Whisper of the Heart [DVD]

Whisper of the heart is one of the most sensitive, heartwarming and beautiful films ever made. Based on a shojo manga by Aoi Hiiragi, Written and produced by Hayao Miyazaki and directed by Yoshifumi Kondo, whisper of the heart is a tale of self discovery and coming of age of a high school girl Shizuku who is not sure what she wants in life. A series of dramatic events bring her closer to a guy Seiji from her own school. Together they embark on a journey which will help them find their inner potentials, realize their dreams and also love for each other. Also featured in the movie is an old man who runs an antique shop stocked with amazing treasures, including a magnificient porcelain figurine "the baron" (also featured in "The cat returns). Both of these characters play an important role in the film. Though "The cat returns" is kind of follow up to "whisper" yet for some reason it was released on dvd before "whisper".

Rarely is a film as honest and realistic as whisper of the heart and that's what makes it amazingly special, charming and successful. Within its thin plot and realistic settings, whisper has its magic moments which are downright uplifting and strike a chord somewhere deep inside. The film itself is a breath of fresh air.

Whisper of the heart, though slow in pace, draws you in from the very beginning and refuses to let you go. Its a heartwarming tale which makes you feel nostalgic and helps you relive the adolescence. Except for the Shizuku's dreamy fantasy sequence, the film relies heavily on dialogues and simple and real situations. The locales and the backgrounds shown in the film are as beautiful and breathtaking as in any other ghibli film. Open spaces, beautiful countryside, deep blue sky with summer clouds, a bicycle ride atop the hill, there are numerous things and moments in the film that set the mood just right, leaving the viewer spellbound and satisfied. After a while you forget completely that you are watching an animated film. Music plays an important role in the film and is soft and relaxing though we do get lots of those silent moments too for which ghibli films are famous. Also featured in the film is John Denver's song "country roads" which makes the perfect backdrop for the film. Not to mention here, the royalty disputes which arised later, making it difficult for the movie to see an American release.

Be it character development, animation or background art of the film, attention to details is simply stunning.The incredibly detailed backgrounds of the fantasy sequences were done by Naohisa Inoue who was an established artist and a long time Miyazaki fan. Impressed by his fantasy work, Miyazaki himself invited him to work on the film. Whisper of the heart dvd released by Buena Vista in Japan includes a special documentary showcasing the dreamy artwork of the film.

Director Yoshifumi Kondo had worked on many ghibli films such as Kiki's delivery service, Grave of the fireflies and Pom poko etc, as an animator. Hayao Miyazaki, who was looking for new breed of directors for ghibli, recognised Kondo's talent in no time and gave him a chance to direct this movie. Unfortunately, whisper of the heart remains to be the first and the only film directed by Yoshifumi Kondo. Just after the release of whisper, Kondo succumbed to cancer. It is evident from whisper of the heart how immensely talented and sensitive director Kondo was.

Films like whisper of the heart are very rare and come once in a lifetime. Watching a film like this is an experience to behold and cherish forever.

The animated films from Studio Ghibli are easily the finest expressions of that art form around today. "Whisper of the Heart" is a simple, uncomplicated story of a 14 year old schoolgirl as she approaches adulthood. It is set in a contemporary Tokyo which is drawn so clearly it could almost have been photographed.

Shizuku is in her last year at junior high school and loves literature. She is clearly intelligent, but lacks direction and ambition. A chance encounter with a cat on a train leads her to a friendship with Seiji and a re-evaluation of the way her life is developing.

The story is not so much plot driven as character driven. There is no violence or aggression. There is no intergeneration conflict. In the school scenes there is a welcome absence of "competitive jock" and "prom queen" elements which seem to permeate American films.

Although this film is about a teenage girl, it is not a teenage film, but a real family film which can be enjoyed on many levels. Technically, this is "reality animation" which is as good as it gets. It is heartwarming, it has humour, it has insight.

This is a lovely film.

Be enchanted by this film. The title of my review is a reference to this, that despite the cover, the cat and the beautiful red dress are only in it for a maximum of 5 minutes. And it dosen't matter, not one tiny bit. Ghibli films are known for their fantastical plots and otherworldly imagery, but this isn't one of them. It tells a simple, basic tale of first love, and I must say that this film is the best example of the cliche I have ever seen.

The detail and thought that went into this film are truly stunning, every movement that the charecters make could be real, and the backgrounds are so well observed and intricate that you may find yourself thinking twice as to whether it's animation or real footage (it isn't, it is just the work off very, very skilled animators.)

When I brought the DVD of this, being captivated by the girl in the red dress and the cat in the top hat, I was disappointed at first to find it began with an average schoolgirl visiting an average cornerstore, but that was for the first minute as after that I began to appreciate what this film really is, I opened my heart to it and cried with sadness for our heroine at her times of despair and whopped with joy at the ending.

My favourite Ghibli film, and I truly beleive that this film should be made compulsary viewing for all.

-Rachael-