Project Title
Surrealist Elements in Children’s Movies from the Eastern and Western Hemispheres
Faculty Mentor(s) Name(s)
Dr. Flaherty
Abstract
The two movies My Neighbor Totoro, created by Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, and Alice in Wonderland, created by Disney, both use surrealistic elements to depict childhood innocence through environmental conservation and girlhood. My Neighbor Totoro is about two little girls named Mei and Satsuki who move to a new home in a new remote area to be closer to their mother who is sick in the hospital. The movie goes on to show their adventures with a forest spirit named Totoro who helps them cope with their worries. In Alice in Wonderland, a young girl named Alice follows a talking rabbit down a hole where she is transported to a fantastical land that puts her through a series of physical and moral challenges. All three girls are put through emotional turmoil while mythical creatures come to their aid and also help them learn life lessons. For each challenge they overcome, the girls mature slightly, therefore losing their childhood innocence. Although, the mythical creatures they befriend appear to also encourage the retainment of their childhood wonder and integrity. These questions make audience members question whether or not these matters are actually about childhood, or primarily about girlhood, but are constantly overshadowed by the ecocritical references. Each surrealistic element differs based on the hemisphere the movie originated from to better appeal to the child audience each film targeted. Incorporating animated, surrealist art into films allows children to retain important lessons better, while also fueling their imaginations to simultaneously mature them, yet hold onto their childhood innocence as long as possible.
Surrealist Elements in Children’s Movies from the Eastern and Western Hemispheres
The two movies My Neighbor Totoro, created by Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, and Alice in Wonderland, created by Disney, both use surrealistic elements to depict childhood innocence through environmental conservation and girlhood. My Neighbor Totoro is about two little girls named Mei and Satsuki who move to a new home in a new remote area to be closer to their mother who is sick in the hospital. The movie goes on to show their adventures with a forest spirit named Totoro who helps them cope with their worries. In Alice in Wonderland, a young girl named Alice follows a talking rabbit down a hole where she is transported to a fantastical land that puts her through a series of physical and moral challenges. All three girls are put through emotional turmoil while mythical creatures come to their aid and also help them learn life lessons. For each challenge they overcome, the girls mature slightly, therefore losing their childhood innocence. Although, the mythical creatures they befriend appear to also encourage the retainment of their childhood wonder and integrity. These questions make audience members question whether or not these matters are actually about childhood, or primarily about girlhood, but are constantly overshadowed by the ecocritical references. Each surrealistic element differs based on the hemisphere the movie originated from to better appeal to the child audience each film targeted. Incorporating animated, surrealist art into films allows children to retain important lessons better, while also fueling their imaginations to simultaneously mature them, yet hold onto their childhood innocence as long as possible.