Lupin III: El castillo de Cagliostro

I have two Japanese animated feature films from 1979, this one and one of the sequels to Space Battleship Yamato. Compared to the animation in Yamato (which is flat and often motionless), Lupin is Snow White. There is so much movement (more than some of Miyazaki's later films), and there are some truly incredible "set" pieces (Lupin scaling a sheer castle wall, for instance). One of the things that has always been noted about Japanese animation is that while it's not as fluid as Disney animation (12 frames per second as opposed to 24, not to mention the animation is generally before the voice track), it has incredible style and originality in its design and cinematography. Lupin is a perfect example of this, and it's no wonder the movie is still so well revered in Japan.

This movie is an absolute blast to watch! Represents the Lupin series at its best. A fine anime film that doesn't seem to get the attention it deserves. Then again, nothing less could be expected from the man who gave us "Kiki's Delivery Service" and "Princess Mononoke." It's a bit hard to find since it's been out of print for some time. But if you can find a copy, it's well worth checking out. Hopefully this masterpiece will be reissued on video someday.

The second big screen outing of Lupin III is already one of the best Anime movies ever made, while rivalling anything Disney or Pixar has to offer. Green ogres, fat superheroes or a zillion gigabytes of computer animation still cannot compare to 12 frames of hand drawn charm.

For the uninitiated, Lupin III is the grandson of Arsene Lupin, the gentleman thief, created by Maurice Leblanc in the Twenties. He's always breaking into some impenetrable vault, or has a zillion gadgets up his sleeve to help with escaping if things go awry. He's also rather wacky and buffoonish, which makes his antics a joy to watch.

Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle), in his movie debut, tones down the out of control wackiness of the Lupin III TV show and gives Lupin a rather decent plot to dig his teeth into. This is not an excuse to string together a bunch of insane set pieces.

Seconds after robbing a Monte Carlo casino, Lupin and Jigen discover that every dollar note they have swiped is a fake. Only one place in the world is known to make these counterfeits and Lupin's underworld knowledge leads them to the tiny European country of Cagliostro (think Luxemburg, only much, much smaller).

Half a moment after crossing the border, Lupin and Jigen are involved in a car chase and rescue the Lady Clarisse from a bunch of goons. But she's promptly kidnapped again, though manages to leave Lupin a clue in the form of a strange wedding ring.

Their suspicions over the kidnapping lead them to the titular castle where they discover that an evil Count has seized control of the country, using - guess what? - funny money. And the ring is the key to a great treasure that can only be uncovered when the Lady Clarisse is married to the Count.

Lupin deliberately blows his cover to Inspector Zenigata (the perpetually stressed Interpol officer who is always chasing him) as a diversion, while he breaks into the castle to rescue Clarisse. What follows is scene after scene of hairs breadth escapes and impossible scenarios.

Miyazaki's attention to detail is what truly elevates this beyond typical animation quality. There are enough moments of quietness and atmosphere to balance out the loud scenes. A strong sense of setting also comes from the imaginative "photography". Too many animated movies disorientate the audience with frenetic direction and over-indulgence, but Castle Of Cagliostro works so much better by taking its time and choosing the best angles to cover the action. His trademark flying machines and overeating scenes make their first big screen appearance here.

Far from his typical sub-genre of eco-friendly animation, Miyazaki is obviously a big fan of Lupin and has made a movie that refuses to be missed. Even Spielberg called CoC "one of the best adventure movies ever." Any fan of Miyazaki should check out this film immediately.

One should be aware that the Maurice Leblanc estate doesn't entirely approve of the Lupin III franchise. As a result he is mostly known in the new Optimum Region 2 DVD version as "Wolf" (get it?). The Manga release of this film was entirely re-dubbed in English with Lupin restored but the new Optimum DVD uses the original English voice actors.

The Castle of Cagliostro doesn't really conform to the usual expectations one might have of the great Miyazaki's work, particularly in light of his more personal and celebrated projects like Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro. However, that said, it is worth noting that the film will definitely appeal Miyazaki's die-hard fans who are interested in seeing how their master's unique visual style would develop from this, his first theatrical film, through to the films aforementioned. It is also an important document within the whole world of Manga/Anime, as it represents what some fans consider to be the definitive film adaptation of the long-running and highly celebrated Manga series Lupin III.

Although it is true that the film lacks the flair and the individual charm that Miyazaki would develop throughout his later work for his famed Studio Ghibli, we can certainly see his unique style and his intuitive approach to character developing through the high-risk escapades found here. The Lupin III series focuses on the suave gentleman thief Arsène Lupin (distilled from the character found in Maurice Leblanc's long running series of novels... hence the lineage), who gets himself into all manner of scrapes and adventures whilst trying to readjust the economical balance. The film gets off to a great start with Lupin and his gang making a getaway from a robbery just pulled on the national casino of Monaco. When the gang discover that the haul has left them with a fortune in counterfeit cash, they head for the small European duchy of Cagliostro to lay low and investigate. However, once there, Lupin and his chums inadvertently stumble across a national conspiracy going back hundreds of years, and find themselves having to rescue the beautiful Clarice from the hands of the evil Count de Cagliostro, whilst, in the process, trying to solve the mystery of a hidden treasure dating back to the 15th century!!!

Although the plot outline sounds a little confusing (it might just be my poor description!!), the film itself is a great adventure, with Miyazaki showing early signs of his firm grasp of action (it is often said that a certain Steven Spielberg once called Cagliostro the greatest action movie ever made!!), as well as offering many great moments of piercing high-tension. As always, the director is just as capable of creating great scenes of drama (and even some subtle moments of pathos) as he is at creating the more high-octane moments, whilst always ensuring that the characters are likable and totally believable in what they do.

The Castle of Cagliostro may seem a little out of place when viewed alongside the director's more iconic films, though that isn't to say that the film is without merit. Here Miyazaki shows his depth as a filmmaker, creating a rousing action adventure with great characters, some broad humour and a handful of memorable moments. It's probably not the best place to start for those new to Miyazaki's work (try Spirited Away or My Neighbour Totoro), but at the same time, it shows his development as a filmmaker, as well as offering a great story, and a more than welcome addition to the Lupin III canon.

Early feature directed by the now world famous Japanese animator, Hayao Miyazaki. A roguish thief, Lupin III, attempts to save the Lady Clarisse de Cagliostro from an evil Count, both of them well aware that she holds the secret to a legendary hidden treasure.

The animation is, unsurprisingly, much less sophisticated than in the later Studio Ghibli films, or even those released only a few years after such as "Nausicaa". However, the quality is still very high and Miyazaki's trademark attention to detail, particularly with machines, is noticeable already.

The character animation is much broader and more obviously cartoon-like but this matches the very light tone of the film - this is an all-out action comedy adventure, after all! The details in the film give it a very European feel, from the costumes to the cars (wonderfully animated Fiat 500 and Citroen 2CV), and I was most reminded of Herge's "Tintin" adventure series.

This film is good fun, though I did find the pacing a little uneven, and particularly recommended to those who enjoy their animated films a bit simpler and more conventional than most of Studio Ghibli's output.