The Journal of Gregory Lightyear - 20th September 2003

12:23 am - A Tale of Two Experiences

Similar, in that both were beautiful stories; different in that only one of them was a well-told masterpiece.

The first was a film for adult minds who wish to see a world of magic through the eyes of their own childhood again; the second was a film for children who wished to see an adult's vision of a world of magic without using their minds.

The first film was Miyazaki's Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi), and it was more than just an animated wonder of cinematography; it was a beautiful story, full of allegory and rich in cultural references, a window into the soul. It was an experience I won't soon forget, and it brought back wonderful memories of the time I spent in Japan, wandering through Kyoto's temples, shrines, and streets. The movie is rich, brilliantly animated, inventively concieved, excitingly told, and stunningly executed. It is, without doubt, one of my top ten films of all time.

The second film was Underworld, and I regret stepping foot into that darkened room to waste my time. Oh, it's beautiful - an attempt to do film noir in color, a film that reeks of B-movie storylines and execution. A shining example of just how much special effects can do to turn a poor movie into one which can at least draw audiences, it's often visually stunning - unfortunately, the acting, and the storyline, are mentally jarring, and I found myself more than a little frustrated.

Without doubt, I had expectations: I was a lover of White Wolf's Vampire: The Masquerade; their detailed depictions of centuries of history of Vampire society through the curse of Caine by god and his transformation and inevitable self-exile from the world of Man, and the dance of the Masquerade, hiding themselves from the world of men, fearful that the cattle, so many in number, would rise and destroy them if they ever became aware of their presence.

As a fan of the genre - of more than just this particular set of intricately woven legends - I wanted to like this film. How horrific to find that I was unable to find it within myself to see what was essentially an Immortal's take on Romeo and Juliet, a world where Werewolves, once slaves of their masters, become the hunted and sworn enemies of the Vampire clans living their decadent lives in glorious gothic scenery. A heart-rending story, when told well; an utter disappointment when incarnated in this lifeless body of cellulose, the light passing through it adding no illumination to the imagined thoughts passing through the mind of that director when he finally decided that film was done.

One of these films is worth seeing. Take your best guess as to which.