Castle in the Sky
|
Our Price: $31.54 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $13.75 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Canada
Movie Reviews of Castle in the Sky
Movie Review: Wonderful to see again
Summary: 5 Stars
CitS was the first Miyazaki movie I ever saw in the late 80's when I was a kid. It had such an effect on me at the time (those robots scared me half to death) that when I saw this remastered edition sitting next to Kiki and Spirited Away I had to have it (i snapped up SA as well ;p).There are A LOT of opinions i've read about this release on Amazon, and would like to put forward my own summary of the good/bad points:
1. First and formost, the original track (both language and soundtrack) is available on the disc, with subtitles. Thus you can watch it over again as the artist originally intended, or as the updated, redubbed version.
2. James Van Der Beek is annoying, yes, but only if you let it get to you. Personally, I found his voice a little softer than the screechy Japanese guy on the original and thus at times (Note: AT TIMES) was preferable. Anna Paquin, Cloris Leachman, Mandy Patinkin and (especially) Mark Hamill are all good, solid dubs.
3. The decision about rescoring the music was a good one, (excellent track) though the American Suits clearly pressured Hisaishi into writing new stuff for virtually every part of the film. Some places which were perhaps a bit quiet before benefit (e.g. at the start with the solitary pirate ship), and others (such as the train chase) really sound exciting with the meatier score, but there are scenes (such as the Dragons Nest run) which should have been left alone. There were good reasons to keep the silence there.
4. The issue of the extra/changed wording: Some of it plain does not work, such as Sheetas new pirate impression, which just sounds like a Suit walked in mid-dub and said 'hey! I know what you could put in that 3 second non-speaking section..!'. Some of it however is great and adds humour/information where previously it was missing. Pazu talks more about his fathers death, the pirate gang bickers more with the locals in the fight scene, and Dolas talk with Pazu in his house to name but a few. However, 'All good pirates listen to their moms' sounds too self-help for my taste..
To sum up, everyone who appreciates a good movie without having hangups about it being 'a cartoon' should get this. Its one of those family movies with the full range of emotion, written by good, talented people who dont pander to the kids or alienate the grown-ups. Theyre trying to entertain you with a story, and they manage that with style.
Movie Review: The greatest of Miyazaki's films
Summary: 5 Stars
Castle in the Sky is a beautiful masterpiece, a stunningly intellectual piece of art that manages to capture the flaws and strengths of humanity. Simply put, the soft-hearted and elegant Sheeta holds a magical and powerful crystal that several people are after. In an unforseen twist, Sheeta ends up in the company of the smart and determined Pazu, an orphaned boy like Sheeta whose biggest dream is to discover Laputa, an island in the sky that one of Sheeta's pursuers is desperate to find. As they travel together, fighting against time and the greed of Sheeta's followers, they discover some of humanity's morals and some of the worldly truths that have not been seen by people far older than them.
What I love about this movie is the fact that the animation (which is superb, it gives you a sense of nostalgia and simple innocence) flows along with the soundtrack, a melodious but gentle and sad score that instantly captivates you. The characters are all well-thought out, although the villian is static and flat but still radiates evil and greed, and scenes of comedy, tragedy, friendship, and violence all blend together perfectly.
But the best thing about this movie is the relationship between Pazu and Sheeta. From the very beginning, when Pazu saves Sheeta from her fall, you know that these two will be together through thick and thin. Their first meeting is filled with charm and the very beginnings of a powerful and deep friendship. And with time, not only does their friendship grow, but it helps both the boy and girl mature. The very way they hold on to each other and pray for each other's company shows their intense love and devotion towards one another, however what is so pleasing is that still young and naive, both don't realize that they have a beautiful love between each other, under the guise of a dedicated friendship.
Preaching truths about violence, machines, and human greed, Miyazaki's work is a poignant classic, showing human goodness at its finest...in the hands of two wonderful children. The English version is better than the Japanese in terms of dialogue, but both versions are still good; this movie would be sitable for children 8 and up, since it has some complicated plot lines and minor violence. Watch this film and enjoy the remarkable tale of love, compassion, and friendship in the face of adversity.
Movie Review: SO MUCH MISSING IN THE U.S. RELEASE!!!!!!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
disney has just not been honest in releasing "laputa: castle in the sky" and other studio ghibli all time greats on dvds. there's so much missing in the u.s. release from the one they have released in japan. now we all know what disney did to its english track. even the rescore sounds terrible at places....but at least the only commendable job disney did to this release was including the original japanese track. so anyway, the film can be watched in all its glory, as it was meant to be. the problem however, i feel is with the poorly done extras.
storyboard viewing is available but no angle feature has been given, so you cant switch between the boards and the film. and one extra disc just for storyboards doesnt make much sense. it would have been better if they had included it on the main disc alongwith the film.(even a lesser known company central park media did a great job with "grave of the fireflies"!!!!!)
japanese release even includes an alternate opening and closing for the film. why isnt it here?? when buena vista can release it in japan, why cant they do so in u.s. and rest of the world? is john lasseter's introduction that important?? we all know how great these movies are!! come on mr lasseter, its people around the world who have voted for these movies on imdb.com. we also know that FIVE(!!!) films from studio ghibli are among top 10 (laputa being no.6) in the list of greatest animated films ever made...and NONE from disney (obviously "toy stories" and "monsters" are from pixar!!!!). that says it all and it is quite obvious how much people love studio ghibli and hayao miyazaki. so mr lasseter, i'm terribly sorry but your introduction makes no sense. it would still have, had you said something on laputa's influence (or was it a blatant rehash????) on disney's "atlantis"!!
its about time disney learnt some lessons from his previous mistakes and gave the future releases the treatment and respect they deserve. i hope the dvds of upcoming hayao miyazaki gems like "my neighbor totoro", "nausicaa" and "porco rosso" live up to everyone's expectations. hope they are on par with their japanese counterparts....and hope its worth all the endless wait since disney and buena vista have postponed their release indefinitely even after announcing their release dates!! how pathetic!
Movie Review: Anyone who love Japanese anime, must see!
Summary: 5 Stars
Laputa is great for both Children and Adult. Miyazaki tells "a story that involves discoveries and wonderful encounters...a story that carries a message of hope."
The production of Laputa also led to the establishment of Studio Ghibli in 1985.
I highly recommend everyone to see this movie. My favorite scene is when Sheeta said to Muska "people can't live away from the ground."
But my favorite Miyazaki movie is "Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind". Many people are saying that Nausicaa is similer to "The Lord of the Rings". I don't agree at all (Hey, I love The Lord of the Rings too by the way! Did everyone like Return of the King? I thought that was the best out of 3 movies). Nausicaa has storonger message for environmental disruption more than fellowship.
For this movie, Nausicaa, I recommend you to see movie first. Then you should read books because books go much deeper than movie. Nausicaa tries to stop other warring nations from destroying themselves and from destroying the only means by which their world can be saved from the spread of polluted wastelands.
Plus please read books over and over again. You won't get message right away. It's pretty complecated.
As an additional info., "My Neighbor Totoro", "Kiki's Delivery Service" and "Princess Mononoke" are something which you should consider to just enjoy adventure action and fantasy world. "Princess Mononoke" is similer to Nausicaa and Laputa but this movie is based on Japan land. And remember, this movie is pretty violent for children.
I heard from many people didn't like "Spirited Away".
I love Miyazaki movie and normaly, I can get Miyazaki message from the movie easily but for this one, I couldn't get much message right away. So! I personally suggest to watch more than once. I realized later, it had meaning everywhere how much we pollute our planet and make us think there is something we can do for it. You won't realize that if you don't pay attention enough (just like what I did ^_^).
At last, Miyazaki says the following, "We are not trying to solve the global problems. There can not be a happy ending to the fight between the Raging Gods and humans. However, even in the middle of hatred and killings, there are things worth living for. A wonderful meeting, or a beautiful thing can exist."
Movie Review: The Search for Laputa
Summary: 5 Stars
"Castle in the Sky" is another Studio Ghibli film by Hayao Miyazaki. The directors name alone is a mark of quality. It's been classified as an anime' film. The word `anime'' has become a generic name for any Japanese animation. Under this condition, I'd rather not use the term. Studio Ghibli's work varies as much as that of any major studio.
The movie begins with a magnificent airship coming under attack by aerial bandits, the Dola Gang. Their objective is a girl held in the custody by government agents. We know they're government agents because they wear suits and sunglasses at night indoors. The girl, Sheeta, escapes from both groups only to fall off the airship into the night.
She loses consciousness. The crystal in her necklace begins to glow. Instead of crashing to her death, she floats down right into the arms of a most capable boy named Potsu.
Potsu is an apprentice mechanic working for a broken down silver mine. Orphaned, he is the son of a discredited airman. Potsu's father claimed to have discovered the legendary floating island of Laputa. Laputa is real and Sheeta is the key to finding it. That's why she is being pursued by both the government and the Dola Gang. Laputa is reputed to be a place of great wealth and terrible power.
This movie is a grand adventure in the traditions of "Raiders of the Lost Ark". The action is fast paced. The look and feel is the early twentieth century. There is an incredible array of flying machines and airships none of which could fly in reality but they are cool nonetheless.
Casting Cloris Leachman as the voice of Ma Dola was a stroke of genius.
This film had a look I thought familiar but not from Studio Ghibli. On my third watching I made the connection. The artwork has been heavily influenced by Max Fleischer's Superman cartoons of the 1940's. I also detect a hint of Herve's Tin-Tin.
This cartoon would work as an action film. If I were Steven Spielberg, I'd raid Studio Ghibli for their story boards.