Bob Clark
“Ghost in the Shell” is one of the premier anime films of the world, not only because it’s one of the most influential and popular, but because it’s one of the few outside of “Akira” and a handful of Miyazaki movies that most self-respecting art-house patrons are liable to admit to seeing. I personally don’t rate it either as the best work of its director, Mamoru Oshii, or even the best work of the GITS franchise, which has spawned several fantastic animated works for television and OVA alongside Oshii’s films, but the original 1996 movie has a power that can’t be denied, even as it’s dissected. That’s what Checkerphil and I set out to do on CinemaVille again, with a supplemental essay on Wim Wender’s “Until the End of the World” as an aside.
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I listened to the first section. Fascinating, and such a great way to approach this film and the other that wasn’t reviewed yesterday!
I like Bob’s initial point about people voting for it (on Until the End of the World), but then no one actually wanting to write about it. It’s true to a degree—how do you write about something like this in a short form?—but I can’t deny that some of its placement here is heavily assisted to bulging out the initial countdown from 75 to 100, AND my high placement—it, in its full Directors Cut (more on that in a bit) placed #11 on my list, between such heavyweights as Metropolis and Videodrome. That begins to state how immensely great it is, and how much of a forgotten masterpiece I feel it is. Like so many other hugely ambitious works, it’s never been given a fair, complete shake (though, a rumor of a huge, complete Wenders supervised 288m. Criterion set continues to promise to be on the very near horizon) as it was butchered and botched from day one. It’s sprawling nature, which Bob compares to a Netflix binge watch before that was a thing, is essentially to it’s meandering unfurling. It’s a complete kitchen sink sort of film, bursting with ideas both philosophical, scientific and visual, it’s not one to be missed.
Oh, and the musical selections, that later appeared in a soundtrack that probably did better than the actual film, are pretty great too. Listened completely it bounces between Elvis Costello and Can, seemingly being as forward looking and historically annotated as the film itself.
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As for Ghost in the Shell? Yeah, it’s place at or near the top of anime is well earned. The Wachowski’s were paying attention…
I am still trying to piece together my listening around my many at-home movie viewings as of late, but I also was delighted Bob took on the wenders since it was unfairly and unfortunately unclaimed. Jamie, your very high placement was indeed largely responsible for it landing here, as well as what you rightly claim was the countdown expansion. Your own discussion here on the film is terrific and most appreciated!!