film and architecture section: Studio Ghibli imaginary architecture: Whisper of the Heart by Yoshifumi Kondo & Hayao Miyazaki, architecture and film appreciation

category: Architecture and Film, Imaginary architectures of studio Ghibli

film index: 67 (Ghibli index 04)
relationship with architecture:
fantastic dramatization of real life township into characterization of the story. unique blend of imaginary and real life architecture. one of the most fascinating feature is the out of the world landscape with bizzare buildings that the main character built in her imagination.

film: Whisper of the Heart (Mimi wo Sumaseba)
director: Yoshifumi Kondo
writers: Hayao Miyazaki
production: Japan, Studio Ghibli
release: July 15, 1995
playtime: 111 min
visual: colour
Language: Japanese, English
Subtitles:
Genre: animation, fantasy

reference: warezws.com, raiden-rs.blogspot.com, avaxhome.ws, Taringa.com, movie.zing.vn/Movie

Description and Download:

Whisper of the Heart, known in Japan as Mimi wo Sumaseba (If You Listen Closely) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Aoi Hiiragi. In 1995, it was adapted into an anime feature film by Studio Ghibli. This was the first Japanese film to use the Dolby Digital sound format.

Shizuku lives a simple life, dominated by her love for stories and writing. One day she notices that all the library books she has have been previously checked out by the same person: 'Seiji Amasawa'. Curious as to who he is, Shizuku meets a boy her age whom she finds infuriating, but discovers to her shock that he is her 'Prince of Books'. As she grows closer to him, she realises that he merely read all those books to bring himself closer to her. The boy Seiji aspires to be a violin maker in Italy, and it is his dreams that make Shizuku realise that she has no clear path for her life. Knowing that her strength lies in writing, she tests her talents by writing a story about Baron, a cat statuette belonging to Seiji's grandfather.

This is the only movie to be directed by the late Yoshifumi Kondō, who died in 1998 of an aneurysm at the age of 47. Studio Ghibli had hoped that Kondō would become the successor to Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata.

The fantastical backgrounds in the fantasy sequences of the movie were created by Japanese surrealist painter Naohisa Inoue and were directed by Miyazaki. The wood engraving of the imprisoned musician was created by Miyazaki's son Keisuke Miyazaki, a professional wood artist. Japanese musical duo Chage and Aska's short music video, titled "On Your Mark", by Studio Ghibli was released along with this film. Miyazaki wrote the screenplay and drew up the storyboards used in the film, along with acting as the general producer. The film's art direction was headed by Satoshi Kuroda, and the music was headed by Yūji Nomi.

Sequel/ prequel: the movie has a sequel with the story of the Cat Figurine, The Baron. the movie is named "The Cat Returns".

imdb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113824/
wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whisper_of_the_heart

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