Delayed Reaction: Porco Rosso

Premise: A cursed former WWI pilot has to get his plane rebuilt and defend his reputation.

 

So, I wasn't as done with the Miyazaki filmography as I thought. Last year, when HBO Max came out with the entire Studio Ghibli catalog, I determined it was time for me to catch up on Miyazaki's movies that I'd missed. I excused myself for skipping The Castle of Cagliostro because I didn't want to dive into a Lupin the 3rd movie out of context. Somehow though, I completely skipped Porco Rosso. I'm not sure how I did that. It's not like it was hiding on the list. The only excuse I can come up with is that it's not quite as popular as the titles that sandwich it. Kiki's Delivery Service is a more notable title and Princess Mononoke was a massive blockbuster. Still, I should've seen it as odd that I jumped from 1989 to 1997 without a film in between. Oh well. Better late than never.

 

This order did allow me the uncommon experience of seeing this film after The Wind Rises. Both films are love letters to aviation. The Wind Rises is more bittersweet and reflective. It really puts a focus on both Miyazaki's love of aviation and his regret that he may have spent his life focusing on the wrong thing. I go from that to this movie from his more carefree days that's a mostly silly movie about a cursed pig post-WWI pilot. It's sort of like watching Funny People then Happy Gilmore. While Happy Gilmore isn't one of the movies Adam Sandler should be ashamed of, it still feels awful frivolous after seeing what Funny People is about.

Porco Rosso is a fun movie though. It looks great. Miyazaki has fun with this era of odd plane shapes and models. I prefer the Miyazaki types of movie like this that exist in something close to the real world, only with magic. And really, the only magic in the movie is Porco being cursed as a pig. Perhaps I'm just not that inventive, so I respond to the movies that literalize the idea that there's magic in everyday life. I'm also a sucker for movies about a crotchety mentor taking on an annoying protege.

 

Sure, I could've used a little less horniness for Fio. They point out that she's 17 and beautiful a lot. I guess I'm thankful that I watched the dubbed version that uses Kimberly Williams-Paisley for her voice. I don't know exactly when the dub was done, but I know Williams-Paisley was at least in her mid-20s. It wouldn't been a lot weirder if they'd used a Christina Ricci or Kirsten Dunst. Whatever. Small gripe. Otherwise, a really fun movie. I really like how it ends with the hint of Porco's curse being lifted and getting a happy ending, not an outright confirmation. And there's something ballsy about having the climactic fight between two flaying aces end, instead on land in a fistfight.

 

Verdict: Weakly Recommend