Ranked #420

Porco Rosso

"I'd rather be a pig than a fascist"

Miyazaki movies can broadly fall in 2 or 3 categories; some of them are driven by their uncanny and bizarre plot (princess mononoke, spirited away etc). And then there are some where the direction almost completely overshadows the plot-line. Like Totoro, Porco Rosso falls in the latter category. From the opening scene to ending, this movie is all about direction, direction and direction.

The movie, set in the 1930’s, starts on a deserted island which acts as a hideout for the famous war-veteran turned bounty hunter ace pilot known as porco rosso (scarlet pig) who, we soon learn, has been afflicted by a curse which turned him into a pig. Just knowing this much can give you a false impression that this movie, like most miyazaki movies, has a lot to do with the mystical or the supernatural, but nothing can be further from the truth. Our ‘manly’ protagonist is a pig for a reason, but that reason has little to do with magic. The movie follows the scarlet pigs journey to reclaim his honor, after being 'shot down' by an American mercenary. For the most part, its a comedy drama with sprinkles of romance and slice-of-life

As the movie progresses, we learn more about the scarlet pig and some of his background. Eventually we get to the reason of his current predicament. There is a strong lesson to learn here, and thankfully it’s not force-fed into your head like Disney does with some of its movies. Here, the message is subtler and yet strikes a stronger chord.

‘Porco Rosso’ is different from miyazaki’s other endeavors. For one, it has a lot more comedy in it, and this aspect is amplified by the comical and, sometimes, witty dialogue. The humor is in-your-face laugh-out-loud funny, filled with wise-cracks, puns and word-play. And the concept of a man-turned-pig ace pilot flying the skies of a fictional Europe dueling pirates and an arch-nemesis from America is not something you’ll find in every anime.

Speaking of arch-nemesis, this movie has a really good one in the form of Donald Curtis, a notorious womanizer, and an over-confident and pompous, yet funny and very likable American, who also happens to be Porco’s rival in lurrve. Two of the funniest sequences of this comedy ride are his ‘encounters’ with porco in the skies. Characters in general have been done very well, with each of them lending to the comical aspect of the movie really well.

The airplane designs and all the flying sequences are really good. Some of the flying sequences are especially enthralling- not in the eye-candy sense, but it’s just that they’ve been done so well that it feels like whoever did it must be in love with airplanes and flying in general. In fact, a good part of Miyazaki’s early life was spent drawing battleships and airplanes. That life-long fascination of his mirrors very well throughout his works, especially this movie.

The premise and the post WWI European setting gives a very unique and exquisite feeling to the movie; and this fact is reflected well in the artwork, with its lush sceneries, views of exotic islands and beaches, cities and some of the characters, especially the pirates, which really do look like something from cartoony Europe of the 30’s. The leader of the pirates, for one, can pass for a Bluto (from Popeye) look-alike. For the most part, the miyazaki like feeling is intact. The animation is just gorgeous for a movie made in 1992. The color palate is exceptionally vibrant and has a certain depth to it that Miyazaki fans have come to associate with his movies.

The music is vintage Hisashi joe; fans of the maestro will find some of his best tunes in this movie. The animation and music blend perfectly to evoke the right emotion at the right time, bringing to life the world of Porco Rosso while lending it a unique charm that you probably won’t see in any other anime movie. Disney’s dubbed version has excellent voice-overs that fit perfectly with each character’s personality. I find that the Disney version does not deserve the hate that it is often subjected to by the fans of the older pre-Disney dub versions.

However, there are two things that might put-off people. The first is the minimalistic approach to storyline. Plot-junkies who expect their animes to be filled with deep and complicated plots might not find this to their liking (I’ve heard a few complain about this). But if you like Miyazaki movies in general, you’d know that complaint is baseless. With Porco Rosso, everything might be charming and simple on the outside but there’s more to this movie than meets the eye. The second complaint, which is actually a little more common, is that the ending is too abrupt. The ending is a bit subtle, yes, and it may leave a you wishing there was more, but the movie manages to tie all the loose ends very well, and it is by no standards an unsatisfactory ending. Porco Rosso is more like an old friend from a long forgotten time who stops by your front door to have a nice cup of tea, has a warm and pleasant chat with you but then quietly leaves from the back door with a quick goodbye.

Thanks to Miyazaki’s captivating direction, the movie is very soothing and peaceful and I think its best watched at the end of a hard and tiresome day, when you want to watch something calm and relaxing. All in all, Porco Rosso is a unique movie; not just as miyazaki or a Ghibli film, but a unique anime movie. read more

Porco Rosso, in my mind it is one of Miyazaki's finest works. It doesn't contain many of the many annoying story points that plague much of his other work.

Story: The Red Pig, or The Scarlet Pig, whichever sub you choose. I found the story quite entertaining, deep on alot of levels. If you want it to be a kid's story, then it's a kid's story that you don't have to think twice about. But if you really look at it, during WWII and the alliances and what exactly Porco Rosso is doing then you really add another layer to this animation. I found the love story in this also quite endearing, when it comes to alot of Miyazaki's work the romance never really goes anywhere and is quite childish. The romance in this is also slightly childish but it really works. The story never seems forced and goes at quite a nice pace as well.

Art: Ghibli....They really are my bane when it comes to animation. I find their art very ugly, their reuse of characters makes them terrible in my book. Many of their people look exactly the same in every movie and they don't make a conscious effort to improve their craft. You will never however, see another Porco, and his design I quite enjoyed. The rest of the characters dont' stick in my mind at all.

Sound: Old. The sound effects and music used are quite dated, but the movie itself is dated so it altogether works out quite nicely. Some of the sound effects made me laugh, they're incredibly old, but again, they really work for the mood of the film.

Character: Nothing incredibly outstanding. The subtle charm of these characters is something you really have to see. They seem shallow, and some of them are, but there is a level deeper to them, and this, to me, is Miyazaki's greatest achievement with this film. The movie doesn't really allow for a lot of evolution with the characters, but the way their history is revealed is quite cute.

Enjoyment: I love this movie. There were a few boring parts here and there, but all in all the movie is amazing. This definitely has the magic that people who rave about Miyazaki keep raving about. It's here, and if he wasn't directing this film it would have turned out terribly, if you've never seen a Miyazaki film before, or love him without knowing why you do, definitely watch this film, because most likely you'll find out. read more