Castle in the Sky?

[Lesley]

Just wondering if anyone knows anything about this movie. It's an anime film by Hayao Miyazaki that was supposed to be released on video here in the US by Disney, just like they did with one of his other movies "Kiki's Delivery Service". The preview is on the Kiki tape, but Amazon says it has yet to be released. Kiki was released here several years ago...so I'm wondering if this one will ever get released.

Anyone have any info on this? My ds really wants to see it, and I must say it looks like the best of the Miyazaki movies that have been translated to English.

And for anyone who likes something a little different, I highly recommend Kiki's Delivery Service and My Neighbor Totoro. They are definitely not the kind of animation most americans are used to....there's truly a cultural difference in how the stories are told and how there are really subtle themes that run sort of under the surface. Miyazaki is considered one of the masters of anime.

I've also heard that these movies are much better in their original Japanese versions...but until I learn Japanese (and my family does as well) those versions aren't of much use to me!

 

[jrgutknecht]

Miyazaki has directed some of the BEST animation ever done. If you haven't seen Princess Mononoke yet, rent it NOW.

Castle in the Sky (done in 1986) was supposed to get a US release but for some reason Disney has decided to sit on it.

This was a small article I read in Entertainment Weekly some months back, but basically it said that Disney was all excited to release his works in the US, but after the luke-warm (if not downright cold) reception that Mononoke received, they changed their mind. The article also alluded to some bad blood between Miyazaki and Disney, but did not elaborate. I believe they actually have an English dubbed version ready to go, so it's not a production issue.

You can find them on VHS and DVD on the net if you look hard enough, but the best bet is a local comic book or sci-fi convention. I picked up Kiki's Delivery Service last year at the ComicCon in Chicago. I bought the Japenese version with English sub-titles. There is something about the rythym and flow of the original language that only adds to the effect.

You might try one of the online auction sites, EBay has several items by Miyazaki for sale. Try searching for the original title "Tenku no shiro Rapyuta" or possibly "Laputa: Castle in the Sky" or just search by Miyazaki.

You won't have any trouble with the subtitles. I actually prefer to watch Mononoke that way, I think the English dubbing (especially Billy Bob Thorton) was well below the quality of the film itself.

Good luck

 

[Lesley]

Cool, thanks! My ds doesn't read well yet, so though subtitles work for dh and me they don't for ds...eventually. I have to see Princess Mononoke...but I wasn't sure if it would be okay for ds to watch (though its probably no more objectionable than DragonballZ, Gundam Wing or Robotech, is it?) What I loved about Totoro and Kiki was that they were much more suitable for kids than much of what's out there in anime....and my boy isn't really interested in stuff like Sailor Moon or Cardcaptors!

It was kind of weird hearing Phil Hartman doing the Jiji voice in Kiki's Delivery Service....just seemed so American. I think I would prefer subtitles! (Nothing against Phil Hartman...I loved when he did voices on The Simpson's!)

I think its pretty stupid of them not to release this! Especially after promoting it!