Would Studio Ghibli movies make good musicals or plays?

[candydog2]

Posted: 8/12/07 at 6:46am

OK, I know that most people here aren't keen on animation on broadway, but after watching a lot of Miyazaki's japanese anime movies, I thing they're so beautiful in style that they have potential for the stage. Now, if any of you here haven't seen any of the movies, please don't get your claws out and pounce on it just because it's "a cartoon". Those of you who have seen any of them such as "Spirited Away" or "Howl's Moving Castle", what do you think about this?

I personally think they'd make great musicals if the right style of music was used, and scenery and sets could be done so beautifully with all of the Japanese gardens and landscapes.

Do they have any potential?

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 8/12/07 at 6:49am

I think it'll be too hard to do it visually. Their movies are just stunning, but I just can't imagine it.


I'd love to see it done, however!

Posted: 8/12/07 at 7:02am

i think if it was something Miyazaki was interested in, & that he had creative control, there would be no stopping him!!!!!

[dramarama2]

Posted: 8/12/07 at 7:19am

They would make great musicals, but visually they'd be hard to do.

I contemplated writing "Spirited Away: The Musical" myself.

Posted: 8/12/07 at 7:26am

if Miyazaki is interested in theater, i think its more likley that Miyazaki has some stories that he's saved specifically for the stage.

i think he would rather do something fresh for that medium, rather than rethink an older work.

[Jellylorum]

Posted: 8/12/07 at 8:45am

Well, some people might pounce on the idea because Disney owns the US distribution rights for some of the Studio Ghibli movies and we have enough Disney movies turned stage musicals on Broadway.

Just kidding. Besides, they don't count as actual Disney movies. Personally, I think it'd be amazing if they could be brought to the stage. Like others have said, the fantasy movies would be hard to pull off without a big budget and a lot of creativity, though. The reality based ones such as Whisper of the Heart, Grave of the Fireflies, and I Can Hear the Sea would be easier to work with, and can turn out to be just as stunning.

Updated On: 8/12/07 at 08:45 AM

[Weez]

Posted: 8/12/07 at 10:11am

Only if Yoko Kanno were involved. And Maaya Sakamoto were cast.

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 8/12/07 at 10:38am

I do not think any studio Ghibli films should be musicals unless they were written by Sondheim or Guettel, with exquisite music. I love Miyazaki so much, but some of his most beautiful moments are moments when there are no words. For example, when Chihiro is on the train to Granny's house. That sequence is amazing, and with little to no speech. I think they would make amazing ballets! Ballet is definately the way to go, in my opinion.

Also, I would be thrilled if Miyazaki is saving some stories for the stage! That would be like the combination of my two favorite things!

[vfd88]

Posted: 8/12/07 at 10:40am

A ballet, a la Edward Scissorhands, would be stunning. I would love to see that.

[chris d]

Posted: 8/12/07 at 11:48am

to be honest, I think the stage is far too small and limited for Miyazaki's vision. On the other hand, any type of live theatrical event featuring the music of Joe Hisaishi would be worth experiencing.

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 8/12/07 at 12:40pm

I think with a visionary director-designer, one who embraces the theatrical medium rather than trying to recreate the films exactly, they could be stunning.

Akiva

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 8/12/07 at 1:40pm

Howl's Moving castle could be amazing.

[jpbran]

Posted: 8/12/07 at 5:50pm

The only downside I see is that Miyazaki's movies seemed to be driven first by doing amazing things with animation that could easily never be pulled off with live action, and story runs a close second.

I'm always entertained, but it's more by the visuals, etc. than by the stories. GOOD top-tier Disney --and almost any Pixar --rearrange those two: story first, visuals second. Miyazaki is visuals first, story then right behind.

[mateo]

Posted: 8/12/07 at 5:54pm

I would like to see them as live action fantasy movies.

Majo, Nausicaä, Laputa, Sen to Chihiro, Howl's even Totoro would make beautiful live action films.

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 8/12/07 at 10:08pm

Miyazaki is visuals first, story then right behind.

omg

[jpbran]

Posted: 8/12/07 at 10:46pm

Oh, chill... They're AMAZING films and great stories, but sometimes it seems like stuff is only happening because it will look cool when animated. A really strong story is something that can work in various mediums, and some of the scenes in Howl's (for example) would sound ridiculous in a novel or other medium...

The visuals are astounding (though the jerky quality of some Japanimation - especially when contrasted against the freakish smoothness of the CG-enhanced shots-- can get tiresome), so when I say that the story can be secondary to that, it's not really a slam. I didn't say "the stories suck" or anything like that. I just said that they are "right behind" the visuals.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 8/13/07 at 12:54am

JPBran, I agree with you in a sense. The stories are a bit inappropriate for the stage. The later Miyazaki movies have very big, sprawling stories--Miyazaki is first and foremost an animator/illustrator and he tells wonderful, wonderful stories but they mostly serve as setups for the beautiful images in his imagination.

If you are familiar with his cannon you'll see he returns to a lot of the same themes and stories a lot, even reusing character designs. Animation and comics provide an almost unlimited canvass for the imagination.

All the same, there are some I think would be great. My favorite Miyazaki movie Porco Rosso I've thought before would make a wonderful musical--also maybe Castle of Cagliostro (a Lupin III movie). There are other anime I've thought would make good musicals too.

Have Yoko Kanno or Maaya Sakamoto either ever done anything for Miyazaki? Doesn't Joe Hisaishi write the music for all his movies?

[Vespertine1228]

Posted: 8/13/07 at 11:12am

As much as I don't know if they should make one, I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be the first in line to see a My Neighbor Totoro musical or a Porco Rosso musical or a Princess Mononoke musical.

Except that I'd also want to audition to be Totoro. How amazing would that be?