- Information:
- Title: (the Castle of Cagliostro or Rupan sansei: Kariosutoro no shiro)
- Certificate: (PG)
- Released by: (Optimum Releasing’s Optimum Asia)
- Run Time: (100 minutes)
- Origin: (Japan)
- Language: (Japanese)
- Vintage: (1979)
Our Iconic super-thief Lupin pulls off a trilling heist at a Monte Carlo casino, only to discover that the spoils of the heist are counterfeit. Lupin traces the fake bills to the country of Cagliostro where an evil count is generating the forged money and distributing it worldwide. With Partners in tow (including a retired gangster, a thirteenth generation ronin and a beautiful female thief) Lupin heads to Cagliostro where he also finds a promise of treasure and Clarisse, a beautiful princess in need of rescuing from the count’s dastardly clutches.(Plot courtesy of Optimum Asia’s DVD release plus some changes)
The Castle of Cagliostro was written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and based on the work of Manga guru Monkey punch, which is in turn based on the characters and themes created by French writer Maurice Leblanc. It Stars Yasuo Yamada, Kiyoshi Kobayashi, Eiko Masuyama, Makio Inoue, Goro Naya, Sumi Shimamoto and Taro Ishida as Arsene Lupin III, Daisuke Jigen, Fujiko Mine, Goemon Ishikawa XIII, Inspector Zenigata, Lady Clarisse and Count Cagliostro respectively.
The Castle of Cagliostro has been nominated for two awards and won one of them, that award was at the 1980 Mainichi Film Concours and was for Hayao Miyazaki. Lean pickings then? I believe but do not quote me on this that Japan’s former princess Nori (Now: Sayako Kuroda) had a replica of Clarisse’s dress made for her wedding in November 2005(somehow I doubt that statement).(Source: IMDB, Wikipedia)
Personally, I have never been a fan of Miyakazi’s work but being a fan of Lupin III (Manga) I had to watch this film and see if it was up to scratch and in line with what I considered as being Lupin. Sadly, I found this film to be a bit too much Miyazakii and a bit too little Monkey Punch, I loved the original manga for the very fact it is different from the generic nonsense pumped out of the world these days. Lupin the ultimate womaniser is a character that can licit a laugh from even the most serious of people in this world, unfortunately Miyazaki seems to have watered down the womaniser side and made him into more of a medieval knight saving the damsel than a gentleman thief with a passion for women.
Alright I will say that it is a funny film and does do everything to keep you entertained but as I once said in a previous film review I will never give a rating over six out of ten for a film without substance, doesn’t matter how funny or entertaining it way be it can’t be. Although some might say that it doe have substance I simply cannot agree with that as that substance takes the form of unrealistic romance which this world is already saturated by.
Ultimately, there isn’t anything wrong with this film other than the fact that it’s just not true to the original manga, which I think is a shame. Although I must admit that it’s better than some of Miyazaki’s latter works such as Spirited Away which in my eye‘s seemed too idealistic in the Disney sense of the word. The Castle of Cagliostro, Janus’ rating which is top for anything without real substance. (6/10)
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flo says:
Just try saying Once again that Spirited Away is a Disney like and I break your head, Janus.
Oct 30, 2006, 6:58 am; )
Janus says:
Well maybe not Disney but close… Must be noted to everyone reading this that I don’t represent eMagi as a whole and my opinions should be taken with a cyanide pill…
Oct 30, 2006, 11:02 am