I'm told that it is a Lupin product that is probably best enjoyed by people not familiar with Lupin III prior to seeing it. I've seen some of the TV show and other media more in line with the traditional Lupin mythos, and I tend to agree. I'll highlight the reasons in more detail as I discuss the movie below but the main reason this is true is that Lupin himself gives off a very different 'vibe' in this movie than he does in the other media. He's kinder and less greedy, more willing to help those in need, and basically acts a lot more on the heart side of the 'thief with a heart of gold' trope. It suits the movie perfectly, and since that's the first Lupin I was introduced to as a kid, it feels totally natural; however, I bet that it would be jarring and detract from the movie if I were coming to Cagliostro with more knowledge of the franchise. It's kind of a strange divergence considering how much Miyazaki has been involved with the character before this movie, but I guess he just had his own spin on the character.
- The pacing is ultra-traditional and that's appropriate here (I think Lupin even announces "now all the pieces are in place" right at the end of the first act). We open with an action scene (I'm not going to start qualifying scenes as 'great' or anything because it would start to get repetitive), get to know our male leads, swiftly introduce the main mystery ("who is that girl?"), and proceed to heighten tension and mystery all the way until the climax around the end of act two (when Lupin is shot). In the third act all comes to a head, the bad guy is slain by his own hand and the mystery is resolved in a visual (as opposed to talky) manner. A short denouement gives us closure on the tiny romance that had blossomed between Lupin and Clarisse, and then Lupin is off into the sunset with Zenigata on his tail, ensuring that the movie can fit snugly into the greater Lupin narrative. In short, this is exactly what a theatrical Lupin story ought to be on paper.
- The execution is solid enough throughout, with animation that's a good step up from the tv series (that's a given, though) and nowhere near the standards of later Miyazaki films. I would guess this has something to do with the exact way the movie came about, since it was produced in the context of the tv series rather than as a standalone Ghibli project. Particularly towards the end of the film the animation is stilted to my eye, but it has its moments (such as the car chase near the beginning). And what the visuals lack in polish they make up for in imagination and setting. Miyazaki's take on 20th century Europe never fails to please me, whether it be the castle in this movie or the mediterranean in Porco Rosso.
- The theme song is one of my favorites of any Miyazaki film, and that's saying something. This one wasn't even from Hisaishi! The rest of the score is energetic in a way that really matches the nature of Lupin.
- Regarding the role of Jigen and Goemon, I think Miyazaki made the best of what was required of him. Jigen is necessary as a foil for Lupin and justifies his place in the movie on the basis of his great repartee with Lupin alone. As for Goemon, that's another place where I think the movie is more enjoyable for a first-time Lupin watcher. For people like me who didn't know any of the characters, Goemon's entrance is mystifying but badass in an unknowable sort of way. He has pretty much no role in the movie but gets to chip in during the final action scenes and say a badass line or two. Miyazaki had sense enough to keep him out of the story while we were still being introduced to Lupin and Jigen, and doesn't dip into the screen time allotment of our 'real' characters to try and give him some sort of half-baked subplot. If you don't even know the character to begin with, that just makes him seem cooler, but if you did know him it might irk you. Ah well, there's really no way to give Goemon a real place in this story no matter how you slice it. Like I said, Miyazaki made the best of a situation where he was required to have a character in the movie that there wasn't room for in the plot.
- I almost forgot about her, but it's almost a miracle that Fujiko fits into the plot as well as she does. While not strictly essential in the way that Lupin, Clarisse or the count are, she isn't blatantly shoehorned in like Goemon, and I think her part here would please fans of the character.
- The voice acting (of the dub, never heard the original) is great if you can take the cheese. The only time it gets distractingly hammy for me is when some of the side characters with really exaggerated accents start talking. I'm thinking of the United Nations leaders specifically. Lupin's voice actor particularly does a good job, really selling the mix of sincerity and humor when Lupin seduces Clarisse.
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