planes. The other planes attacked, icluding Bellini’s, emerge from the cloud and float up to the convoy. Marco proclaims to Belilini that he cannot leave Gina and that Marco should go instead. Bellini, deaf, did not return. Macro returns feeling guilty. This incident caused his transformation from human to pig.

If a man is considered guilty
4 what goes on in his mind
Then give me the electric chair
4 all my future crimes-OH!

Let’s take a drive, love
So we can make up our minds, love
2 commit the crimes of passion
That sets us free
Me lovin’ U, U lovin’ me (me lovin’ u, u lovin’ me)

The electric chair

The next day, Marco and Curtis meet for the dogfight. The two fight until their planes can no longer take it. An air duel soon becomes a boxing match in the water. In the climax of the fight, Gina arrives. Upon her arrival, Marco wins the duel. Curtis pays Fio. Marco sends Fio with Gina. In the end, it is implied that Macro returns to human form.

Can U take me home
Where we can be alone?
Can U make me happy
Till my pain is gone?
Can U get me excited?
Excited enough 2 thank the God above 4 the human body

General comments: another good one. A more comical affair: definitely in regards to wordplay and the usage of “pig.” The most comical Studio Ghibli flick yet, thus thoroughly enjoyable.

…Until next time! Keep watching!