Spirited Away
by Hayao Miyazaki
(Click here)
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Director: Hayao MiyazakiBrand: BUENA VISTA HOME VIDEO
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language); French (Original Language); Japanese (Original Language)
Format: Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 125 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-04-15
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Walt Disney Video
Movie Reviews of Spirited Away
Movie Review: The Power of Animation Creates It's Own World
Summary: 4 Stars
My biased against Disney doesn't help me dislike this movie, as this is an imaginitive piece of animation, shows you that the anime genre can be actually art instead of kiddie fare and a breeding ground for cheesy samuri and ninja-wannabe f@gt@rd$. Sure, Spirited Away has a somewhat slight story, but my god, is this a visually stunning work that throws you into a whole different world, like other (though stories vary-I don't really care for Princess Mononoke) movies by Miyazaki. I initially didn't like this movie very much, as my biased did kind of screw me over, being how much I hate the Disney corporation for (only Pixar is saving the Disney corporation, and they almost ____________ Pixar over) buying Miramax, releasing garbage and sequals, and just being plain gay. The only saving grace of Disney is Pixar and Fantasia (one of my favorite movies ever). But I digress.
Spirited Away focuses on a now lonely and isolated young girl named Chihiro. This girl is going through the immature yet easily to identify feeling of leaving these behind and not wanting to start anew. Annoyed by everything, she isnt'ready to have a new experience at all, always thinking about how it sucks to leave behind friends, her old house, and other staples of childhood. However, when her parents are magically turned into pigs, Chihiro is ready to take a great journey, through the world of spirits, and a transformation of herself.
Alright, while the story is slight, the characters are interesting, even though the humans in the movie are much less impressive than the world and it's characters. Chihiro is just a girl that is growing up, and while her behavior is a bit immature and needs an improvement, it's a very accurate portrayle of a young girl, a young girl who you like and understand considering her age. It makes her transfomration all that more satisfying to see. She isn't a brat either, because brats aren't likeable. The moral is nice as well, as watching Chihiro grow up a little is a nice thing to see. Spirited Away isn't much of a social commentary as, say, Fight Club or A Clockwork Orange, it has some slight slight social commentary infused (such as the pigs).
You may notice that I use the world "slight", quite a bit, and while slight things aren't always a bad thing, it's a bit It's execution works so well, that the story becomes charming when brought into the world of this movie. This place is an imagitnve world where spirits come to rest, and we are in for some creatively wicked spirits. This movie is also trippy, with walking vegetable-like creatures, bouncing heads, talking skulls, and otherworldly atmosphere. It might freak out those who are not used to these kinds of things (I love mind_________), sure, but surely great to look at.
SO really, what's in store when you watch this visual feast? Well first off, Studio Ghibi are masters at animation, as this is richly hued, richly designed, and looks gorgeous. Their are subtle touches everywhere, and it's so smooth you could cut it like butter. Even the food looks delicious when Chihiro's parents look at the Technically speaking, it's great, but the art direction further cements this movie. Heck, the whole setting of the film is otherworldly and masterful to look at. Look at the cover, with it's almost pueblo style architecure, and it's just one thing that stands out as far as architecture goes. This is major eye candy, and watching this, you go there. That's one thing I like about the movies is their ability to let you enter a rabbit hole into different places and Spirited Away does so with ease. It's one of the things that made me start loving movies, after years of shunning them because all I largely knew was the typical hollywood movie. Thanks for nothing, mom!
One thing though, I felt the DVD did not overflow with spectacular bonus features(if DIsney wrote that, I wouldn't be surprised). Like other Disney movies, they have higher prices, and it doesn't surprise me they price it as it is (just look at the way they price single disc Pixar movies. Pitiful). However, Spirited Away is still great, and finding a copy used is a great way to spit in the face of the Disney corporation. Besides, Disney can't stop Miyazaki from making movies, and he would have made this movie even if it wasn't for Disney. And Disney should not stop you from buying this anime title. While it's not the only anime that exists (stupid naive Americans), Spirited Away is a great anime title, a great starter movie for those who think of Dragonball Z and Naruto (I hate Naruto). And it's a movie that the whole family can enjoy as well, while still giving adults plenty to fixate over.
B
Summary of Spirited Away
From one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animated cinema comes the most acclaimed film of 2002. Hayao Miyazaki's latest triumph, filled with astonishing animation and epic adventure, is a dazzling masterpiece for the ages. It's a "wonderfully welcoming work of art that's as funny and entertaining as it is brilliant, beautiful, and deep" (Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal). SPIRITED AWAY is a wondrous fantasy about a young girl, Chihiro, trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free herself and return her family to the outside world. An unforgettable story brimming with creativity, SPIRITED AWAY will take you on a journey beyond your imagination. "To enter the world of Hayao Miyazaki is to experience a kind of lighthearted enchantment that is unique to the world of animation" (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). It's a fantastic tale the whole family will want to experience over and over again.The highest grossing film in Japanese box-office history (more than $234 million), Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away (Sen To Chihiro Kamikakushi) is a dazzling film that reasserts the power of drawn animation to create fantasy worlds. Like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and Lewis Carroll's Alice, Chihiro (voice by Daveigh Chase--Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch) plunges into an alternate reality. On the way to their new home, the petulant adolescent and her parents find what they think is a deserted amusement park. Her parents stuff themselves until they turn into pigs, and Chihiro discovers they're trapped in a resort for traditional Japanese gods and spirits. An oddly familiar boy named Haku (Jason Marsden) instructs Chihiro to request a job from Yubaba (Suzanne Pleshette), the greedy witch who rules the spa. As she works, Chihiro's untapped qualities keep her from being corrupted by the greed that pervades Yubaba's mini-empire. In a series of fantastic adventures, she purges a river god suffering from human pollution, rescues the mysterious No-Face, and befriends Yubaba's kindly twin, Zeniba (Pleshette again). The resolve, bravery, and love Chihiro discovers within herself enable her to aid Haku and save her parents. The result is a moving and magical journey, told with consummate skill by one of the masters of contemporary animation. MPAA Rated: PG ("Some scary moments") --Charles Solomon
Action & Adventure DVD Video
DVD Video
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness & Yoga
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Movies most talked about in Good Anime on DVD
Speed Racer: The Complete Classic Series CollectionLIONS GATE HOME ENT.; Release date: 2008-10-07; DVD
Best price: $18.30
Price in other shops:
Shin Chan: Season One, Part OneFunimation; Release date: 2008-05-13; DVD
Best price: $14.86
Price in other shops:
Whisper of the HeartDisney; Release date: 2006-03-07; DVD
Best price: $21.39
Price in other shops:
Spirited AwayBUENA VISTA HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2003-04-15; DVD
Best price: $17.81
Price in other shops:
Princess MononokeDisney; Release date: 2000-12-19; DVD
Best price: $11.17
Price in other shops:
Porco RossoBUENA VISTA HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2005-02-22; DVD
Best price: $19.42
Price in other shops:
Nausicaa of the Valley of the WindDisney; Release date: 2005-02-22; DVD
Best price: $21.46
Price in other shops:
My Neighbor Totoro (Full Screen Edition)Release date: 2002-12-03; DVD
Best price: $49.90
Lupin the III: The Castle of Cagliostro (Special Edition)Release date: 2006-08-29; DVD
Best price: $10.29
Price in other shops:
Kiki's Delivery ServiceDisney; Release date: 2003-04-15; DVD
Best price: $21.83
Price in other shops:
Similar DVD Movies
Grave of the FirefliesADV Films; Release date: 2009-07-07; DVD
Best price: $9.90
Price in other shops:
Whisper of the HeartDisney; Release date: 2006-03-07; DVD
Best price: $21.44
Price in other shops:
The Cat ReturnsBUENA VISTA HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2005-02-22; DVD
Best price: $20.29
Price in other shops:
Porco RossoBUENA VISTA HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2005-02-22; DVD
Best price: $19.42
Price in other shops:
My Neighbor TotoroRelease date: 2006-03-07; DVD
Best price: $89.99
Nausicaa of the Valley of the WindDisney; Release date: 2005-02-22; DVD
Best price: $19.99
Price in other shops:
Castle in the SkyDisney; Release date: 2003-04-15; DVD
Best price: $20.93
Price in other shops:
Kiki's Delivery ServiceDisney; Release date: 2003-04-15; DVD
Best price: $21.58
Price in other shops:
Princess MononokeDisney; Release date: 2000-12-19; DVD
Best price: $11.81
Price in other shops:
Howl's Moving CastleBuena Vista Home Video; Release date: 2006-03-07; DVD
Best price: $19.99
Price in other shops: