Mononoke and Spirited Away specifically feel like they have several 'extra' acts that make them seem longer than they are. Though looking back at both I'm not sure what I'd cut.
Ngl the idea that the average commenter is thinking about how to make changes to Miyazaki's two best movies is so funny to me. It's like your average tourist walking up to Van Gogh's Starry Night and being like "I dunno I think I would do it differently."
I have yet to run into anyone that hasn't let out a bit of a sigh when sen gets on that train.
I love the movie, I actually think Naussica is his best movie, followed by Princess. However as someone who grew up on western movies there is a rhythmic miss to these movies, a pacing that is unlike other movies. I never said it made the movies bad, just that it was, I guess strange... unexpected.
.. and like I said, looking at the movie, there is nothing there I would cut nothing that would bring it back to the expected western rhythm.
I haven't watched the movie with anyone (and I don't mean anime fans -- which I'm not one, by the way) who was bored or frustrated by the train scene. A screenshot of that scene is often featured in articles about the movie, so at least reviewers seem to like it. I think it's one of the most hauntingly beautiful passages, too.
"The expected Western rythm" isn't something to be treasured at all costs, if at all. "A pacing that is different" is not the same as a "rythmic miss". It's just part of media literacy to be able to appreciate different rhythms. And come on, these aren't alien or bizarre movies, I've watched movies where the pacing really threw me off, and these barely register.
So seem to be overreacting to my point and pretty defensive.
I'm not saying that the train scene is a miss, i've very specifically saying that it as at that point that i've seen people check the timeline and see a remaining timeline that 'feels' longer than it 'should' be as an example.
I'm not saying the western rhythm is the only thing that matters or that all other structures are inferior. I'm saying that these movies have a different structure, and that's honestly it. I've seen it throw people off, it throws me off, I don't want them to end, I don't throw away my copy of it but it's a bump in the road nonetheless.
I love these movies they are some of my favorite gifts to give to my young nieces. I give them as a gift on a holiday and we do a watch of them while my siblings and parents and whatnot inevitably watch sports. I think this easter it might be finally time for mononoke (the oldest is 16 and her sister is 11.. i think it might still be a little intense for the 11 year old).
I'm not sure that I would call myself an anime 'fan' but I have consumed, and continue to consume anime as part of my media diet. I don't watch every series that gets hyped by the anime community but I catch one here and there, sometimes they stick and sometimes they don't. (recent things I've enjoyed are DanDaDan, Delicious in Dungeon and the Ranma 1/2 remake.)
I'm not overreacting, and why would I be defensive? I'm not Miyazaki, it's not my work to defend.
We agree the pacing and some of the structure is mildly different to some Western cinema (but not too much, there's nothing radically different either, which is why Disney/Pixar found Ghibli so inspiring).
I guess what's puzzling is your wording: you say the rythm is different (arguably true), that you wouldn't cut anything (agreed) but also call it a "rythmic miss".
What you claim about the train scene is both confusing and feels anecdotal -- I've never seen people do what you claim. The scene is there, it works, and it's beautiful and I've never seen anybody check the time at this point.
That's all I say: it's not a "rythmic miss" and it seems presumptuous to claim otherwise.
