Details
Movie Description
The feature film debut of Hayao Miyazaki (NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND, PRINCESS MONONOKE), THE CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO depicts one adventure of the master thief Lupin and his rough-around-the-edges gunman, Jigen. Something of a cross between Batman, James Bond, and Cary Grant's character in TO CATCH A THIEF, Lupin is a suave ladies' man who is also given to feats of athletic daring, aided by a gadget filled belt that gets him out of more than a few scrapes. The plot has Lupin and Jigen traveling to the sleepy little country of Cagliostro and coming to the aid of the unwilling fiance of the diabolical Count Cagliostro. After CAGLIOSTRO, Miyazaki stopped creating "slapstick" feature films in favor of more serious fare; CAGLIOSTRO shows, however, that he is quite capable of delivering the goods in this genre. Based on the Lupin comics by the artist Monkey Punch, CAGLIOSTRO is a great heist/chase film that surpasses most similar live action fare and breezes by with more than a couple of inventive set pieces, as well as some excellent comic dialogue.
Synopsis
Join Lupin, a master thief and loveable rogue, as he attempts to thwart the dastardly Count of Cagliostro. Along the way, the James Bond-esque antihero charms the ladies, dons disguises--and cheats death time and time again.
Industry Reviews
"...An interestingly wild hybrid of visual styles and cultural references....Vibrant..."
New York Times - p.C10 - Janet Maslin
"...Fabulous....A slapstick fairytale, with grand, elegant settings..."
Film Comment - p.79 - Nicole Armour
"...[A] little-seen gem..."
Entertainment Weekly - Entertainment Weekly Staff (04/28/2000)
"...A fast and funny film....An authentic fairytale complete with a demonic count and angelic princess..."
Sight and Sound - Andrew Osmond (08/01/2003)
"[T]he visual characterisation has genuine charm, and there is a lovingly handled and lyrical treatment of landscape."
Sight and Sound - Kate Stables (03/01/2006)
Quotations
"Oh, how can this be? The girl believes in the power of the evil sorceror, yet she doesn't believe in the power of the thief! Oh, if only she'd believe in him! The thief would be able to fly through the air! He would be able to drink all the water in the lake! This is all I can do for now."--Lupin, producing a flower for Clarissa
"He stole something quite precious. Your heart."--Zenigata to Clarissa
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