When it comes to legendary directors like Martin Scorsese, the assumption is often that they have a complete knowledge of cinema. However, surprising as it may seem, Leonardo DiCaprio played the role of cinematic guide to Scorsese himself. The award winning actor, who has collaborated with Scorsese six times, introduced the filmmaker to the delightful world of Studio Ghibli. DiCaprio’s influence led Scorsese to discover anime masterpieces like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke, both created by the legendary Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki. Despite Scorsese’s limited exposure to anime, DiCaprio has consistently expressed his admiration for Princess Mononoke and Akira, calling them as his all time favourite films in various moments.
In a conversation with Letterboxd, DiCaprio shared, “I was asked what films I introduced to you, but considering you’ve seen every film ever made up until 1980, it’s pretty hard to say. Other than maybe Spirited Away, Miyazaki’s films and maybe Princess Mononoke.” Scorsese added, “It was Spirited Away that you told me to watch.”
In a past conversation with MTV, Leonardo DiCaprio had expressed his admiration for Princess Mononoke and discussed his intentions for a live action adaptation that was eventually scrapped. DiCaprio, a die hard fan of Japanese anime, acknowledged the dedicated fanbase of the film and highlighted the importance of delivering a high quality film. During the time, he ensured his fans that only if the script reached the necessary level of excellence, they would make a movie.
Princess Mononoke holds the record of being Studio Ghibli’s most expensive film upon its release in 1997. Not only did it receive positive response, but it also became Japan’s highest grossing movie during the time. Set in the 14th Century during Japan’s Muromachi period, the film tells the story of Ashitaka, a young warrior cursed by an animal attack. The story follows as he starts a journey to find a cure from the deer like god Shishigami.
On the other hand, Spirited Away is considered Miyazaki’s one of the greatest films. Interestingly, among all his films, this movie was the only hand-drawn, Japanese anime and non-English language animated film to receive the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Spirited Away has also won Golden Bear at the 52nd Berlin International Film Festival.
The move is about Chihiro, a 10-year-old girl who unintentionally enters a world inhabited by spirits and demons. After her parents turn into pigs, this sets the stage for her extraordinary journey. In this dimension, Chihiro comes across Haku, who reveals that in order to get freedom and rescue her parents, she must work with them.
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