Friday, January 16, 2009

3 classic animated films that inspired Hayao Miyazaki

miyazaki

I'm a big fan of famous Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki. I've watched most of his animated films including My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and recently Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea. I love them all! Oh btw, the cute illustration above is done by the talented Andrew Dobson. Don't forget to check him out aye.

A number of Western authors such as Ursula K. Le Guin, Lewis Carroll and Diana Wynne Jones have influenced Miyazaki's work but the first film that really inspired him to go into animation is The Tale of the White Serpent.



The Tale of the White Serpent is an adaptation of the Song dynasty folktale Madame White Snake. Released in 1958, it is the first color anime feature film! Part 1 above and here are parts 2, 3 and 4.



Two other animated classics that inspired Miyazaki are Hedgehog in the Fog and the Snow Queen. Hedgehog in the Fog is a 1975 Soviet animated film by Yuriy Norshteyn. It's a story about a little hedgehog and his friend, a bear cub. It is considered as one of the best animated films of all time.



And lastly, The Snow Queen, another Russian film. Produced in 1957, it is based on the story of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen. Part 1 above and here are parts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

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