©Courtesy of GKIDS
An isolated scream of personal despair can ultimately become the voice of a generation that’s contending with the nature of their existence. The anguish felt in the reverberating cry of the young heroine in the fantasy anime movie, Angel’s Egg, echoes the crisis of faith many adolescents face as they come of age in troubling times.
Filmmaker Mamoru Oshii directed the drama. The helmer created the experimental 1985 feature with artist Yoshitaka Amano. Andrei Tarkovsky’s work in part inspired the duo’s collaboration on the post-apocalyptic movie. The film community now recognizes the feature as a landmark work of animation.
Oshii recently supervised a 4K restoration of the film to commemorate its 40th anniversary. The 4K restoration is having its New York Premiere in the Revivals section at the 63rd New York Film Festival. The GKIDS project will screen four times over the next week at the festival. Film at Lincoln Center (FLC) is presenting the event.
Angel’s Egg takes place on a nameless, desolate and ravaged land. It follows a young girl (Mako Hyôdô) who scours the ruins of an abandoned city in search of food. Along the way, she transports a large egg she believes contains an angel.
The girl then encounters a young man (Jinpachi Nezu), who wishes to crack the egg to find out what’s actually inside. As a result, the girl debates whether she can truly trust her new companion to protect her and the egg in the devastated land, or if he instead wishes to pursue his own interests.
Angel’s Egg is a unique, experimental entry in the adult anime genre. It surprisingly leans into arthouse vibes in its storytelling approach. Oshii and Amano don’t provide much detailed context or plot points throughout the story. The characters’ names, motivations and name of the city they live in aren’t even shared in the film.
©Courtesy of GKIDS
The minimal dialogue spoken between the two main characters therefore uplifts the film’s intricate visuals. Those visuals chronicle the protagonists’ emotional and physical journeys.
The gothic, classic character designs and shadowy cityscapes are sharp in detail. Their color contrasts amplify the drama’s vintage aesthetic. The rejuvenated imagery of the movie’s protagonists and the city they inhabit embodies their dystopian culture.
The project’s improved sound design support the astoundingly improved visuals. The intertwined audio and visuals make the city not only immersive and realistic, but also eerie and electrifying.
Angel’s Egg‘s 4K restoration is hypnotic interweaving of atmospheric visuals, an entrancing score and gripping emotional character arcs. The updated visuals and music make the film a haunting reflection on contemporary loss, hope and the nature of existence.
Haunting, intimate and experimental, the feature is Oshii’s most personal work throughout his career. As a result, Angel’s Egg has become a vitally important film in anime history.
Overall: B
If you like the review, share your thoughts below!
Check out more of Karen Benardello’s articles.
Here’s the trailer of the film.