Movie of the Week: ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service.’

For an interesting reason. Hayao Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service is itself an excellent animated film — but I am not fascinated by it.  I am fascinated by the world that it’s set in.  It’s clearly set in a Trieste (yes, I KNOW where Miyazaki drew his visual inspiration from: now hush) that’s still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which means that this world never had a World War I, let alone a World War II.  That last link suggests a time period of the 1950s, which is confusing, because Kiki’s transistor radio (which looks like the first one mass-produced in 1954) odd: it’s picking up American radio broadcasts. If there are no American troops in Europe — which seems likely, given that it took the Cold War to put them there — then what’s letting Kiki pick up their transmissions*?

What is going on in that world? — Even putting aside all the stuff with witches and so forth. That’s interesting, sure, but I want to know why there hasn’t been more jet propulsion work done.

And so, adieu to Highlander.

Moe Lane

PS: I’d say, ‘watch it in subtitles,’ except that you’re all grownups and you can make your own decisions. However flawed.

*Duh.  Nikola Tesla. Never mind.