Good Morning Everyone!
Coming to you live from Monaco where the sunsets lingers over the Mediterranean Sea like a winter wind dancing on the anacrusis of Spring. Lively being the current state, where Hercules roamed and took magistrate, here repetitive motions dominate like those in Indiana. Imagine sitting with me in my room, knowing outside is in full bloom with warm, dry summers lasting days, with winters nil snow, only rain. Everything is all between, here it feels of both Fall and Spring. Certainly, weather to be treasured.
Here, treasure is not as diminutive as the landmass itself. These treasures steal the wary eyes of visiting travelers, hunting thieves and destitute pleasure-seekers looking for big fun. But not everything can be called as it’s told. As pleasure-seekers know alike, they all must have a cautious eye to find and look & search and find everything that is real and genuine. Tonight we continue our journey through the Studio Ghibli Hayao Miyazaki Collection 32.
Disc 3: Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro, ルパン三世 カリオストロの城
Written and Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Released: December 15, 1979
Lupin III is a popular manga series written and illustrated by Monkey Punch (Kazuhiko Kato) (now that’s a pen name), which follows the life of a gang of thieves led by Arsène Lupin III, the grandson of Maurice Leblanc’s gentleman thief Arsène Lupin. Almost an instant hit, the manga spanned through various media outlets (e.g. television, music, video game, film) receiving more notoriety and acclaim. The first Lupin III film was a live-action talkie: Strange Psychokinetic Strategy (based on an anime this movie was very colorful from what I remember…it was Austin Powers before Austin was cool). The second released movie was an animated piece, The Secret of Mamo, where Lupin III turns down an offer of eternal life…like a boss. Then there came a third cinematic installment, a second anime which, loosely based on one of LeBlanc’s novels, is what is being discussed now:
Running, Lupin III and Jigen have just stolen 5 billiion dollars from the Casino of Monaco. After a smooth getaway, while driving a Mini Cooper-like auto filled to the brim with loot, the thieves realize that the money is the same counterfeit bills from their past days. Trying to find the source of the bills, the two travel the Principality of Cagliostro. While driving on cliff-side, they rescue a young girl, Clarisse, from thugs. Nearly saved hanging off the cliff, both Lupin and Clarisse fall, knocking Lupin unconscious and resulting in Clarisse being recaptured. Before being recaptured Clarisse gives Lupin a ring. Clarisse is the princess of Cagliostro and is going to be married to the Count, who wants to obtain the ancient treasure of Cagliostro and needs the princess and the ring to do so.
Jigen calls on the help of badass samurai Goemon Ishikawa to rescue Clarisse. He also informs Inspector Zenigata of his whereabouts to provide a distraction for entrance into the castle where Clarisse is being held. Lupin’s former lover Fujiko Mine, posing as Clarisse’s lady-in-waiting tells Lupin here Clarisse is being held. Lupin makes his way into the castle, returns her ring and promises to save her…her being the treasure that he wants to steal. Before their escape, the Count ambushes them and Lupin falls…more like ballaholically falls…through a trapdoor.
While the Count talks with Clarisse about the ring and the family-future, Lupin calls them via the returned-ring. Lupin promises to save Clarisse. And having found out that the ring is fake the Count flushes Lupin deeper into castle cellars filled with the skeletons of spies trying to learn the secret of Cagliostro and the counterfeit bills. While down there, Lupin encounters Inspector Zenigata, where both make a pact to escape. The two hide in the bones of the past spies and fight off the Count’s assassins. While trying to escape, the two also find the printing press containing every type of counterfeit bill: The Goat Money-the black hole.
Continuing with their escape, Lupin starts a fire creating enough distraction to steal the Count’s autogyro. Attempting to rescue Clarisse, Lupin is shot and wounded. Clarisse offers the ring to the Count to save Lupin. With ring in hand, the Count tries to finish off Lupin still hanging on the autogyro, but all parties are saved by Fujiko. The autogyro in horrible shape crash lands into a tree ejecting the shot and on fire Lupin only to be caught by Jigen and Ishikawa. Lupin then needs to heal and recuperate…kid eats as much as me. Hahaha. Inspector Zenigata tries to get international help to stop the Count, but they do not heed the inspector’s council and evidence. Meanwhile, while Lupin is healing he remembers his first attempt in trying to get into the castle: a failed attempt which injured Lupin and was his first encounter with Clarisse as a 9 year old girl. She nourished him back to health. This memory and him seeing his old buddy acting as motivation for Lupin to save Clarisse.
At the wedding between the Count and a dazed Clarisse, Lupin’s ghost appears and disrupts the event. And all I know from here is that a lot of stuff happens at the wedding until it stops happening and eventually we see Lupin driving with Jigen when Fujiko rides up next to them on a bike with something interesting in her bag. What happened at the wedding? Did Clarisse and Lupin live happily ever after? Can thieves not thieve? What did Fujiko have? All these questions, I will not answer but you find them by watching the movie.
General Comments: Good time! Memorable and familar characters. This is what happens when you mix established characters and storyline, with great visuals and comedy.
Next time, Disc 4, on a continuing journey through the Studio Ghibli Hayao Miyazaki Collection 32. Thank you for reading, stay tuned for more. Follow untitledincandide also! Until then, have a beautiful time.
oflittleimportance 