If you’ve never seen one of Hayao Miyazaki’s animated films, you are truly missing great works of art. Normally cartoons are intended for younger audiences, but Miyazaki’s films are just as much for adults. The story lines are smart (though sometimes a bit confusing) and interesting.
“Howl’s Moving Castle” is no exception. Sophie is a young hat maker who, after an encounter with a wizard, is turned into an old woman by a vengeful witch called the Witch of the Waste. Sophie takes her transformation in stride and leaves her home in search of someone who can transform her back. Figuring the answers lie with the wizard Howl, she hunts down his strange walking castle and gets herself a job as a maid. She is forbidden to talk about her curse however, and so must use her ingenuity to find a way to break it.
In the meantime, Sophie becomes friends with Howl, Markl, Howl’s young apprentice, and Calcifer the magical fire demon who keeps the castle moving and in one piece. Howl is being courted to join the king’s war. Howl wants nothing to do with it, as the war is really pointless but he may not have a choice. Sophie agrees to help him find a way out of his duties and realizes along the way that she has fallen in love with Howl. But Howl’s in trouble, for some of the magic he’s been using is corrupting his soul and if he doesn’t stop he’ll change into something inhuman forever. But Howl knows that Sophie is under a spell and falls for her as well. In fact, it is his love for her that helps keep him human.
In the end, it is Sophie’s intelligence and love for Howl that gives her the strength to break the spell and to help Howl break free of the magic that is changing him. The movie is long (a minute shy of two hours), and probably wouldn’t hold the interest of those younger than eight or nine. But it is a great story about how looks can be deceiving and that love is more powerful than any magic.
The English version of “Howl’s Moving Castle” features the voice talents of Christian Bale, Billy Crystal, Emily Mortimer and Jean Simmons and is based on the novel by Dianna Wynne Jones. It is rated PG for frigtening images and brief language.
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