After watching My Neighbor Totoro I thought to myself thats it?This movie had me on edge waiting for a conflict at every potential rising action.In return I didn`t receive any suspense;only concern.My Neighbor Totoro`s diappointment lied in the ability to grab the viewer attention in a positive manner.
However it wasn`t a total failure.I mean enless your a two year old looking for a way to get your mind of teething.I guess there was some minor humor in the realistic laughter from the two main characters Satsuki and Mei.There personalities shinned through the film adding a brillinant touch.The digetic friend Totoro was the main cause of this.Which apeared to be a fairly large,fluffy,and kid friendly character.
Although the character apeared that way to the viewers.What is the the character Totoro wasn`t as friendly as the girls perceived?We must look at the movie at different perspectives.Robert Ebert said'Here is a children`s film made for the world we should live in,rather than te one we occupy"But we must be mindful of the loarger picture.The children watching this might interpret its okay to roam freel,talk to strangers,bathe with adults of any sort and cook by themselve.Its far from okay!In fact it is poison to a young childs mind in modern day.Sure its a bit different than our typical bad vs. good and good guy winds.But it touches major issues that we continuosly deal with in modern day society.I strongly believe more issues could be avoided if parents listened to their children despite their rigourous work schedule.
The fathers lack of coherencein a parental fahsion bothered me.He showed no interest in his 4 year old daughter that went off and met a new friend"Totoro" she claims in the movie.She told him anxiously soon as she made it from the father saying "Daddy,Daddy,I met a new friend in the forest his name is Totoro!"He replied,really bluntly with a minor chuckle showing no intentions of meeting this new friend or questioning his young girl.Now take a minute and think about that.And remember they are new to the area and the people.He had absolutely no idea who this could`ve bee, and seemed to careless.Why was she even in the forest alone.Daylight or Night....bears,wolves,and snakes are all death promising to a girl her size.This couldve been a potential conflict.Leonard Klady was thinking where is the drama,plot, or conflict?There wasn`t a major one.
There was one or two minor problem.But they werent essential to a major one.One was the mother not coming home on an expected Saturday in the hosiptal;another was the 4 year old girl missing.Both of the characters were fine.This is another potential conflict area.Leonard Klady couldn`t have said it better Hayao Miyazaki had made a half hour into a sluggish story.Only in my case I thought about the key issues that i couldn`t dare surpass.I advise you to remember these points for future observance of this movie with your kids and family.Because I would hate for them to believe its okay to cook alone,bath with adults,roam freely or talk to strangers.Make it a mandatory to talk with him\or her and inform them how harmful these things could be.I mean how else will they know the producer neglected to bring these things to light.Could what Robert would called beloved film help hurt your beloved family? The conflict isn`t the typical conflict,its much more real.This cant be overlooked.My Neighbor Totoro`s disappointment lied in the ability to catch the readers attention in a positive manner.
