The result was the mechanical chicken legs, and the slapdash style, we see on the screen today. The book doesn’t explain the castle’s ability to move, or particularly how it moves, and Miyazaki became determined to explain it himself. Howl’s castle, the starting point of the film’s conception, was digitally rendered after much conceptualizing by Miyazaki. The characters were brought in similarly. With architecture based around Alsace in France and a steampunk element inspired by Albert Rubida’s futuristic technology works, the backgrounds were drawn and painted by hand, and digitized into the computer environment later. Visually, Howl’s Moving Castle is gorgeous, evenly saturated with colors and packed with whimsical details. It will still be a fantastic film.” Production design (c) Studio Ghibli Yes, it will be different from the book-in fact it’s likely to be very different, but that’s as it should be. No, I have no input-I write books, not films. Jones was supportive of the movie, however, and refreshingly open-minded about it as an adaptation: “It’s fantastic. The film is a loose adaptation and reflects more of Miyazaki than of the English author’s book. Miyazaki prepared a private screening for author Diana Wynne Jones in England, flying there himself with the completed film. Secondary, and non-speaking, roles such as Turnip-Head or Heen the dog are equally fantastic, characterized by detailed physical appearance and movements. The talented Billy Crystal came in as Calcifer, the sarcastic fire demon mysteriously connected to Howl, joining the famed Lauren Bacall and Batman-familiar Christian Bale. As the film is an adaptation, the characters are not entirely Miyazaki’s own but he does mold them artfully to jump from the page to the screen. With a star-studded dub cast helmed by Pixar’s Pete Docter, the characters sparkle onscreen. Ingratiating herself as the cleaning lady, Sophie befriends the complicated Howl (Christian Bale) and his young apprentice, Markl (Josh Hutcherson). Though at first understandably panicked, Sophie (now Jean Simmons) leaves home for the Waste, coming upon the legendary wizard’s castle. The film adaptation tells the story of 18-year-old Sophie Hatter (Emily Mortimer), who suddenly finds herself cursed by the spiteful Witch of the Waste (Lauren Bacall), making her age at least sixty years. Loosely based on Diana Wynne Jones’ 1986 novel of the same name, Hayao Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle, ハウルの動く城 or Hauru no Ugoku Shiro, is a magical adventure infused with luscious visuals, real life lessons, powerful anti-war sentiment, and the customary world immersion of a classic Studio Ghibli film.