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Miyazaki's Spirited Away U.S. Release
soupforare writes "Spirited Away is slated for a US limited theatre release in on Sep. 27th
nausicaa.net has a theatre listing and some more info. It looks like some theatres are even going to be showing the subtitled version." No showings near me, but hopefully those prints will make it around. Been wanting to see this one for a long time.
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..which includes a brief interview with Miyazaki.
Here 'tis.
It's a rather fawning bit, but this seems to me to be one of the rare interviews in which the director isn't just puffing up his work, but actually discussing it.
Besides, this movie looks to be that good. I grabbed a VCD bootleg of this in Taiwan many moons ago, and despite the crappy transfer quality + lack of dubbing/subtitles, I watched the entire first half before I began to feel lost (stopped after that so that I could enjoy the movie in its full-fledged form more). Miyazaki is a fine, fine visual storyteller, and by all accounts so far, the dub (lead by John Lassetter of Pixar fame) is an achievement in of itself.
Been wanting to see this one for a long time.
Then why haven't you bought it on DVD?
The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
Saw the trailer on Apple a couple weeks ago. Pretty cool. Very long, too.
Opening on Sept 27
KIPS BAY, Manhattan
86TH ST. EAST, Manhattan
PAVILION, Brooklyn, NY
MIDWAY, Forest Hills, NY
ROOSEVELT FIELD, Westbury, NY
FARMINGDALE 14, Farmingdale, NY
SOUNDVIEW CINEMAS, Pt. Washington, NY
WESTCHESTER 10, Hawthorne, NY
LOEWS PALISADES, West Nyack, NY
LOEWS ROUTE 4, Paramus, NJ (Tentative)
EDGEWATER 16, Edgewater, NJ
EAST HANOVER 12, East Hanover, NJ
CLAIRIDGE, Montclair, NJ
WHITE FLINT, Kensington, MD
AMC CENTURY CITY Los Angeles, CA
BEVERLY CENTER Los Angeles, CA
MONICA, Santa Monica, CA
PLAYHOUSE, Pasadena, CA
AMC BURBANK, CA
GALLERIA, Sherman Oaks, CA
AMC PROMENADE, Woodland Hills, CA
AMC COVINA, CA
EDWARDS STADIUM, Long Beach, CA
MANHATTAN VILLAGE, South Bay, CA
AMC ROLLING HILLS, Torrance, CA
AMC ONTARIO, CA
AMC THE BLOCK, Orange, CA
SOUTH COAST VILLAGE, Santa Ana, CA
No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow. - Cmdr. Susan Ivanova
It's a little movie.. in the sense that the Titanic was a little boat. Working on that tangent.. this movie outgrossed "Titanic" in Japan and is the only movie thusfar to have grossed over $200 million.. without setting foot in North American theaters. And it was done entirely by hand (save for cg backgrounds).
It's also the film that won the Berlin film festival and praise from almost every critic I can think of. TOo bad it'll be relegated as arthouse fare.
In synopsis, it's an Alice in Wonderland type story inspired by a friend's daughter. A ten year old girl and her family go on a trip together, through a tunnel to what looks like an amusement park, when the girl gets lost and the fantasy begins. Every kind of fantasmagoric creature from anyone's dreams apears...
Can't wait for it.
I used to be someone else. Now I'm someone better.
Real life is underrated.
I had the good fortune to see the US premier of this movie last Tuesday at the El Capitan theater in Hollywood.
First off, the showing itself was wonderful -- it's a very nice old-style theater with a balcony and a curtain in front of the screen. The movie was digitally projected, and it looked perfect to me. It was also very nice not having any commercials/trailers at the beginning -- they did some light effects, opened and few curtains and the first thing on the screen was the blue Studio Ghibli screen (and the whole audience applauded at that).
The movie itself is a great movie. Miyazaki did make it for 10-year old girls, but it can appeal to anyone, I think. The feel was a bit like Alice in Wonderland, with a young girl finding this world of spirits and monsters where she meets interesting people and has some adventures (if you really want a good review, there are others out there). Basically, if you have a chance, go see it. I did see the dub, and it was actually fine; after a bit everything just started flowing and I stopped noticing that it was dubbed (I'm generally a big sub-snob for watching anime).
Miyazaki himself was there for a short interview after the movie; he was asked various questions, first mainly about Spirited Away, and then some audience questions ranging from if he's going to work on the Seven Samurai anime (no, he's opposed to it), to if he's ever going to do more in the worlds of Totoro (never), Laputa (never) or Lupin III (never; he leaves that world to others).
Anyway, very cool experience. If you're in the LA area, El Capitan will be showing Spirited Away for a month or so, mostly in English, but a few showings in Japanese, subbed, and while Miyazaki won't be there, it should be a great place to see it.
-Darien Jax
The legitimate region 2 DVDs can be had for around $50-60 from import DVD sites like cdjapan.co.jp -- and it has English subtitles.
The only issue (besides the region) is the color balance, which has a slight reddish tint which some people find annoying. Interestingly enough, according to Nausicaa.net, this was done deliberately so that it would look right when played on plasma or lcd screens.
Ebert & Roeper reviewed it this weekend and loved it. They said that kids will really like it but adults will probably enjoy it more. Apparently Miyazaki almost didn't make this movie. You can hear the review here: http://tvplex.go.com/buenavista/ebertandroeper/tod ay.html
If you're thinking of seeing this ask yourself what you value in a movie.
If you just like non-stop action with 2 braincelled heroes like Vin Diesel don't go see this. You'll only get lost half way in and get frustrated.
If you like a "thinker" movie that challenges your views of the world DO see this movie. You'll also be lost like the action-seeker crowd but it won't bother you and the ending will reward you and explain the entire movie.
This movie is classic Miyazaki. Although there is a weird sensation when switching from a 3D scene to a 2D scene and vice versa, it is still stuning and there is, unlike many other movies, a story.
Incidentally, whether you like Ebert or not, he is a particularly big anime fan and has given this movie rave reviews.