Hayao Miyazaki Retrospective

Overview

Since legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki announced his retirement in late 2013, many a film lover has taken the opportunity to revisit the man’s incredible body of work. Last year’s nationwide Studio Ghibli Showcase inspired us to count down our five overlooked Ghibli films, and now Melbourne’s favourite repertory cinema is getting in on the whimsy as well.

In much the same vein as their recent Hitchcock and Tarantino retrospectives, The Astor Theatre will celebrate the best of Miyazaki’s career via a series of double features. The three-week overview begins on Monday, January 12 with two of the animator’s earliest films: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Laputa: Castle in the Sky. The series continues the following week with Princess Mononoke and the Oscar-winning Spirited Away, before concluding on January 26 with Howl’s Moving Castle and Ponyo.