LITTLE NORSE PRINCE synopsis and review CONTENTS: 1.) LITTLE NORSE PRINCE synopsis/review (THE ROSE, 11/90) ========================================================================== .......................................................................... | 1.) LITTLE NORSE PRINCE synopsis/review (THE ROSE, 11/90) | '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' The following review is a re-printing of an article which appeared in the November 1990 issue (Vol. 4, #24) of Anime Hasshin's newsletter, THE ROSE (on pages 6 & 7, to be exact). Please retain this header. REVIEW LITTLE NORSE PRINCE by Lester Swint The Japanese version of this film was released in Japan in July of 1968 as PRINCE OF THE SUN: THE GREAT ADVENTURES OF HORUS. The English language version, LITTLE NORSE PRINCE, should be of interest to anime fans since Hayao Miyazaki, the creator of Nausicaa, worked on it as a key animator. The film is also a very good fantasy film. The story of Little Norse Prince has its basis in the folklore of old northern Europe. Its hero is Hols, a brave young son of a fisherman. How brave is he? At the very beginning of the movie, Hols is in the midst of a battle with a large pack of wolves, armed with only an axe! The odds seem impossible and they are; but Hols wields his weapon expertly to fend off the hungry wolves. Finally, he is saved in the nick of time by Rockoor, a giant made of stone and earth, awakened from a seemingly centuries-old sleep by the sound of battle. Hols befriends the giant by removing a large sword wedged deep in his "shoulder boulder." Rockoor calls it the "sword of the sun" and predicts that when Hols needs it, the sword will aid him when he faces the evil of Grunwald the Frost King. The action and violence in this opening sequence will immediately let any viewer know this cartoon is not your average everyday G-rated animated kiddie film. Hols' father dies unexpectedly, but before he leaves his son, he tells him of the northern land of their birth and how their village was destroyed by the sinister sorcery of the Frost King when Hols was just an infant. He and Hols were the only known survivors of the tragedy, and now he implores him to return to the village where he was born, to learn the fate of the other villages. So, armed with his trusty axe, his newly found sword and accompanied by his pet bear (?), Coro, Hols begins his trek to the north to find truth and his destiny. In his travels, Hols has his first and almost last confrontation with Grunwald. But despite the Frost King's overconfidence, our hero is a hard man to kill, even after falling off a cliff! He is found alive and cared for in a fishing village not unlike the one his father told him of on his deathbed. And like the village where he was born, this one is also plagued by the dark presence of the Frost King. A giant pike, a monstrous sea beast of Grunwald's, is consuming all the fish in the area, threatening the livelihood of the entire settlement. The fishermen are frightened of the creature, but Hols is not one to give in to fear. Alone, he goes in search of the monster. After a fierce, frantic combat in the water and out, Hols defeats the beast. Hols is cheered as the hero he is and accepted by everyone in the village. Everyone except the village chief and his manipulative deputy, Drego. They don't appreciate the newcomer Hols' sudden popularity with the people they lead and grow concerned that their authority might be in jeopardy. But their power is not being threatened by Hols. Grunwald's desire is nothing less than to exterminate all the people in the village. That Hols is still alive and living in the village is an added incentive for the Frost King to destroy it. And with the unknowing help of Hols himself, the evil Grunwald brings in another player into the story with the introduction of Hilda, a young girl Hols finds alone in a misty, abandoned village. Gentle and mysterious, Hilda, with her beautiful (and very mature!) singing voice, is at first a welcome addition to this troubled town, but as time passes, her presence adds to the dark forces that threaten its existence. Still, the people of this fishing village have the same bravery that Hols has and together with the young fisherman's son stand strong against the mystic power of the Frost King to defend their home. Hols, the hero of this tale, is portrayed as a brave, strong-willed young boy. He is not a posing, self-righteous figure, but he has courage and an obvious belief in himself. When Hols first meets the Frost King, he is at a very precarious disadvantage: Grunwald has Hols' life in his hands, but the boy does not back down for an instant. It nearly costs him his life, but Hols would not give up his principles for the murderous Frost King. And he survives, his morals intact, to eventually defeat the mighty Grunwald. Hols doesn't really see himself as a hero, but he is one nonetheless. LITTLE NORSE PRINCE is a lost animated treasure that sucks you into its story from its opening scene. As has usually been the case with Japanese animation, the film's story deals honestly with the reality of life and death. It is not ignored for the sake of children watching. When a beloved character dies, there is sadness, grief and the continuance of life. The English language production staff of this movie, including director Fred Ladd, and editor Eli Haviv, should be commended for not editing this necessary element out of the story of young Hols. The animation is very good, especially in the action sequences. The film's opening, with Hols overwhelmed by a pack of wolves, draws you in with its fierce, desperate pace. And, Hols' battle with the giant pike is excitingly reminiscent of the finale of the Walt Disney classic PINOCCHIO--which featured the little puppet's brave attempt to save his father, Geppeto, from the colossal whale, Monstro--though done on a smaller scale. The character designs are notable in that only Hols, of all the movie's cast, has the distinctive look of a Japanese anime creation. Hilda, in earlier character designs I've been fortunate enough to see, looked more like a traditional anime girl than she was finally realized in the film. For those wondering if the contribution of the well-known Hayao Miyazaki are perceptible in this edited version of PRINCE OF THE SUN, I must state that this is not a Miyazaki film. But, even edited into English as she is, I felt the character of Hilda retained the touch of Miyazaki's magic. To those interested in something a little different in your anime enjoyment, I recommend the LITTLE NORSE PRINCE. [I wish to thank David Rains for his generosity. Please note also that the names of the movie's characters are spelled based on my own impression of how they sounded in the film.] END ^^^^^^^^^^ I saw the same version of this anime which Mr. Swint saw, which was a copy Mr. Rains made available to Anime Hasshin members. Said copy was made from a broadcast from the (Ted Turner-owned) cable station TBS in Atlanta, Georgia somewhere back in the early to mid 1980s. It was rather interesting in parts, and a great example of Miyazaki's early work, but it not on the level of anything I've seen of his work from CAGLIOSTRO CASTLE and onwards. Made in 1968, with a running time of 1 hr. 22min., this film sports Hayao Miyazaki as *scene designer and key animator*, but the man did not write the screenplay nor direct. As such, it is not a "Miyazaki film" per se, but it *does* provide very interesting glimpses into the animator's early style. -- Steven Feldman, Hiyao Miyazaki Discussion Group listowner , 7/22/91