Arrietty

I don't have much time to create this week, what with the play drawing near and several other commitments, so instead I thought I'd share my excitement for something which was released a couple of months ago, to a largely indifferent public.


Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation outfit responsible for award winning films like Ponyo and Spirited Away, has released its new film Arrietty this summer. It's only just beginning to trickle into small theatres outside London, arriving at Stamford Arts Centre in October.

Arrietty is an adaptation of one of my favourite childhood stories, The Borrowers, by Mary Norton. This is, to my knowledge, the third adaptation. Last night I saw the breathtaking trailer, and it seems they have hung on to the original plot, bringing the book faithfully to life despite moving the story to Japan. The English dub features the voice talents of Saoirse Ronan, Tom Holland, and Olivia Coleman, a sign that these splendid films are gaining prestige as more famous names lend their voices to the parts.


Although this book enthralled me as a child, the themes within are not necessarily the first to spring to mind when considering a successful children's book. The story is quiet, with underlying tones of loneliness and sadness, exile and hiding. The tiny Clock family live under the floor of an old house, they have one child, Arrietty, who yearns to explore the huge world she inhabits, but most of all, yearns for company, conducting a forbidden friendship with The Boy, a human child residing at the house.


If you want to explore something new, treat your eyes to this film, if nothing else I guarantee a visual feast. Alternatively have a peek at the book and you will find an explanation for those lost safety pins and hair grips...