11.1.10

Monday Movie: Ghost in the Shell


In a future in which brains are connected directly to the Internet, the notorious hacker 'Puppet Master' manipulates memories and motives in the service of his shadowy aims. When Motoko Kusanagi, a military cyborg working for Public Security Section 9, is brought onto the case, the Puppet Master turns out to be strangely entangled with her life - and her doubts.

Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell draws inspiration from William Gibson and Ridley Scott to present a city where gleaming skyscrapers tower over flooded, advertisement-strewn streets. There's an evocative, measured atmosphere throughout, with largely ambient scenes flowing seamlessly into flourishes of explosive ultraviolence. If Oshii is occasionally heavy-handed with his dialogue, it only makes it all the more remarkable to see the deliberate way in which he builds mood.

4 comments:

Tinker said...

I hope the internet connection to their brains is more reliable than the one to my computer!

Geosomin said...

I do so love this film.

Max said...

Have you read the manga? The original series of books brings a lot to watching the film.

Pacian said...

@Max: I have seen Stand Alone Complex, which expands on the characters, but I've never quite been able to convince myself when it comes to Masamune Shirow.