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Deep in Japanese suburbia live the Yamadas. Like any other
family they love, they fight, but in the end they remain a
family. Spend a little time with them and revel in their misadventures...
My
Neighbours the Yamadas (1999) was directed by Isao Takahata
a leading light at Studio Ghibli, who had previously produced
the excellent anime films Grave of the Fireflies (1988),
Only Yesterday (1991) and Pom
Poko (1994). Like Hayao Miyazaki he is a critically
acclaimed artist within and without his native Japan.
At
this point, I have to admit to not getting the Yamadas.
The structure retains enough of the vignette feel of the original
strip with a quick set up leading to a quick gag and then
on to the next one to admit its origins. My real problem was
that I just didn't find it funny and couldn't help but continually
keep comparing it to the much more superior Simpsons
and King of the Hill. As a format it shares much with
these shows, the father Takashi is a downtrodden middle-class
worker trying to deal with his wife Matsuko, two kids and
his elderly mother who lives with them.
The
English audio dub has some well respected voice actors. James
Belushi plays the generally downtrodden Takashi with all the
frustration inherent in the role. Molly Shannon provides the
voice for Matsuko. Molly is well known for both her television
appearances as well as her film work. If you like the film
the Japanese audio track is well worth a listen.
I'll not deny its poignancy, it has the gentle humour of an
old seventies sitcom, in tone and feel it felt more like watching
an old episode of Butterflies or The Good Life. Whilst
the humour remains at the expense of various family members,
mostly the father, there is an over weaning sense that here
is a group of people who love and deeply care about each other.
At best you could say that the humour was charming rather
than laugh out loud.
Graphically, this is a bold move for an anime film; the paucity
of detail certainly concentrates the mind on the story and
the use of water colours as a medium is an undeniably brave
move. Visually, the film uses a lot of pastels which retain
the idea that this was originally a gag strip. One of the
touches that I liked was the use of some very famous Japanese
art as backdrops to the main action. If you look closely you
can see The Great Wave at Kanagawa by Katsushika. In
fact, it may be that culturally the Japanese are more used
to viewing such images as the style is also reminiscent of
the water colours produced during Japan's Edo period.
The
audio track comes in a nice 5.1 English or Japanese, though
to be honest there was not enough happening in the audioscape
that couldn't have been handled just as well in stereo.
The
extras on the disc are sadly limited; you get the original
trailers for the film as well as Ghibli trailers and one for
Howl's Moving Castle.
The only extra of any interest is the six hundred and forty-four
storyboards. Though, unlike the other Ghibli films, you cannot
watch the film in this format, in this the storyboards have
more in common with the original newspaper strips which where
the inspiration for the film.
In
the end the film is an affectionate look at the vagaries of
family life, with an emphasis on the humour.
Charles
Packer
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