Yume to kyôki no ôkoku

This was a deeply moving look at the work ethic and - dare I say - the spirit of Hayao Miyazaki. Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most inspirational storytellers of all time, and if you haven't already seen his movies, I recommend checking out at least one if not all of them if you're a regular filmgoer or an aspiring filmmaker. The Ghibli movies were an eye-opening experience for me growing up, and even now, I consider them to be very influential, especially those by Miyazaki. Knowing how special they were, and given how nostalgic I was feeling, I really really wanted to cry after watching this documentary, as silly as that sounds. I hope Miyazaki finishes his next movie, 'How Do You Live?' I look forward to seeing it if it comes out.

Mostly magical movie of my life. I cried when he wrote that letter. Miyazaki is on of the few artists in this modern world and we need to appreciate him for that. Legends never die.

THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS is a documentary exploring the dying days of Studio Ghibli and in particular lead animator Hayao Miyazaki. Set during the making of THE WIND RISES, this is a reflective journey, tinged with sadness and nostalgia, that sees the famed cartoonist looking back over his life and work as well as discussing the challenges of both present and future.

Needless to say, this is a must see for anybody who considers themselves a fan of Studio Ghibli. Unlike western-made documentaries, this takes the straightforward approach of simply grabbing a camera, following Miyazaki and his crew around, and asking the occasional question. The unobtrusive approach works well, somehow getting you into the heart and soul of the studio, and it feels refreshing for there to be no talking head interviews, no movie clips interspersed into the narrative. Somehow, THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS manages to capture a little of the Studio Ghibli magic itself.

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness stays true to its name, offering a deep, touching, and realistic insight into the dreams and madness rampant in the production of Hayao Miyazaki's 'last' masterpiece, 'The Wind Rises'.

To the surprise of many, the documentary doesn't dive into Studio Ghibli's rich heritage. With the exception of Miyazaki's partnership with Isao Takahata, we learn little to nothing of his life, family, education, and works. Even less documented is the production process from concept to film. If you're looking for structure, biopsy, behind the scenes, and feel-good tangents, this is not it.

'Hello, please allow me to observe you working.' - the hanging note in the opening scenes summarizes the film's 'unobtrusive' approach. Unlike the typical American documentary, the Kingdom of Dreams and Madness drops the head-on interviews, spotlights, and overall busy atmosphere, in favour of capturing the routine of the team at Ghibli. Lacking the excitement and glorification one would expect from such a talented budget, the already 120 minute long time line feels slow. Watching sometimes feels as tedious as the animation process itself. Though, the result is a treasure: an unbiased look at what it means to be, and work for Miyazaki; the crew's timid involvement allows Miyazaki to open up, giving us an unexpected glimpse into what goes on in his head, and leads to a touching, raw, understanding of 'the suffering of film making'.

There's one thing to take away from The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness: Miyazaki's philosophy. In a place where we expect happiness, motivation, and fusion, we instead find cynicism, bitterness, frustration, and chaos. Albeit delivered politely and comically, Miyazaki's words are not what we expect to hear. Through rants about bowing to not being able to draw A6M Zero's, Miyazaki channels his surrender within the modern world. 'Today, all of humanity's dreams are cursed somehow'. You can't create your own happiness, because you cannot control how others see your creations. 'The notion that one's goal in life is to be happy, that your own happiness is the goal... I just don't buy it.'

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness is nothing you would expect, and everything you need to know. At first hard to follow, it quickly immerses you in a philosophical trance. Be sure to leave time to ponder at this solid 10.

A very impressive and honest portrayal of the great Japanese animation creator/director Hayao Miyazaki. Documentary director Mami Sunada shadowed the animation director as he created his latest work – When the Wind Rises. Sunada seemed to have full access to the studio and home of the director, taping company meetings, interviewing and recording some of the 400 employees at work at the Ghibli Studio in west Tokyo. Interspersed in the latest development of the script and creation process were the complicated relationship, partnership and friendship between Miyazaki and Isao Takahada, who bought Miyazaki into the field of animation years ago. He was directing the animation The Tale of Princess Kaguya which was scheduled to show in Japan the same year as When the Wind Rises. Never to be missed was the portrayal of micro- managing producer Toshio Suzuki who had been working between the two giants for more than half of a century.

It is moving watching archive footages of these three young men working closely for and dedicated more than half of their lives to this field. Long terms friends and work partners, they have gradually grown into three graceful yet a little stubborn artists. You cannot help but admire their respect for their passion. Also valuable was how candid Miyazaki was in front of the camera, revealing his philosophy, emotions, contradiction, hesitation and imagination. At 72, he is still lively and fun as a child and dreams of all kind of crazy ideas. Excellent editing here to insert clips of the animation which made his dreams come true. We also see his deepest respect for life and ordinary things around him. In many ways, he reminds me of the grandfather in Heidi: A Girl from the Alps, directed by Takahata in 1974, particularly when Miyazaki has his apron on almost all the time.

I watched this after visiting the exhibition on Studio Ghibli Layout Designs: Understanding the secrets of Takahata and Miyazaki Animation at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. It was much less interesting than the visit to the Ghibli Studio in Tokyo but the exhibit offered a closer look at some of the tediously detailed hand-drawn artwork which I later saw in this film.

Similar to Miyazaki's animation work, the studio was warm and filled with natural light. The work style is informal, fun and loving though Miyazaki can be hard to work with at times. It looks like a fun place to work. Now, having learned more about how Miyazaki created his various animation works, I would sure watch his work again in new lights.