It’s Friday, so if you have nothing to do this weekend but watch the Red Sox screw up the universal yin-yang even more by actually winning another World Series, allow me to recommend three great movies for your viewing pleasure: Spirited Away (2001), Night of the Demon (1957), and 12 Monkeys (1995).
Spirited Away (2001)
“Now, try to remember as much as you can about your old life.”
The English-language version of this extraordinary movie is adapted from Hayao Miyazaki’s Japanese original. A family’s move to the suburbs is interrupted by an unplanned visit to an abandoned theme park. 10-year-old Chihiro sees her parents turned into pigs as she backs into a world of spirits, demons, and magic. To save her parents, she must take a job in a bath house, and eventually match wits with its sorceress proprietor, Yubaba. Can she save her family and get home? In the end, will she want to? Endlessly inventive, Spirited Away invites multiple viewings. Chihiro’s determination and courage will inspire children and adults. Films like this are the reason we have films. Enchanting and delightful, Spirited Away is pure magic, from start to finish.
* * *
Night of the Demon / Curse of the Demon (1957)
“You get nothing for nothing.”
This tense, moody drama offers some good jumps and a healthy sense of dread. A coldly rational psychologist finds himself on the bad side of a spiritualist (Karswell) who claims he can summon a demon to do this bidding. Does rationality subsume the supernatural, or vice-versa? As the mystery unfolds, you’re left with a creepy sense of something lurking in the shadow of your mind (most of the scenes were shot at night). This gem from Britain is not well-known, despite its quality. “Curse” is the shorter American version–the pace is tighter and Karswell comes off a bit more sympathetic. Look for the cryptic runes and Karswell’s cat, and pay close attention to his conversation at the beginning of the film.
* * *
12 Monkeys (1995)
“I’m insane, and you’re my insanity.”
Terry Gilliam’s extended time-travel riddle is based on Chris Marker’s 1962 short subject, La Jetee. In the late 1990s, most of humanity is wiped out by a virus that spreads over the entire Earth in only a few weeks. The future is dark and oppressive, with survivors forced to live underground like caged animals. Meanwhile, on the surface, wildlife has reclaimed the planet. Hoping to capture a “pure form” of the virus, whatever that means, scientists send Cole, a prisoner apparently convicted of violent crimes, to the past to retrieve it. A strange mix of science-fiction, comedy of errors, and romantic drama unfolds as Cole encounters his mind-twisting destiny, aided by a present-day psychologist who, representing the audience, is forced to question her perception of reality. Look for the Hitchcock references–they’re everywhere–and pay close attention when the scientists play the distorted recording for Cole.
