Grave of the Fireflies (1988) (1 Viewer)

[TheLongshot]

Very nice review. I own the special edition. IMO, this one isn't a rental. It is truly a great film and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone also.

While I certainly recomend everyone to see it, to be honest, I couldn't imagine owning it. It is such a painful experience to watch, that I don't see myself watching this multiple times. Great movie, but I wouldn't own it.

Jason

 

[Stephen_L]

Grave of the Fireflies is a magnificent film. I'm bewildered though by the criticism that Seita should have worked to provide for himself and his sister. I'm a pediatrician and let me tell you, these are CHILDREN. They will not think or act in the cooly efficient manner of adults. They rightfully expected to be cared for by adults. Money was worthless and most adults and the children's caretakers made sure the children felt like burdens. Finding a refuge in a cave is a very accurate childlike solution.

 

[John Garcia]

While I certainly recomend everyone to see it, to be honest, I couldn't imagine owning it. It is such a painful experience to watch, that I don't see myself watching this multiple times. Great movie, but I wouldn't own it.

I can understand that. I don't often get the urge to pop this movie in just for kicks either; it is by no means a light hearted film. After seeing it, I felt it was worthy of owning because there is a good chance that I will view it again in the future. Even my 16yr old daughter was very moved by this movie, and she's a tough cookie to crack. MTV generation and all, I figured she would lose interest quickly with the somewhat slow progress, but she immediately became involved with the story and characters.

Along the lines of what Stephen_L and others have said, first you have the incredible weight of the situation, and then being at an age where you haven't yet been in a position where you must take care of yourself, I don't think the actions portrayed are out of line at all. Seita wouldn't have it in his head "OK, now it's time to go get a job and provide and care for my little sister." That may be his desire, but at his age, I wouldn't expect most children to be able to take action on that or even know how or where to start. I feel this is a key aspect of what the film was trying to depict.

 

[ZacharyTait]

It's $19.99 @ BestBuy and it's a 2 disc SE with plenty of extras. Well worth every penny.

I saw two copies at my local Best Buy last week and they were both priced $49.99. Is this because it's out of print?

 

[DaveGTP]

One of my favorite movies...even though it's really depressing. Sometimes it can make you feel like "Hey, what am I complaining about? My life rocks compared to these poor little kids" - thus oddly cheering you up a little bit even though it leaves you depressed.
Too bad a lot of folks turn their nose up at a "Japanese cartoon" and miss such a great and moving work :frowning:

 

[AshLoomis]

Good review Ernest, but I think you're confusing Plague Dogs the book with Plague Dogs the movie. The book demonized the doctors to the point of making them unrealistic, but the movie did not do the same thing. Michael Rosen has said that the film was not intended as an anti-vivisection piece, but an adventure story. I feel it's neither, it's more of docudrama about what would happen if two dogs did escape a research lab. It doesn't show anything that couldn't really have happened to the animals, and even eliminates the happy ending. It doesn't have the book's overlong scenes of an ex-Nazi doctor delighting in torturing little animals, and it doesn't have a reporter who tells lies in his newspaper articles to make things even worse for the dogs. In the film the humans are all portrayed as average people. Any anti-vivisection message that comes out is a result of the viewer being confronted with the film's honesty, but the it doesn't promote any particular viewpoint. The Plague Dogs doesn't attempt to change the way you think about vivisection, it tries to make you think about it and come to your own conclusions. It is a propaganda film, but it promotes thinking about world issues such as vivisection, it doesn't promote disapproving of them.
You also seem to be using the term propaganda like it's a negative thing. I don't think that's true, virtually anything that tries to be more than just mere entertainment is propaganda. Propaganda is the promotion of a message, and I think that can be a good thing. In "Comic Book Confidential" Sue Cole says that her comics have been critiqued as propaganda. She responds by saying that she does not consider this criticism and that "when bad propaganda is spread, it must be fought with good propaganda.
To get back to Grave of the Fireflies, it may not be an anti-war propaganda film but it is nonetheless a propaganda film. It tries to show that pride can be destructive. If the children had just done what they were told and pulled their own weight they would have lived. But no, they had to remain stubborn to the bitter end and they died for it. They had countless opportunities to go back to live with their aunt, but they were too proud to do so. The boy would rather watch his sister die than admit he was wrong.
If Grave of the Fireflies is not propaganda, then it's just cheap entertainment. If it has no message, than it manipulates the viewer's emotions for no purpose, and I think that's wrong. Films like the Plague Dogs, Grave of the Fireflies and When the Wind Blows don't just make us cry, they teach us. And in the end, that's what makes them great films. If you want to cry, you can just stub your toe or something. If you want to learn, you can watch a propaganda film.

 

[Tino]

I can't believe this thread is still around! I just watched this film again on the recently released blu ray and it was just as powerful as the first time I viewed it. As relevant today as it was 25 years ago. Heart wrenchingly written and wonderfully animated, it is still my favorite anime film of all time. Skimming thru the comments in this thread, including those from film historian Earnest Rister, reminds me of how many share my opinion. If you haven't seen this tremendous film yet, I suggest you do. Beware though there are spoilers in this thread.

 

[Steve Tannehill]

This is, by far, the most depressing movie I have ever seen.

 

[Tino]

This is, by far, the most depressing movie I have ever seen.

Depressing yes, but still magnificent IMO. Teared up again watching it. Setsuko and Seita's relationship is one of the most heartfelt I have ever seen in any film anime or otherwise.

 

[Edwin-S]

It felt like a person was in a time machine while reading through thethread. It's been a long time since I saw the film. I'm going to have to sit down one day and revisit it. It is an amazing but thoroughly depressing film. It doesn't invite frequent revisits.Another of my favorites was Night On The Galactic Railroad. I wish someone would pick up the rights and release a Blu-ray of that one. It's kind of slow and ponderous but I think it is a great film. I'd also like to see a BD release of The Plague Dogs.