Live-Action Kiki’s Delivery Service Looks Cheap
If there’s a really good adaptation of something, it’s often hard to do any other adaptations because of the way the earlier adaptation sticks in the public mind. Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining may have made notable changes in his adaptation of Stephen King’s original book, but regardless of how much King prefers the TV miniseries, it’s unlikely that people will think of that version over Kubrick’s. Thus, this trailer for a live-action adaptation of Kiki’s Delivery Service is already facing an uphill battle, despite purporting to be closer to the original Japanese novels. Studio Ghibli’s adaptation, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, is an absolute classic, after all. But this trailer makes me not want to even bother seeing the live-action film. Besides the lackluster art direction, everything looks cheap, like it was a low-budget made-for-TV movie. And the weak flying effects pale in comparison to those in Miyazaki’s film; Miyazaki is known for his love of flight, and this version just doesn’t capture that joy. It could still be a good film, but I’m fairly skeptical that anyone will be watching this years down the road. Read more…
