People think so little of children’s minds. When talking of
children’s movies, any tone bleaker than perpetual cheer is ‘dark’. Into the Woods is ‘dark’. The NeverEnding Story is ‘dark’. How
fragile do they think children are? No, Ringing
Bell is dark. Not dark like Pixar – dark like Animal Farm. With a childlike style the movie explores the cruelty
of nature.
Chirin’s mother warns him about the wolf. Chirin must never
cross their pasture’s fence, for the wolf would gobble up a little lamb like
him. True to his promise, Chirin stays within the pasture, but for nothing. The
wolf breaks into their barn at night, slaughtering Chirin’s mother, before stealing
away. Chirin vows he will train under the wolf, so, one day, he may escape the
law of nature which decrees lambs must die.
