Review of "The Little Monkey Swing": A heartwarming story and beautiful visuals

"The Little Monkey Swing": The appeal and reputation of the 1959 animated classic

Introduction

Released in December 1959, "The Little Monkey Swing" is an animated film based on the original story by Hirosuke Hamada and directed by Matsue Jinbo. In just 12 minutes, the film depicts the escape of a baby monkey family from a forest fire and tells a story of courage and friendship. This article will provide a detailed explanation of the story, production background, evaluation, and modern significance of this work.

story

The story of "The Little Monkey's Swing" begins with a family of young monkeys encountering a forest fire. The little monkey is sad to see the swing he always plays on burn, so he goes back into the fire. On his way out, he helps some troubled field mice and moles, and in the valley stream, he uses the swing he brought with him to escape the forest fire. This story depicts the courage and friendship of the little monkeys, while also teaching us about humans' powerlessness when it comes to natural disasters and the importance of helping each other.

Background

"Little Monkey Swing" was produced by Gakken Film Division, and was produced by Furuoka Masaru and Kanbayashi Shinichi. It was planned by Hara Masatsugu and Yamamoto Hideo, written and directed by Jinbo Matsue, with Arima Seiko and Nakamura Kyoko as assistant directors. Cinematography was by Hayashi Nobuyoshi and Hirano Mitsunori. The film has been highly praised as an animated film, and this is largely due to the development of the Japanese animation industry at the time and the passion of the production staff.

Evaluation and significance

"The Little Monkey Swing" was a short film that received high praise in the Japanese animation film world in 1959. The reasons for this include the following:

1. Completeness of the story

In just 12 minutes, the film portrays the courage and friendship of the baby monkeys, while also conveying the powerlessness of humans in the face of natural disasters and the importance of helping each other. The story is extremely well-crafted. In particular, the scene where the baby monkeys use a swing to escape from a forest fire was visually moving and left a strong impression on the audience.

2. Beautiful visual expression

The visual expression, directed by Director Jinbo Matsue and filmed by Hayashi Nobuyoshi and Hirano Mitsunori, is beautiful beyond the technical standards of the time. In particular, the forest fire scene, with its realistic depiction of the flames and smoke, has the power to draw the audience into the story. In addition, in the scene where the baby monkey uses a swing to cross the mountain stream, the reflection on the water's surface and the movement of the swing are depicted in detail, creating a visually stunning scene.

3. Music and Sound Effects

The music and sound in "Little Monkey Swing" are also important elements that add excitement to the story. In particular, in the forest fire scene, the sound of the flames and the cries of the animals are realistically reproduced, creating a sense of tension in the audience. In the scene where the baby monkey uses a swing to cross a mountain stream, the sounds of flowing water and the swinging of the swing are used effectively, which, combined with the visual beauty, doubles the moving impact of the story.

Modern Relevance

Although "Little Monkey Swing" was made in 1959, it remains relevant even today. In particular, the story, which depicts human powerlessness in the face of natural disasters and the importance of helping each other, is a theme that resonates even in modern Japan. Furthermore, the story, which depicts the courage and friendship of two little monkeys, has the power to give courage and hope to children. Furthermore, the beauty of the visual expression and the music and sound effects have the same technical and artistic qualities as modern animated films, and there is much to learn from this work.

Recommendations and how to watch

"Little Monkey Swing" is a classic animated film from 1959 that remains relevant even today. In particular, the story, which depicts human powerlessness in the face of natural disasters and the importance of helping each other, is a theme that resonates even in modern Japan. In addition, the story, which depicts the courage and friendship of two little monkeys, has the power to give courage and hope to children. Furthermore, the beauty of the visual expression and the music and sound effects have the same technical and artistic qualities as modern animated films, and there is much to learn from this work.

There are several ways to watch this work:

1. Buying DVDs and Blu-rays

"Little Monkey Swing" is available on DVD and Blu-ray. In particular, it can be purchased from the official online store of Gakken Film Bureau and online stores that specialize in animated films. These media can be viewed in high quality, allowing you to fully enjoy the beauty of the visual expression and the effects of music and sound.

2. Use of streaming services

"The Little Monkey Swing" can also be viewed on some streaming services, especially on services such as Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. These services are easy to watch and are recommended for busy modern people.

3. Cinema screenings

"The Little Monkey Swing" is occasionally shown in movie theaters, especially at animation film festivals and special screenings of classic animation films. These screenings can be viewed on a large screen, allowing viewers to enjoy the beauty of the visual expression and the effects of music and sound even more.

summary

"The Little Monkey Swing" is a classic animated film from 1959 that has not lost its relevance even today. In particular, the story, which depicts the powerlessness of humans against natural disasters and the importance of helping each other, is a theme that resonates even in modern Japan. In addition, the story of the courage and friendship of the little monkeys has the power to give courage and hope to children. Furthermore, the beauty of the visual expression and the effects of music and sound have the technical and artistic qualities that are common to modern animated films, and there is much to learn from it. You can watch this film by purchasing the DVD or Blu-ray, using a streaming service, or screening it at a movie theater. Please watch this classic animated film and feel its charm and significance.