INTERVIEW: MICHELLE LE BLANC AND COLIN ODELL

You open by saying that the films of Studio Ghibli show that films can be art, a bold statement from professional critics such as yourselves, could you explain what you mean?

Cinema is one of the younger artforms and is often viewed with less respect by those who see 'traditional' arts such as theatre, painting, literature or opera as somehow superior. Its accessibility is both its power and its weakness. Films, particularly world cinema, are often broken into arbitrary categories of art and commercial movies to promote elitism. Ghibli films fly in the face of this; they are resolutely popular and commercial but retain the qualities of something hand crafted and individualistic. If art is meant to make you question the world you live in, elicit emotion or provoke the imagination then there is no doubt that Ghibli films are art,. The best art improves with subsequent viewings even when the surprise of the new no longer applies.

You researched the book in Japan, how do they see the Ghibli films? Did you notice a difference in the Japanese attitude toward animation?

In Japan Ghibli films are an institution. The merchandise can be found everywhere - a and not just for children, there are even branded ties and Zippo lighters. Their popularity is not just reflected in the box office (Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea earned over double the intake of its nearest rival in 2008) but also in their effect - we often overheard smiling children blurting out the 'Ponyo, Ponyo sakana no ko!' song which was charming, though it probably grated on their parents after a while!

In general the Japanese attitude towards animation, and also comic books, is sophisticated and diverse. While films like Ponyo are seen as children's or family films there are anime and manga for all ages, even golf comics aimed at salarymen! It's a very visual culture, very vibrant. Anime has received a bad press in the past, particularly in the UK, where it was often mistakenly believed to be either childish or ultra-violent and pornographic. This misses the point entirely - anime and manga can tackle any subject from cookery to sports and cover any genre from romance to horror.

What differentiates Ghibli films from other animated Japanese films?

A tricky question. Japan produces a staggering amount of animation and a lot of it is very good indeed. Some is exceptional. It would be unfair to denigrate the other Japanese animation studios for not being Ghibli - many of them strive not to be! Ghibli basically sets the gold standard and is undoubtedly the most popular studio in Japan. It is the blending of artistry, character and story that make their films so special, all perfected by a clarity of vision. Another thing that differentiates Ghibli from most of their competitors is the time they spend on their films and the dedicated resource, located in Japan, to create them.

The book seems quite academic, who is it aimed at?

It's aimed at a wide audience interested in learning about the films of Studio Ghibli. We didn't want to create a totally academic book - we hope to get across the magic of the films and our enthusiasm for them - but at the same time there are so many rich themes running through the works that we felt we should treat them with more than superficial praise. There are plenty of stunning books of Ghibi art available that we could not possibly hope to match so hopefully our little tome provides an introduction to their wonderful films.

What is your favourite Ghibli film? Why?

My Neighbour Totoro, a tale about two sisters who befriend a woodland spirit. Simply the most charming, honest and life affirming film ever made. It's pitch perfect and genuinely delightful - a film that can be enjoyed by everyone from toddlers to pensioners.

If you could have the memory of any one film (not necessarily animated) wiped from your mind so that you could enjoy it freshly again, which would it be?

Colin: Tetsuo (1989) - visceral, imaginative and hyperactive (and light years away from Ghibli!) it's not only the wide eyed shock I'd like to experience again but the dawning realisation that anything on film is possible, even without a budget. Inspirational.

Michelle: Bird People of China (1998) Takashi Miike is known as the bad boy of Japanese filmmaking with his extreme cinema, but this is an oddity in his oeuvre and is curiously enchanting. It's a beautifully constructed fantasy, complex in its themes but simple in execution and is both uplifting and tragic.

Interview with Michelle Le Blanc and Colin Odell extracted from Imagine Magazine, July/August 2009

release date:	26 March 2009
price:	£12.99
ISBN13:	9781842432792
binding:	paperback
format:	194 X 135mm with flaps
extent:	160
images:	8pp colour
rights:	world
BIC code:	APFV

Colin Odell and Michelle Le Blanc are freelance authors and film critics. They have co-authored books about John Carpenter, Tim Burton, Horror Films, Jackie Chan and Vampire Films and contributed to Wallflower Press’s Alter Image and The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy. They are regular writers for Kamera.co.uk and Vector.

For a review copy, or for further information, please contact: Chris Burrows PR +44 (0)161 445 6635 email: chris-burrows@o2.co.uk

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