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william_reeve
Reviews
Suzuran - Shoujo Moe no monogatari (2000)
Unable to Obtain this Film
I have been twice (2004 and 2007) to the train station in Hokkaido where this drama is supposedly centred, the fictional hamlet of Ashimoi. Located on the railway line to Rumoi. I have also seen the place name written: "Asumoe". The actual place name is Ebishima and the railway station is located at 43 degrees, 51 minutes, 04 seconds North latitude and 141 degrees, 52 minutes, 52.88 seconds East longitude. The station is clearly visible on Google Earth. There are many reminders there of the film, the station is preserved including a station sign "Ashimoi", much as it appeared in the film, as are the stationmaster's house across the road and some nearby buildings. There are even costumed figures of the young girl (Moe) and the stationmaster (Jiro) in the preserved station. I have been able to obtain postcards of stills from the film but nowhere have I found an actual copy of the film in VHS or DVD format, though I am told that a copy in Japanese was seen in someone's house in nearby Numata. Can anyone tell me how to obtain a copy?
Tonari no Totoro (1988)
I loved this film -- both delightful and edifying
I loved this film. I had to buy a DVD copy, even though I don't have a DVD player, and have to view it on my computer. The visual effects are charming and delightful. The images of a culture, a society and a lifestyle deserve carefully study, repeated viewing and, in my opinion, emulation.
I was fascinated by the details of the architecture of the country house to which the girls moved. They illustrate the unique and charming features of traditional Japanese domestic architecture. The, to me, novel character of the mythical folklore characters found in the film was an eyeopening experience. Finally, I was totally seduced by the depiction of a happy, peaceful and fully functional society into which the household was seamlessly integrated. We should all live in such a happy world!