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Listed below are the some of the very best movie productions of legendary stories, tall tales and of course, classic mythology. Many have an underlying celestial theme, but all follow the formula of the hero quest in all its variations and tribulations.
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The highest grossing film in Japanese box-office history (more than $234 million), Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away is a stunning film that reasserts the power of hand drawn animation to create worlds based on Japanese mythology. Our young heroine, like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and Lewis Carroll's Alice, Chihiro (Daveigh Chase) plunges into an alternate reality. Her adventure starts on the way to their new home far way from familiar surroundings. The cranky adolescent and her parents get lost and find what they think is a deserted amusement park. While her parents find spirit food and end up stuffing themselves until they turn into pigs, Chihiro discovers they're trapped in a resort/bath house for Japanese gods and spirits. An oddly familiar boy named Haku (Jason Marsden) comes to Chihiro’s aid and instructs her to request a job from Yubaba (Suzanne Pleshette), the greedy witch who rules the spa. As she works, Chihiro's untapped qualities keep her from being corrupted by the greed that pervades Yubaba's mini-empire. In a series of fantastic adventures, she purges a river god suffering from human pollution, rescues the mysterious No-Face, and befriends Yubaba's kindly twin, Zeniba (Pleshette again).
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The resolve, bravery, and love Chihiro discovers within herself enable her to aid Haku and save her parents. The result is a moving and magical journey, told with consummate skill by one of the masters of contemporary animation.
Rated PG: Recommended 10 years and over ("Some scary moments")
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PLOT: Howl's Moving Castle is based in a slightly fantasy setting, in that magic fantastical creatures and many fairy-tale conventions exist. The heroine is Sophie, who lives with her step-mother and two stepsisters after her father dies, leaving them his hat-shop. Since they are very poor, the step-mother decides it would be best to send to of the daughters away where they can be assured of a good start in life. In fairytale convention, the youngest child will always suceed best when seeking their fortune, so the youngest daughter Martha is sent to learn magic with a friendly white witch, while the middle daughter Lettie begins an apprenticeship with the local baker. Sophie, the eldest, doesn't have much chance, so she stays on withher mother to help run the hat-shop, which she will inherit someday.
However, things don't work out as planned. Martha and Lettie use a spell to switch places, since Lettie wants to learn magic and have adventures while Martha wants to get married and raise a family. After Sophie discovers this, she crosses paths with an evil sorceress who for some reason that is not revealed at first, casts a spell on Sophie that turnsher into an old woman and prevents her from telling anyone about it.
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Forced to leave the hat shop, Sophie goes to find some way of breaking the curse and ends up taking refuge at the moving castle (yes, it is a castle that can move about, and also has a door that can lead to four different locations). This place belongs to Howl, a charming yet seemingly irresponsible wizard with a reputation for chasing pretty girls. The castle is powered by Calcifer, a fire demon who lives in the hearth and is bound by a contract with Howl. He makes a secret bargain with Sophie; he will break the curse she is under, if she can find a way to break the contract as it could destroy him and Howl. Sophie takes a position as housekeeper and tries to find out what the contract is (Calcifer is also bound not to tell her what it is), whilst putting up with Howl's annoying behaviour, and there are further complications when he clashes with the evil sorceress.
Rated: PG Recommended 9 years and over
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PLOT: A thousand years after man has destroyed the surface of the earth with terrifying Fire Demons in the 'Seven Days of Fire' only three main civilizations survived: the warlike Tomekulans and Placedans, and the peaceable Valley-Folk. However, a rapidly spreading Toxic Jungle threatens all three; its plants release poisonous vapors and it is home to giant insects. Seas and lakes have become pure acid. Luckily, strong winds have protected the Valley from Toxic Jungle vapors. Its people lead simple but full lives, by farming and using the wind's energy through windmills. King Zeal who rules the peaceful Valley is ill and dying after prolonged exposure to Jungle vapors in his constant effort to destroy it. Only his young daughter, Princess Zandra, seeks to understand and coexist with the Toxic Jungle and its creatures. As their worlds collide, the young princess attempts to make everyone understand that destruction may not be the key to their survival.
Underlying this action packed story line is an ancient prophecy which tells of lands being united in peace by a blue-robed savior who comes to them through a field of gold. Easily recognizable in this brilliant work is the ‘hero’s journey’ that brings boons the macrocosm and is one of the classics of Japanese animation. Made in 1984 and directed by Hayao
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Miyazaki, it was originally entitled NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND. The American Version, WARRIORS OF THE WIND, cut by approximately twenty minutes and English dubbed, was re-released by First Independent in 1993. Rated G: Recommended 7 years and over
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This magical Hayao Miyazaki movie was a 1988 mega hit in Japan. The basic story is about two young girls and their father who move to the countryside to provide a healthy environment for their mother when she is able to leave the hospital. The family will now be living in an old and a rickety farmhouse. The girls become friends with the old lady from a nearby farm, who tells them about the shy spirits of the countryside.
On the first day, as they're putting up their furniture and cleaning, Satsuki and Mei encounter the little black sooty spirits that live in old dusty homes. Mei catches one! They soon depart en masse, reluctant to share the house with humans.
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They spend their days exploring their new home and neighborhood, which is when little Mei discovers the existence of Totoros, magical forest spirits which only children can see. The largest of the three Totoros (O Totoro or Big Totoro) gives Satsuki and Mei a package of acorns which they plant. Late one night they find the three Totoros marching around the garden and in a dream sequence they join them to watch as the seeds magically sprout, forming a huge camphor tree. After that Totoro takes the entire group flying on a magic top. When their mother's health backslides Mei runs off on her own to find the hospital. As the whole village tries to find her, Satsuki turns to O Totoro for help.
Totoro is not based on any exact Japanese mythological or folk character, but does spring from the idea of nature spirits in Japanese culture. The area where Totoro occurs is fictitious, but is supposed to be in the rural area just outside of Tokyo in the early 1950s. Part of the appeal of Totoro in Japan is the the nostalgia for a lost lifestyle since most of these rural areas near Tokyo have been converted into crowded suburbs by now.
Rated: G Recommended 5 years and over
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Starchaser: The Legend of Orin
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PLOT: On the planet Trinia where humans are slaves digging in mines for the god Zygon, slave Orin uncovers a sword hilt that shows him his destiny. Though the gods’ declaration to always dig down and never up to “hell”, one boy is destined to challenge this decree and change the world. Orin escapes by digging up to the surface and begins his quest to free humanity from enslavement by robots.
This film had the distinction of being the first animated feature made in 3-D and I first saw Starchaser in a movie theatre with 3D glasses on. The animation is reminiscent to Heavy Metal or Rock and is not up to Disney standards, but it's a far cry from what most animation houses were making at that time. The main characters consist of Orin, an innocent boy and savior of all humankind - Dag, who is a cool mix of James Dean and Han Solo, - the spaceship's computer, - Orin’s love interest who comes from an interstellar political background, - an uptight fembot who is turned into a fawning bimbo-bot and - the dark villain who hides behind a metal mask.
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Besides the similar mythological motifs used by George Lucas in Star Wars, it is also interesting to note the number of images Starchaser manages to connect its sword to - it is found buried in the rock (Arthurian mythos), a cross that contains the holy spirit (Christian mythos), and it manages to produce a coherent beam of energy and holographic messages begging for help (Star Wars). Directed by Steven Hahn and John Sparey in 1985, Starchaser: The Legend of Orin is probably best suited for fans of science fiction animation, as the average viewer might not "get it".
Rated: PG Recommended 12 years and over
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Based on mythological motifs, this film takes place in North America as the Ice Age is ending about 10,000 years ago. The motion picture centers around Kenai, a headstrong teenager who is anxiously waiting to receive his "totem" from the Great Spirits that will help guide him through life. His two older brothers, Sitka and Denahi, have their totems--an eagle and a wolf, respectively--and Kenai is hoping to get something equally manly. Yet when Kenai is given a bear totem, which represents love, the young man feels humiliated, and later vents his frustrations by charging after a bear that's stolen a basket of fish. His brothers rush to stop him, but in the ensuing battle, his brother Sitka dies trying to save Kenai. The grief-stricken younger brother vows to hunt the fleeing animal down in revenge, but just as Kenai catches and kills the bear, the Great Spirits arrive on the scene. They transform Kenai
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into a bear and tell him that “to become human again he must find the place where the lights touch the mountain."
These lights are the aurora borealis, also called the “Northern Lights.” Kenai, a very reluctant bear, sets out on his quest and joins up with a bear cub named Koda--who knows the way. Kenai begins to see the world through a bear's eyes, and as he gains respect for the bears and other animals, he finds the true meaning of his totem.
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NOTE: Since the reluctant hero’s environment is the Ice Age, the cosmic mountain in this tale is employed to create a bond between heaven and earth to gain access to the sky. Later, human beings would create structures such as temples or pyramids to gain access to the heavens.
Rated G: Recommended 7 years and over
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Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas
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For generation after generation, the name Sinbad has evoked images of swashbuckling adventures on the high seas. Born more than a thousand years ago in the ancient tales of The Arabian Nights, Sinbad has come to the big screen before, but the state-of-the-art tools of today's traditional animation have allowed Sinbad to be brought to the screen as never before in "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas."
The adventure starts when Eris (Michelle Pfeiffer), the goddess of Chaos, steals the "Book of Peace", and frames Sinbad (Brad Pitt) for the crime. Setting out to prove his innocence (and save the life of his best friend, Proteus (Joseph Fiennes), Sinbad travels aboard the Chimera to the heavenly realm of Eris. He soon discovers Proteus' girlfriend Marina (Catherine Zeta-Jones), has stowed away on Sinbad's ship to make sure that he fulfills his mission.
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Upon arriving at their destination, Sinbad is challenged by terrifying monsters which include a giant scorpion, a giant serpent and the Roc, a 40-foot-tall bird made of ice and snow. Even if Sinbad can defeat all of these monsters, he also has to deal with the effects of Eris' golden "Apple of Discord", which has the ability to turn friends into enemies when thrown in their midst.
It’s obvious the inspiration for Eris' monsters came from the night sky. Many of the constellations were born of mythology, so in turn, the filmmakers made them part of the Sinbad mythology. The constellation Cetus became the sea monster; and Aquila inspired the giant bird of prey called the Roc, Scorpius the Scorpion, and Draco the Dragon. They are all part of Eris' cosmic realm of chaos.
The legend of Sinbad has been reinterpreted many times, so in exploring elements of the different tales, they created a wholly fantastical world in which to put our Sinbad. The filmmaker wanted to create a world of men and monsters-a place where myth could be made real-so they kept it away from actual places and created a world of the imagination.
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas is a fabulous mythological adventure from the past, that has been recreated for a 21st-century audience.Rated: G Recommended 7 years and over
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Hogarth, a young boy who lives in the Maine woods during the cold war, befriends a giant robot that has crash landed on earth. As "a stranger in a strange" land, the Iron Giant is a misunderstood outsider who becomes a Hogarth's best friend. The boy does his best to hide the massive figure from everyone including his mom (Jennifer Aniston) and the local scrap-yard artist (Harry Connick Jr.). Soon the suspicions of a government agent (Christopher McDonald) spell trouble. Compared to the glitz of Disney's annual animated extravaganzas, The Iron Giant is a refreshing change. As with the best family entertainments, there are gags that adults will howl at (Director Brad Birds interpretation of cold war propaganda) while the kids are watching something else…like the Iron Giant who is one cool piece of animated magic. Voiced by Vin Diesel (Pitch Black and TripleX) and filled with more gadgets than a Swiss army knife, the giant is a grand thing to behold.
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And like another famous cinema tin man, our hero--and the movie--has heart. Rated: G Recommended 7 years and over
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Not an ideal choice for younger kids, this hip and violent animated feature from Disney was nevertheless a huge smash in theaters and on video, and it continues to enjoy life in an acclaimed Broadway production. The story finds a lion cub, son of a king, sent into exile after his father is sabotaged by a rivalrous uncle. The little hero finds his way into the "circle of life" with some new friends and eventually comes back to reclaim his proper place. Characters are very strong, vocal performances by the likes of Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, and Whoopi Goldberg are terrific, the jokes are aimed as much at adults than kids, the animation is sometimes breathtaking, and the music is more palatable than in many Disney features. But be cautious: this is too intense for the Rugrat crowd. Rated PG. Recommended 10 years and over
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Until Spirited Away, this epic, animated 1997 fantasy was the top-grossing domestic feature ever released in Japan, where its combination of mythic themes, mystical forces, and ravishing visuals tapped deeply into cultural identity and contemporary, ecological anxieties. For international animation and anime fans, Princess Mononoke represented an auspicious next step for its revered creator, Hayao Miyazaki.
Set in medieval Japan, Miyazaki's original story envisions a struggle between nature and man. The march of technology, embodied in the dark iron forges of the ambitious Tatara clan, threatens the natural forces explicit in the benevolent Great God of the Forest and the wide-eyed, spectral spirits he protects. When Ashitaka, a young warrior from a remote
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and endangered, village clan, kills a ravenous, boar-like monster, he discovers the beast is in fact an infectious "demon god," transformed by human anger. Ashitaka's quest to solve the beast's fatal curse brings him into the midst of human political intrigues as well as the more crucial battle between man and nature.
Miyazaki's elaborate fable is clearly not the stuff of kiddie matinees, nor is the violence depicted during the battles that ensue. Miyazaki's atmospheric world and its lush visual design are reasons enough to watch. Gillian Anderson, Billy Crudup (as Ashitaka), Claire Danes (as San), Minnie Driver (as Lady Eboshi), Billy Bob Thornton, and Jada Pinkett Smith. With such animated films as (My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service), Hayao Miyazaki is an acknowledged anime pioneer, whose painterly style, vivid character design, and stylized approach to storytelling take ambitious, evolutionary steps every time he creates.
Rated PG Recommended 12 years and over
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Our title character (Mike Myers) is a peaceful green ogre who wants nothing else but to live his days in peace. But when little Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) evicts all the local fairy-tale creatures (including the now-famous Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and the Gingerbread Man), they have choice but to settle in the ogre's swamp. Shrek wants Lord Farquaad to fix the mess and the lord agrees, but not until our ogre completes a quest. Shrek reluctantly sets out with his new pal, an annoying talking donkey (Eddie Murphy), to rescue a princess (Cameron Diaz) from a dragon protected castle in a thrilling action sequence. The story is stronger than most animated fare, but it's the humor that makes Shrek a winner for young and old. The mild toilet humor is fun enough for 10-year-olds, but will never make parents uncomfortable. Shrek is never as warm and inspired as the Toy Story films, but the realistic computer animation and a hopping soundtrack are exciting and entertaining. Produced by DreamWorks, the film also takes several delicious stabs at it animation rival, Disney.
Rated PG: Recommended 10 years and over
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This Disney version of the Arthurian legend chronicles the tutoring of the Once and Future King, Arthur, as handled by the magician Merlin. Sword was a portent of things to come, with silly laughable storytelling, and cultural in-jokes replacing awe and wonder. But there's still much to enjoy as Merlin shows young Arthur things that will help him become the ruler of the Britons. The transformation sequences, where the boy is turned into a fish, a bird, and a squirrel are classic Disney and the repetitive scenes of Merlin battling it out with the mean old Madame Mim is worth a few giggles. References by Merlin to modern life and inventions like television also spoils thisgenerally entertaining story. Children will like it, but they won't treasure it like Disney’s Beauty and the Beast or The Lion King.
Rated G. Recommended 6 years and over
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Hercules is an entertaining animated version that introduces the story of the greatest of Greek heroes. Designed for children, the continual in-jokes and cultural references makes it enjoyable for the mature viewer as well. Even though there's no majesty or awe that one would enjoy from live action films, kids will be exposed to the mythology while enjoying the bounciest Alan Menken music since Little Shop of Horrors. With Zeus's blood in his veins, young Hercules's amazing strength makes him an outcast, so he trains with a satyr named Phil to become a hero. Along the way Herc meets Meg, a common mortal who falls hard for him. Together they battle against the jocular Hades, who has to destroy Hercules to take over Olympus. Rated G. Recommended 10 years and over
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Nearly every biblical film is ambitious, creating pictures to go with some of the most famous and sacred stories in the Western world. DreamWorks' first animated film was the vision of executive producer Jeffrey Katzenberg after his ugly split from Disney, where he had been acknowledged as a key architect in that studio's rebirth (The Little Mermaid, etc.). His first film for the company he helped create was a huge, challenging project without a single toy or merchandising tie-in, the backbone du jour of family entertainment in the 1990s. Three directors and 16 writers succeed in carrying out much of Katzenberg's vision. The linear story of Moses is crisply told, and the look of the film is stunning; indeed, no animated film has looked so ready to be placed in the Louvre since Fantasia. Here is an Egypt alive with energetic bustle and pristine buildings. Born a slave and set adrift in the river, Moses (voiced by Val Kilmer) is raised as the son of Pharaoh Seti (Patrick Stewart) and is a fitting rival for his stepbrother Rameses (Ralph Fiennes).
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When he learns of his roots--in a knockout sequence in which hieroglyphics come alive--he flees to the desert, where he finds his roots and heeds God's calling to free the slaves from Egypt.
Katzenberg and his artists are careful to tread lightly on religious boundaries. The film stops at the parting of the Red Sea, only showing the Ten Commandments--without commentary--as the film's coda. Music is a big part (there were three CDs released) and Hans Zimmer's score and Stephen Schwartz's songs work well--in fact the pop-ready, Oscar-winning "When You Believe" is one of the weakest songs. Kids ages 5 and up should be able to handle the referenced violence; the film doesn't shy away from what Egyptians did to their slaves. Perhaps Katzenberg could have aimed lower and made a more successful animated film, but then again, what's a heaven for?
Rated G. Recommended 10 years and over
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This animated film has a story line that truly deserves the A-list treatment. The Last Unicorn is memorable for its attempts to stay faithful to its origins, the Peter Beagle novel of the same name. The animation is vintage Rankin/Bass, and that's too bad; but there's an undeniable strength in this tale and telling. A Unicorn (Monoceros)--she (Mia Farrow)--believes herself the last--searches for any others of her kind, while avoiding the malevolent Red Bull (Taurus), the agent believed to have destroyed the rest of the herd. Along the way, she is mistaken, ignored, attacked, and obsessed about, finally finding help from a magician named Schmendrick (Alan Arkin) and a knight (Orion) named Prince Lir (Jeff Bridges). A haunting film that pays homage to celestial mythology and the people who love it. Rated G: Recommended for 6 and over
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