Slashdot Mirror


Spirited Away Still Has a Chance

Dean Siren writes "Disney chairman Richard W. Cook says that they've budgeted to market Spirited Away in up to 1,000 North American theaters, and if the Oscars endorse it as much as Metacritic has, Disney will launch it. They'll spend the same time and money promoting Spirited Away for Academy Awards as they will Lilo & Stitch and Treasure Planet. Cook hopes that it will win not only Best Animated Film, but get nominated for Best Picture, as Beauty and the Beast got in 1991. Thanks to Jack Mathews at New York Daily News for getting Cook to explain."

79 of 281 comments (clear)

  1. if you can't rip them off... by radoni · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...market the actual thing.

    this is sure to be better then the "Atlantis" stratedgy.... no wait, how about "The Lion King"....

    i really hope to see in a theatre; i enjoyed watching it at home. the almost-naturalistic take on a love story and spirit world kept me interested enough to keep watching after i took a break halfway through.

    oh wait, there's pizza to eat. i'll take a break half way through this post....

    --
    SIGERR: laziness exceeds quota
    1. Re:if you can't rip them off... by vicious_sloth · · Score: 3, Informative

      wasnt it already in the theatres? I saw this movie in NYC on a digital screen. (English Dub) the subtitled version was also avaliable in that theater but not at a good time for me.

      Overall i thought this was an excellent movie, I Loved the sound track, and also the sound track to Miyazaki's other movie "Princess Mononoke" I cant wait for Disney to release more enlgish Dub's of his animated films, Disney does a really good job on the english dubs. "Princess Mononoke" had an excellent voice cast.

      --
      Sun is Warm, Grass is Green
  2. Re:Why more Japanese porno? by WaKall · · Score: 5, Informative

    First off, AC's usually don't deserve a response, but this one is just off in left field.

    Spirited Away is a _children's story_. You could let your 6-year-old watch this. So quit throwing around the 'japanese porno' catch-all description of anime. Yes, they do exist, but it's a relatively small segment of the market (in the US AND in Japan).

  3. yup by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    step 1: advertise
    step 2: ???
    step 3: profit!

    So far they have failed at step 1, its exactly what happened to Mononoke all over again. This movie makes Country Bears laughable at best, why not advertise quality animations and get rid of these terrible terrible films. Oh well, so long as it comes out in DVD with both languages and subs I'll be happy in more than one way.

  4. So now we like them? by LordKronos · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is this the "Disney is good" week? I guess last week must have been the "evil" week, but I didn't get the memo.

    1. Re:So now we like them? by Zorikin · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If Microsoft started distributing free Debian installation CDs with some percentage of copies of Windows, for whatever reason, a lot of people (read: Linux fans) would associate Microsoft with goodness.

      Those of them which were in a clearer state of mind at the time would decide that /the specific action/ which Microsoft took was good.

      This story is about a specific action Disney has taken - not Disney in general.

  5. Argh! I feel faint... by jwiegley · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I'm pretty unhappy that anybody made a comparison between Spirited Away and Beauty and the Beast.

    Except for both movies being presented as animation, comparing SA to BATB is like comparing gold to crap.

    Its a comparison between true visual art and typical, run-of-the-mill disney fare. Want to see BATB again? go rent The Little Mermaid.

    And let's not even begin to compare the story lines. SA is far, far more creative, deep and moving.

    --
    I will never live for sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.
    1. Re:Argh! I feel faint... by Minna+Kirai · · Score: 3, Insightful

      B&tB was a really decent story, up til the sell-out* conformist ending. Of course, the ending and overall flow was the same as the fairy tell, but the parts Disney added were supporting characters to add length- helpful servants and vile, closeminded peasants. This created a racial-discrimination subplot that concluded in an entirely unedifiying way.

      The White Gaulic Catholics are the bad guys, because they attack the hero after judging him solely by his appearance. So how is the situation resolved? He changes his appearance to look just like the bigots who had shunned him.

      What's the moral of the story kids? "If you're different than other people, try to change and blend in. Nobody likes a weirdo, and don't you want to be liked?"

      A better, more courageous ending would've had the Beast miss his deadline, and still live happily without that last-minute miracle.

      Shrek (an anti-Disney film in more blatant ways also) nicely reversed B&tB, by allowing the curse victim to decide that she was better off under the spell (superhuman strength trumps prettiness).

      *Yes, I feel the painful redundancy of using "sell-out" in reference to a Disney movie.

    2. Re:Argh! I feel faint... by PaddyM · · Score: 2

      You can diss the BATB animated film all you want, I suppose.

      But the Beauty and the Beast is the BEST musical I've ever seen. (Although, I suppose I'm only comparing it to Phantom of the Opera in Phantages and Les Miserables on Broadway).

      I think that Into The Woods has the potential to be the Best musical of all time, but no professional production has a chorus of Trees like my high school did. And I can't think that my high school did the best performance of those songs.

  6. Re:excellent by MisterFancypants · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Hah hah hah! Are you on crack, son? Disney is a BUSINESS. These decisions are based on MAKING MONEY. Disney will release Spirited Away if they think they will make a significant RETURN ON INVESTMENT from doing so. Being nice to geeks doesn't even factor into the equation.

  7. It beats dutch manga/anime. by Dark+Lord+Seth · · Score: 2

    I once bothered to take a look at the manga they are broadcasting over here. After torturing myself painfully for fifteen minutes while feeling something which can only be explained by a spectral force forcing two scolding-hot spiked maces into my skull through my ears and then twisting them. After some research (and recuperation) it turned out that I saw something called "Sailor Moon", dubbed in dutch, which was quite possibly the most horrible thing I ever heard. You cannot copy a line of text from japanese, to english, to dutch. It's just morally and ethically wrong.

    If anything, that event made me decide never EVER to watch manga/anime on dutch TV stations again. And never to wake up before 12:00 out of free will, either.

    1. Re:It beats dutch manga/anime. by G-funk · · Score: 2

      No, no, no, no, no... It's not the dutch that's killing it, Sailor Moon is simply the worst thing ever released upon the viewing public since that barbie cartoon.

      --
      Send lawyers, guns, and money!
  8. This movie is NOT made by Disney ... by Qzukk · · Score: 5, Informative

    This movie was made by Studio Ghibli, and US distribution rights were bought by Disney, who so far has been doing only so-so at actually getting this stuff out. (Where is my Kiki's Delivery Service DVD? How about Nausicaa or Castle in the Sky, or any of the other good Ghibli titles they've gotten?)

    --
    If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
    1. Re:This movie is NOT made by Disney ... by aardvarkjoe · · Score: 2

      I was almost sure that Laputa was supposed to be released late this year; but I guess it's a little late for that. However, I think that Disney's started doing some advertising, so I assume it's not going to be long now.

      --

      How can we continue to believe in a just universe and freedom to eat crackers if we have no ale?
    2. Re:This movie is NOT made by Disney ... by dacarr · · Score: 2

      Not sure, but it won't be called Laputa - apparently for the same reason that perpetuates the myth of the Chevrolet Nova not doing well in South America.

      --
      This sig no verb.
    3. Re:This movie is NOT made by Disney ... by aardvarkjoe · · Score: 2

      Well, to be fair: when Jonathan Swift made up the name, he was perfectly well aware of its meaning; when Miyazaki used it, he didn't know that. Given that a relatively large proportion of the population here will find the name "Laputa" to be extremely offensive, I think that the name does not fairly represent the movie.

      --

      How can we continue to believe in a just universe and freedom to eat crackers if we have no ale?
    4. Re:This movie is NOT made by Disney ... by tomhudson · · Score: 2
      apparently for the same reason that perpetuates the myth of the Chevrolet Nova not doing well in South America. </quote>

      Nova == 'no va' == 'no go'.

  9. World attacked by mutant anime by Siriaan · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While I'm not a big fan of the Academy Awards and disagree with much of the way it works, I think a nomination and especially a win at the Oscars for an anime film will rocket anime into even more mainstream outlets. More anime on TV, more films, more professional dubs and subs, etc. I can't think of a better way for anime to become more accepted in the west than for Spirited Away to win an Oscar.

    1. Re:World attacked by mutant anime by kableh · · Score: 2

      Since when has being accepted in the West helped anything? =)

      I saw this at a local artsy theatre. Really, really liked it. The animation was gorgeous, both as a technical work and a work of art.

      As far as it helping the West accept anime, Pokemon and the lot have done enough damage as it is...

    2. Re:World attacked by mutant anime by sakusha · · Score: 2

      You clearly don't know how the Academy works. No film will ever be nominated for Best Picture if it has no chance of actually winning the prize. No animated film has ever won Best Picture. And this "film" (and I use that term loosely) has exactly zero chance of ever winning best picture. Ergo, it has zero chance of ever being nominated for Best Picture.

    3. Re:World attacked by mutant anime by sakusha · · Score: 2
      Uhh, do *you* know how the Academy works?
      Why actually, I do. I was a Hollywood script doctor, 5 of the scripts I worked on were nominated for Best Picture, 1 of them won. Of course, I got no credit, that's all part of the deal, you get paid the big bucks to disappear after fixing things.
      Anyway, the Academy is a large collection of people, sure there's a bunch of idiots at Disney who nominate their own films, but the vast majority are extremely conservative and vote for the same films for mostly political reasons. The point stands, SA will not be nominated for Best Picture. A foreign animated film of such limited interest will not even be a blip on the Academy members' screens.
  10. For those of slashdot not totally anime maniacs.. by Hott+of+the+World · · Score: 4, Informative

    ..Spirited away is written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, which is the same person who made Nausacaa Valley of the wind, and more recently (1997) Princess Mononoke.

    It seems to be even more captivating than Princess Mononoke, yet somewhat disney oriented as it focuses on the adventures of a ten year old named chihiro who gets "spirited away" to a magical land; separated from her parents, she struggles to find a way home.(trailer)

    Whoah, that was a mouthful. But it seems to be a really good movie, if your looking for something more than Treasure Planet.

    --
    | - | - |
  11. Re:Disney is NEXT TO SATAN by 90XDoubleSide · · Score: 2

    That would be a really great argument if the movie was made by Disney.

    --
    "Reality is just a convenient measure of complexity" -Alvy Ray Smith
  12. I do too. by Peterus7 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    That movie was really great. And plus, with disney bringing it in that'll just make it easier to access. So if it's playing at a theater near you, see it. It's a great movie. I however do wonder if the original script was changed to 'americanize' it. I hope not. But it's good to see that a big company has finally acknowledged that Anime movies could really do well in the US.

  13. Why Disney won't back it fully by infonography · · Score: 3, Funny

    I would love to see how they plan to put a Radish Spirt toy in a happy meal. They don't care about ticket sales, they care about byproducts and aftermarket trinkets.

    --
    Sorry about the writing. Robot fingers, you know? Cliff Steele in DOOM PATROL #23
  14. Re:Who cares? by neostorm · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Even if you hate Animation this is something everyone should see. There are just too many good things to say about this movie, as this is something that can be considered a truly artful piece of work among the repetitive norm.

    Don't make the mistake of filing this film under the typical "Anime-blahblahblah" category.

  15. Even Disney can't bury this one. by haydon4 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Disney has been trying to bury quality anime movies for a long time because they know how good they are. Mirimax was only able to release Princess Mononoke to a limited number of theaters due to pressure from Disney.

    If word got out to the mainstream that animated movies from overseas could be both entertaining to children and thought provoking to adults, then it would force Disney to rework their entire development structure to change over and reinvent their formulated storylines and stereotyped characters.

    The problem for Disney here is that "Spirited Away" has people talking all over the world and even they can't keep this one quiet. So in the spirit of a multi-national corporation crushing its competition; if you can't beat them, buy them.
    That way they can show "Spirited Away" in a limited release, satisfy a few fans and wait for the buzz to die down. But it didn't work this time, so they will put more money into the release and hope this will still go away quietly.

    But I think Disney is in for a real shock here.

    1. Re:Even Disney can't bury this one. by Watts+Martin · · Score: 3, Informative

      It's a great conspiracy theory, except that it's bullshit.

      Disney is the company that bought the rights to distribute Miyazaki's films in America. Not Mirimax acting independently. The theatrical releases have been under the Mirimax label because Miyizaki's contract with the Disney studio requires that his movies not be marketed as Disney films.

      I'm all for knocking big companies, but the fact is that big companies like to make money, and spending money on the rights to American distribution for a movie with the intent of killing it is not good business practice. Anime fans may not like the mainstream Hollywood perception that anime releases aren't "big-budget" enough, and they may not like it that Disney obviously buys into this and released both Mononoke and Spirited Away as art-house films. I don't like it, either, even though I'm not much of an anime fan. But that doesn't require a conspiracy.

      Reality check: these films got the same kind of promotional budget and release that other art-house films do. This is the normal pattern. Start small with very little advertising, and when a film starts to take off, pump more money pumped into them. Look at Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon--there was no more advertising for it in the first several months of its release than there was for Mononoke. (In my area, in fact, there was more advertising for Mononoke; Dragon didn't get TV ads, at least in that region, until its Oscar nomination.)

      And you know what? The fact that Mononoke made much less money wasn't a great argument for putting it into wide release. "It'd have made lots of money if only you'd opened it on three thousand screens simultaneously and spent ten million advedrtising it" is an argument that warms the heart of fans but not studio accountants.

      The level of commitment that Disney is showing by even considering a major theatre rollout for Spirited Away is much higher than I'd have expected. It's also inconsistent with the idea that they're interested in burying it--if they hadn't released it in the first place, nobody in America would be talking about it except anime fans. If you hope something "will still go away quietly," you don't start screaming about it louder.

  16. Re:excellent by Ctrl-Z · · Score: 2


    Clearly, sir, you have been trolled. Quite well, I might add.

    This line kind of gives it away:
    "Hopefully, geeks on Slashdot will continue to support Disney so that we can get more of this!"

    Since when does Disney get any support from the geeks on Slashdot?

    --
    www.timcoleman.com is a total waste of your time. Never go there.
  17. Disney doesn't own the merchandising rights. by Mononoke · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Disney doesn't know how to promote a movie without the usual BurgerKing/McDonalds/Target/Sears tie-ins.

    Because Disney doesn't hold the merchandising rights to the Ghibli catalog, they will never promote these movies as they should be promoted. Remember: Disney gains nothing from the success of these movies, and loses nothing if they fail.

    There is also quite a bit of Not-Invented-Here attitude that is quite apparent in what little promotion there has been.

    I was lucky enough to see Spirited Away on the big screen. My girlfriend and I went to the 7:45 PM showing on a Saturday. We were the only ones in the audience. The print looked almost new, as if the theatre hadn't been bothering to run it to an empty house. Local promotion? There was only the simple one-line listing in the newspaper. There were NO posters, one-sheets, lobby cards, stand-ups, or anything in or around the theatre. No wonder I got a private showing. Even if the general public had heard of the movie, no one would know it was playing at that theatre.

    To sum up: Disney is burying this movie, just as they did with Mononoke. It may not be entirely intentional, but it is still occuring.

    --
    NetInfo connection failed for server 127.0.0.1/local
  18. Re:Disney is NEXT TO SATAN by Archfeld · · Score: 2

    made by or marketed by, Disney is going to eat up ANY profits and screw the actual artists by complaining that the marketing costs ate up any profit and that they are actually owed money but the artists can turn over the rights to the film in return for getting let out of a bad deal....

    --
    errr....umm...*whooosh* *whoosh* Is this thing on ?
  19. why a disney movie? by mattkime · · Score: 2

    would someone explain to me why slashdot is cheering on a disney movie? (The largely fash driven website didn't explain)

    --
    Know what I like about atheists? I've yet to meet one that believes God is on their side.
    1. Re:why a disney movie? by tuffy · · Score: 2
      1. Because it's a very, very good film.
      2. ...and it's not made by Disney.
      3. And, if it gets people into theater seats, perhaps it will encourage Disney to start making better animated films.
      --

      Ita erat quando hic adveni.

    2. Re:why a disney movie? by CaptainCarrot · · Score: 2
      It's not a Disney movie. It's from Studio Ghibli in Japan and was written and directed by Hiyao Miyazaki, who also made My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, and Princess Mononoke among others. Disney just has the distribution rights for it in the US, and they're doing a miserably poor job of it.

      Can you imagine any other studio taking this approach with a movie? "We'll schlep it around to the art houses, and if it wins an Oscar we'll actually put some effort into marketing it." What bullshit. Yeah, that happens from time to time with movies from small production companies -- I think My Big Fat Greek Wedding is an example -- but those are sleepers; no one ever plans to market them that way. Spirited Away was the top grossing movie in Japan ever, and was almost universally praised by US critics. It deserved much more intensive marketing and much wider distribution from the start, and had it gotten those things it would almost certainly have done very, very well.

      I wonder if Disney is snapping up Ghibli titles for the same reason GM bought out the trolley lines in LA back in the '30s?

      --
      And the brethren went away edified.
  20. Re:UGH! by hudsonhawk · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I hate disney and the oscars as much as anything, this really has the potential to legitmize anime as being more than Squaresoft fanboy fodder. Honestly, I don't think any other distributor could've brought this fantastic, fantastic movies to as many screens. Both times I saw this in the theater, it was packed with families, something I've never, ever seen at an anime screening.

    If this does well, maybe we'll finally get to see that Cowboy Bebop movie on the big screen after all.

    Scott

  21. Re:UGH! by neonsocks · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Oh grow up. First go see the movie. Disney is simply distributing this movie in the US. What other studio has ever taken a chance on nationally releasing Japanese anime in theaters?? Okay so the Oscars don't always represent the absolute best but they do give some limited release movies the attention they deserve. Go see Spirited Away and tell Disney with your pocketbook that you want to see high quality and high art animation, not re-hashed drivel like Treasure Planet et. al.

  22. (not) Playing in theaters near you... by dvk · · Score: 2

    I tried to see where it'd be playing around here (NYC)... entered my ZIP... the only one it came up with was some little dinky place on 12th St in Manhattan. Either it hasn't really opened yet, or the 1000 theaters mentioned in the write-up are stretched really thin.
    Not like i care much - unlike lots of people on /., if I don't like Disney, I don't like Disney. As in, won't spend my money on their profit instead of ranting and raving about how bad they are (at least while I can avoid it, being a child at heart but childless in life for the moment :)

    -DVK

    --
    "The right to figure things out for yourself is the only true freedom everyone shares. Go use it"-R.A.Heinlein
    1. Re:(not) Playing in theaters near you... by red_dragon · · Score: 2

      A similar situation occured here in Philadelphia. The movie was showing at only two locations, the Ritz in Centre City (another dinky little place, although known to carry a lot of good non-mainstream movies) and the AMC 24 at the Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem. I got to see it at the AMC theatre; only about 10 people were present at the time, myself included.

      --
      In Soviet Russia, Jesus asks: "What Would You Do?"
  23. The Old Boys' Club by jpt.d · · Score: 2

    "They'll spend the same time and money promoting Spirited Away for Academy Awards"

    Lets see, would this be called the Old Boys' club? Take only notice of movies developed (or promoted) by members of the Old Boys' club. Throw maybe one or two other movies in just for show. Congradulate the rest of the Old Boys for their work well done, hope to see you after another glorius profit making year.

    --
    What we see depends on mainly what we look for. -- John Lubbock Now search for that bug slave!
    1. Re:The Old Boys' Club by mbogosian · · Score: 2

      "They'll spend the same time and money promoting Spirited Away for Academy Awards"

      Lets see, would this be called the Old Boys' club?


      Yeah, no shit. The "Academy" awards were once supposed to be about merit. I fail to see, in that case, how one could market or promote for the Oscars. Maybe Speilberg is right.

      This is earily similar to our current domestic political situation. If I have enough money, can I lobby for an Oscar?

  24. Re:excellent by G-funk · · Score: 2

    Disney can keel over and die for all I care, given they're the ones paying for the coninued erosion of our rights through mr Hollings.

    --
    Send lawyers, guns, and money!
  25. Re:Disney is NEXT TO SATAN by 90XDoubleSide · · Score: 2
    The movie made $200 Million in Japan; it is the highest grossing film of all time in Japan, beating Titanic. Studio Ghibli doesn't care too much about how much money they make in the U.S.

    Further, Ghibli has a very restrictive contract with Disney that prevents Disney from making any changes to the movies (this is why Mononoke was released with a PG-13 rating).

    --
    "Reality is just a convenient measure of complexity" -Alvy Ray Smith
  26. Re:Best Animated Film by 90XDoubleSide · · Score: 2

    Disney hasn't won an award in that categoy yet, and I doubt they will in the near future. Spirited Away should win this year, and if it doesn't Ice Age will, so the award will go to Ghibli or Blue Sky. Next year Finding Nemo will probably win, giving Pixar their first Oscar in this category. But the bottom line is that Ghibli, PDI, Pixar, and Blue Sky are going to win this Oscar every year for quite some time.

    --
    "Reality is just a convenient measure of complexity" -Alvy Ray Smith
  27. Re:mmmm, yeah by DJSpray · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You know, some of us Slashdot readers are OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE CHILDREN that would enjoy this movie... AND DO. I appreciated the info on the film for _at_least_ that reason.

    And at 35, I hope I never become too "mature" to enjoy a really good kid's film in any genre.

  28. Never heard of it? by Vegan+Pagan · · Score: 2

    Then Nausicaa.net should get you up to speed.

    Summary Poem:

    Through the tunnel,
    There was a town of wonder.
    It was an inconceivable place,
    Where inconceivable things happened.

    A world existed right next to the humans' world,
    A world humans could never see.

    Local gods and various lesser deities,
    Goblins and monsters.
    It was a hot springs town,
    Where old gods came to heal their illness and wounds.

    10 year-old Chihiro wanders into this world,
    Where humans shouldn't enter.

    Chihiro can only survive in this world if she accepts two conditions:
    To work for Yu-baaba, an avaricious witch
    Who rules the huge bath house at the center of the town.
    And to be deprived of her name and become a non-human.

    Chihiro lost her name, and began working under her new name, Sen.

    In the town of surprise and wonder, Chihiro comes to know
    A huge sense of helplessness... and a small amount of hope.

    However, in this difficult world, she discovers many things,
    And Chihiro becomes more lively than she ever was.

    Kamajii, the boiler keeper with his rich life experience.
    Rin, who teaches Chihiro the work at the bath house.
    Susuwatari, who carry coal.
    Bou, the son of Yu-baaba.
    The god of the river, a refugee from the human's world, who is covered with trash and sludge.
    Kaonashi, the masked man.
    Zeniiba, the twin sister of Yu-baaba.

    Unimaginable things keep happening.

    Chihiro's sleeping "power to live"
    Has gradually begun to awaken.

    And Chihiro meets Haku, a handsome but mysterious boy.

    The encounter of a boy and a girl, tied together by a promise.
    With awakening memories,
    They understand and help each other.

    Can Chihiro take her name back,
    And return to the humans' world....?

  29. i've been waiting to see this movie by pizza_milkshake · · Score: 2

    afaik so far my closest options have been Boston and NYC. As I live ~2 hours (NW Connecticut) from either, I haven't gotten the chance. I'd support a broader release.

  30. What is it with Hayao Miyazaki and little girls? by TerryAtWork · · Score: 2

    ALL of his cartoons star them.

    I'm worried about him, personally....

    --
    It's Christmas everyday with BitTorrent.
  31. Just Go See It by divide+overflow · · Score: 5, Insightful


    Spirited Away is a gorgeous movie. Don't judge it by the distributor (Disney)...it can stand on its own. Disney made a very smart decision to back a film that, in terms of the quality, artfulness and sophistication of its animation, simply blows away most modern animated films.

    I was a bit dubious when a friend of mine told me I had to go see it, but he wouldn't stop praising it. I'm glad I went. It is visually stunning and charmingly quirky in a way I would describe as "Alice in Wonderland, Japanese-style." Miyazaki has produced a superb piece of work.

    1. Re:Just Go See It by s.a.m · · Score: 2

      Before seeing it I did not hear much about the film except some mention about it on here. When I went to the theather there were a lot of kids there. Sure you saw the mom's explaining certain words situations etc, but that was fine.

      It is a great movie and like most anime's it has adults mainly as the target audience, however it is a really nice movie where even the kids can sit down an like it. My hope is that it can get released more widely so the rest of the population can see it.

      I do know however that a lot of people do not like reading subtitles. Which is a big drawback because watching the movie in it's original Japanese language is what helps this movie even more.

  32. Re:Disney is NEXT TO SATAN by Archfeld · · Score: 2

    why do they need Disney ??? Order them online and get a region mod'd player and watch what you want.
    When the PRODUCING company sees a profit to be made they will start translating them. Your way gets SOME to the market, the one that the MORONS at Disney think will work, but also ensures that they get the Mouses' (ehhh bad humor sorry) share of the profit.

    --
    errr....umm...*whooosh* *whoosh* Is this thing on ?
  33. Re:Disney is NEXT TO SATAN by Archfeld · · Score: 2

    and we can see how much effort Disney put into marketing PM. Which was awesome btw...
    The lead balloon in this equation is Disney, why do they have to control distribution, especially when they won't expend very much effort ?

    --
    errr....umm...*whooosh* *whoosh* Is this thing on ?
  34. Re:Disney is NEXT TO SATAN by 90XDoubleSide · · Score: 2
    http://nausicaa.net/miyazaki/disney/
    Did Miyazaki sell his soul to Disney?

    Miyazaki stated that he didn't like the movies by Toho or Toei either (they are the Japanese movie companies which have been distributing the Ghibli films). He distinguishes between film production and film distribution. He also stated that he had agreed to the deal mainly to help Tokuma, which had backed him when he was starting out. He said he has earned enough money to last him a lifetime.

    --
    "Reality is just a convenient measure of complexity" -Alvy Ray Smith
  35. Since there seems to be a lot of confusion... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Spirited Away has nothing to do with Disney, other than the advertising. It's an anime film, and is therefore a lot closer to Princess Monononke (you've seen it or at least heard about it, right?) or even Ghost in the Shell (you've heard about THAT one).

    I saw it a couple of weeks ago in theatres, and I was definitely glad I did. Something like half the people here would probably not "get" it and walk from the theatre disappointed, but it was an incredible display of imagination, beautiful animation, and the most refreshing break from Hollywood crap since... well... since a long time. I enjoyed it a lot more than Princess Mononoke, as well.

    About the closest analogy I can find, without discussing the plot and characters, is "Alice in Wonderland". If you think Alice in Wonderland's stupid, or if you just don't get it, you won't like this. (and this movie, like Alice in Wonderland, can be enjoyed by kids - but it can be enjoyed by adults even more).

  36. Yeah right by Goonie · · Score: 2
    The Academy is incredibly conservative, bean-counterish, parochial, heavily marketed to, and occasionally gets desperate for credibility. Now, let's look at anime. Conservatism - that has to work against these weird-ass animated (kiddie) movies from Japan - but hey, some of them are violent and contain a bit of sex, so they're obviously going to Corrupt Our Children(TM). Bean-counterish - anime is relatively small beans compared to mainstream cinema (at least in the West). Heavily marketed to - as I've just said, there's much more money to be made in making sure Oscars go to English-language, mainstream stuff, particularly stuff that appeals to women (and anime, at this point, appeals more to Western men than women). Parochial? Say no more.

    Suffice to say I'm not expecting Oscars to be heading the way of anime directors any time soon.

    --

    Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo
    --Andy Finkel (J. Klass?)
  37. Wait a minute... THIS IS ANIME? by bujoojoo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Where are the hot anime chicks with the flaming hair-dos and swords? Huh? What about the some bad ass spaceships and mechs? What about VAMPIRES, HUH? NOT ONE FUCKING VAMPIRE!

    And to top it off, there is no obligitory $OBJECT blowing up in a slow motion 6 frame sequence...

    Anime, my ass...

    --
    This space for rent
  38. Re:UGH! by ainsoph · · Score: 2


    Well said, thanks a bunch. Disney sucks ass, but people spending money in one direction will allow the ass suckers know what we want.

    Of course, Disney will always attempt to make White versions of what we want. But thats another thread altogether,

  39. Neither was A Bug's Life by yerricde · · Score: 2

    It's not a Disney movie. It's from Studio Ghibli in Japan

    Monsters, Inc. is not a Disney movie. It's from Pixar. So is that Nemo movie.

    Cents from every dollar you spend on tickets to see this movie are still going to the defense of bad copyright laws such as the DMCA and the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act and to lobbying for their sequels: the CBDTPA, the Broadcast Flag, the two Berman bills, and the Chastity Bono Act of 2018 that adds yet another 20 years to Mickey Mouse's copyright term.

    --
    Will I retire or break 10K?
  40. My Kids Saw It by N8F8 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I was simply bown away watching a 4,5 and 6 year old glued to the screen for the entire movie. No potty breaks and no wandering minds. Hell, my oldest probably caught only 10% of the subtitles.

    --
    "God fights on the side with the best artillery." - Napoleon, Marshal of France - speaking truth to power
  41. Disadvantage in judging? by Woogiemonger · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The problem with judging Spirited Away alongside this year's stock of American films is the lack of knowledge of the symbolism/references in the anime which are foreign and unrecognized in American culture. I hope the judges do their homework, which may enable them to realize the full brilliance of the movie. Also, Spirited Away helps us familiarize ourselves a bit more with the mentality of Japanese society. While it may be as magical as Alice in Wonderland there are plenty of differences between Alice's Wonderland and Chihiro's Wonderland. I, for one, appreciated seeing a "spirit house", let alone the huge, very important bathhouse operation.

  42. Re:Disney is NEXT TO SATAN by cpt+kangarooski · · Score: 2
    Has disney EVER actually created somthing from scratch?

    They have. To the best of my knowledge, excluding the music, Disney's original works, IN THE REALM OF FEATURE ANIMATION (I don't want to bother with the shorts or live action stuff) are:

    Fantasia (Toccata & Fugue in D Minor; The Nutcracker Suite; Rite of Spring; Dance of the Hours; Night on Bald Mountain; Ave Maria) -- Saludos Amigos -- The Three Caballeros -- Make Mine Music -- Melody Time (Once Upon a Wintertime; Bumble Boogie; Little Toot; Blame it on the Samba; Blue Shadows on the Trail) -- The Aristocats -- A Goofy Movie -- Fantasia 2000 (Symphony No. 5; The Pines of Rome; Rhapsody in Blue; Carnival of the Animals; The Firebird Suite) -- The Emperor's New Groove -- Lilo & Stitch -- (The Lion King, and Atlantis: The Lost Empire, are disputed)

    A number of the others were licensed (e.g. Winnie-the-Pooh, 101 Dalmatians) or were taken from public domain works which remain available to everyone (e.g. Snow White; Robin Hood)

    Disney does some good stuff. Personally I really want Eldred to win so that I can start making new Mickey Mouse cartoons. He used to be a lot more fun way back in the early days.

    --
    -- This and all my posts are in the public domain. I am a lawyer. I am not your lawyer, and this is not legal advice.
  43. Re:excellent by cpt+kangarooski · · Score: 2

    Not being the originator of something isn't enough to hang your argument on. Disney didn't originate the plots or characters in the vast majority of their movies, nor did they pay to use them. See, e.g. the just-now-being-released 'Treasure Planet,' based upon the R.L. Stevenson novel 'Treasure Island.'

    Thus, they're gallavanting around with ill-gotten stories that weren't produced by them.

    I have no problem with them doing that -- but if you're going to allow it, you'll have to find a different line of argument. There is one, but if you use it, it'll open the door to people copying music too, at least to certain extents.

    --
    -- This and all my posts are in the public domain. I am a lawyer. I am not your lawyer, and this is not legal advice.
  44. Certain as the sun, brighter than a lamp by PaddyM · · Score: 2

    Tale as old as time
    Song as old as rhyme
    Lady and the Tramp

  45. Re:Shrek by Jace+of+Fuse! · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Neither of them were ugly. Didn't you get it?

    They were quite nice looking Ogres. It's all those humans that were ugly.

    --

    "Everything you know is wrong. (And stupid.)"

    Moderation Totals: Wrong=2, Stupid=3, Total=5.
  46. It's a great movie by mattr · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Just to say it is a wonder film and you can take your entire family to see it over and over again. Maybe a couple parts could be a little scary for very young children but nothing like what gets by as entertainment for that age group in the U.S. these days.


    The story's focus on Disney is completely idiotic. Focus on the company that made the film, not the one that succeeded in getting it after ripping off or destroying as much Japanese anime as it could up to now.


    I don't know how the voiceovers are in English. If possible, see the Japanese version with subtitles as well some time, it is quite impressive. Of course Hayao Miyazaki's work is all fabulous. Check out Laputa!


    P.S. There is a book of Spirited Away as well, in English I believe. And in convenience stores they also sell segments of the movie as gorgeous shot-by-shot full color glossy manga books. Lots of Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro) stuff. I believe there is a shop in New York that handles tons of Japanese anime related stuff downtown.

    Incidentally the name Sen to Chihiro refers to her name being stolen (I won't say by whom). The only character left can be read as Sen as well as Chi. Sen means a thousand.

  47. Disney as the Two Edged Sword by Sw0rdfiche · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've sen "Spirited Away" on a large screen twice now. The film is so rich that, like all good art, it gets better with more study. Beyond the story, the incidental artwork in so many of the scenes is breath taking. I am looking forward to the DVD so I can actually freeze frames and just look more closely at the landscapes, the interior sets, the tapestries, etc. My feeling is that Disney is completely outclassed by this work. They [Disney] are intellectualy bankrupt. If they can use their influence and ample cash reserves to promote something of this quality, I am all for it. My only hope is they do not lock the artist up in a Disney contract for a string of pictures that reflects their dead end concepts of "product." A clear example of this "opportunity" is the Jackie Chan deal. His Disney funded movies are TERRIBLE! They all have that lame "written by committee running a formula" feel. If they want to promote the work, fine. If they need to CONTROL FUTURE CONTENT, we could be screwed.

  48. Re:This movie is made by Disney ... by woogieoogieboogie · · Score: 2
    "I'm not really a lawyer, but I watched Matlock in a bar last night. The sound was turned down, but I think I got the gist of it."

    or worse, like the dpt kook who is not a webdeveloper but knows everything about how everyone else should develop.

    --
    ... Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed...
  49. Spirited Away Experience by jtharpla · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I was lucky enough to see one of the screenings Disney did at their El Capitan theater in Hollywood in Japanese with subtitles. I remember there was a HUGE line out the theater and there was a sign when we came out saying due to popular demand, they had added another subtitled show that night. Cool, huh? I don't give Disney any credit in this except they brought good anime to America and to a wider audience.

    And I still can't get the music to the movie out of my head...Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away definitely rate on my all time favorites list.

  50. Disney need Anime by BoBaBrain · · Score: 2

    All of Disney's recent outings have been flops. If it wasn't for Pixar, they'd have sunk by now. Unfortunately for Disney, they only have the rights to a couple more movies from Pixar before that contract ends.

    Disney must be looking for another cash cow and Japan seems like the best place to start searching.

    --
    I am a Karma Library.
  51. Re:For those of slashdot not totally anime maniacs by RyoSaeba · · Score: 2, Informative

    The original title is 'Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi', for those who care :-)
    It won a prize at some Berlin (Germany) festival, the Gold Bear
    I saw it in France around a year ago, and even if there were some long scenes imo, it's still a pretty darn good movie.
    Of course, some things are lost in the translation (for instance, why is Chihiro sometimes called 'Sen' isn't that easy to get if you don't know some japanese basics).
    You can also find some ecological references (river god), and things like that.

    I was in Japan in july, around the time it was released in DVD, and boy, it was totally crazy: any shop related more or less to video, anime, games, you-name-it had TVs with the DVDs / tape rolling ! (and i don't even mention related merchandise)

    All in all, a decent movie imo ^_^

    --
    Tsuyoikoto ha taisetsu da ne, dakedo namida mo hitsuyousa (Strength is an important thing, but tears too are necessary)
  52. Re:Shrek by s.a.m · · Score: 3, Interesting

    That's why I loved this movie. It went against everything that Disney stands for. Most of their movies the main characters are rich, and considered by society to be beautiful. Stupid conformist crap. Shrek showed that you don't have to conform and you don't have to live up to other people's view of what beautiful is.

  53. Fortunately not. by MtViewGuy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I think 2002 will be a much better year for Disney animated features.

    Lilo & Stitch did good business at the box office and was very well-received by critics; it appears that Treasure Planet may do this also. It appears that Disney has learned from the horrid experiences of The Emperor's New Groove, Dinosaur and Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and the upper management kept pretty much hands-off on this year's feature releases.

  54. Princess Mononoke? by tkrotchko · · Score: 2

    I bought that film based on reviews here.

    I was very disappointed with that film. It could have been trimmed down by 1/2 an hour (at least) which would have made the film paced better and eliminate the parts that just don't help the story.

    Based on the reviews here, I'm worried this film will be another Mononoke. I'm certainly not going to buy it this time.

    --
    You were mistaken. Which is odd, since memory shouldn't be a problem for you
  55. No more animated best pictures by billtom · · Score: 3, Interesting


    About the idea of Spirited Away being nominated for best picture, won't happen. The new category of best animated picture was created by the MPA specifically so that animated movies wouldn't be nominated for the best picture award.

  56. An honest to God "Ask Slashdot" about this movie.. by FurryFeet · · Score: 2

    I'm in Mexico, and while I'm wuite fluent in English, I'd obviously love to be able to share this movie whit my wife/family/friends who are not. Is there any way I can get it on DVD with Spanish subtitles? DVD region is not a problem, and neither is price (within reason).
    Thanks for any pointers...

  57. Re:An honest to God "Ask Slashdot" about this movi by FurryFeet · · Score: 2

    Yeah, I wrote "wiute" instead of "quite" on a sentence regarding my English fluency. Im "wiute" aware of the irony of it all, and embarassed beside myself. Sorry about thar :S
    Still... the movie? On DVD? Spanish subtitles? Pretty please? /me kicks himself.

  58. Re:Baloney! by Jeff+DeMaagd · · Score: 2

    A disproportionate amount of anime pr0n gets brought over and translated here in the USA. Go look in most large direct-sales video stores that carry a dedicated selection of anime. It's really pathetic.

    Anime porn is pathetic, but otherwise I disagree with your statement, I believe what you see is the fault of the store, not what is "brought over". What ends up on the shelves on any particular store doesn't really reflect what is released, just what happens to sell in *that* store.

    Except for a local FYE / (formerly Disc Jockey?) which has a very small anime section, locally and in several other locales I have checked around the US, the hentai that is on the shelves usually only amounts to 5% of the anime, at most. Best Buy, Suncoast, Media Play, Electronics Boutique and the "indie" shops carry about that much or less of the porn kind of anime, the exceptions may be the stores that specifically stock porn.

    A mail order catalog that I happen to get has a small tear-out section of hentai that accounts for maybe twenty pages out of 300. The tear-out section is obstensibly their attempt at serving everyone so the catalog can be kept in places where there might be children.

  59. Art-house release... by freeBill · · Score: 2

    ...for a children's movie?

    This was a classic movie-for-kids that Disney has been marketing well for decades. They knew fully well it should not have been released in the art houses. When I saw it there wasn't a single child in the audience.

    The dub was great. They re-synched the mouths to the English words. Could have been a breakthrough movie for Disney. They screwed it up and promoted the heck out of "Lilo and Stitch," a stinker based on "The Ugly Duckling" with five good jokes.

    I just hope "Treasure Planet" is as good as it looks, not as bad as these morons keep trying to make their movies.

    My protest: I'm going to see "Solaris" instead of "Treasure Planet" today.

    --
    Eternal vigilance only works if you look in every direction.
  60. Conformist Disnet endings by John+Harrison · · Score: 2
    [spoiler alert!]

    Wondering how any given movie will end? Here it is:

    1. Hero and bad guy will engage in a fight to the death. Hero is the underdog. Bad guy might "cheat" somehow.
    2. Hero wins fight fairly, possibly even saving bad guy from certain death. Hero decides to let bad guy live, because killing bad guy would "make me just as bad as him." Nevermind that this makes no sense.
    3. After havin his life spared by hero, bad guy makes one last effort to kill hero, and ends up falling to his own death. This satisfies the viewer's need for justice without getting the hero's hands dirty.

    B&tB and the Lion King both end this way. So does Spiderman, more or less. The crappy J Lo movie "Enough" did, as did a recent Tommy Lee Jones & Judd sister movie. I now go into movies expecting them to end this way.

    Contrast this with Superman 2, in which Superman, after rendering General Zod and the gang powerless, kills Zod and watches in glee as the others die. Way to go Supes! Of course if he had a nuke-proof phantom zone handy he probably would have put them in that.

    If this is my last post ever then it is because I have pissed off the Hollywood writers mafia by revealing their secret and they are coming to get me! Good-bye everyone, I'll miss ya!

    [/spoiler alert!]

    1. Re:Conformist Disnet endings by John+Harrison · · Score: 2

      Zod got his hand crushed and I think he was then thrown across the room and fell into the pit. Ursula (or whatever the woman's name was) was beaten up by Lois Lane and pushed into the pit. The stupid mute character tried to fly and fell to his death.