My Neighbour Totoro playing at the Errol Flynn Filmhouse
One of the world’s best fantasy animated films comes to Northampton
The Errol Flynn Filmhouse is bringing the wonder and amazement of one of the world’s most incredible anime films to Northampton, as the cinema will be showing Studio Ghibli’s seminal film, ‘My Neighbour Totoro’ on Saturday 9th August at 6pm and Tuesday 12th August at 2.30pm.
Written and directed by the genius that is Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli in 1988, the animated fantasy tells the story of Satsuko and Mei, two young daughters of university professor Tatsuo Kusakabe, The two girls discover that the forest next to their new home is inhabited by a number of jovial forest spirits called Totoros. With their mother sick in the hospital, Totoro helps the girls by taking them on a magical adventure.
The film, which won the Animage Anime Grand Prix proze and the Mainichi Film Award for Best Film in 1988, helped bring Japanese anime to a global audience and remains today one of the best known and most popular animated films to date. One of the finest examples of Studio Ghibli’s ability to convey complex issues in a way that is both understandable and entertaining for both the young and old, ‘My Friend Totoro’ reveals the importance rich, traditional village life and ecological concerns for the conservation of the Satoyama.
The cultural impact of ‘My Neighbour Totoro’ globally is a triumph to the wonderfully beautiful film, with Totoro being referenced to in both Eastern and Western works, including making a cameo appearance in Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 3.
With Hayao Miyazaki having retired from the studio, and with Toshio Suzuki announcing that Studio Ghibli is temporarily halting production to re-evaluate and restructure, it may be that the studio’s classics of the past may be all that can be hoped to be enjoyed in the future. If that is the case however gents, then enjoy them we shall, and we cannot think of any better way to enjoy them than at the Errol Flynn Filmhouse (have a gander at our review of the filmhouse).
If you are new to Studio Ghibli, we would suggest you book a couple of tickets and go to watch the ‘My Neighbour Totoro’. If you are not new to the works of Miyazaki and have seen the film, we would still suggest you book a couple of tickets and go enjoy one of the most charming and exquisite animated films ever created.
Ticket prices for the 6pm showing on Saturday the 9th of August are £8.50 for adults.
Prices for the 2.30pm showing on Tuesday the 12th of August are £7.50 for adults.
