hey now... MIYAZAKI!!

[Keepcoolbutcare]

The man, the myth, the legend. You can vote here on your faves, whether or not he's the greatest director of animated films ever, and if he's been repeating his themes ad nauseam. Oh, and if you have children I'd love to know what they think of his films.

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

The Dino, he give a the vote to Kiki... iffa you got a the little girls inna you family, anna the Dino, he got lots of 'em, then you should get Kiki's Delivery Service for them... it's a great story, anna it's got a smart plucky little girl anna nice boy who's a just crazy about her. Charming alla round...

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Tony, if you think choosing between Miller's and Lebowski is tough, look at this list.

Love to stay and chat Zoners, but an ex-ex girlfriend of mine is in Sacramento for the night and I doth believe I'm in for some debauchery. I will of course be thinking of all of you in my attempts to distract myself from spooging too quickly (Burl's nut...shudder). Peace my peeps'!

[Brocktune]

Where the fuck is "Panda Go Panda"?!?!?! man, you want to talk about masterpieces.....

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Where the fuck is "Panda Go Panda"?!?!?! man, you want to talk about masterpieces.....

ah yes, but he's only credited as being a writer for that, not director. Good call tho'.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Extremely rare interview...

http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,6737,1569689,00.html

Now, I don't look up to or admire all that many people (damn you Dwight Gooden) but Mr. Miyazaki is a rare exception. Capital A artist, and just seems to be a class act all around.

[Brocktune]

its funny that this thread would come back up, as i just finished "Porco Rosso" this morning before i came to work, and i was thinking about this poll. synchronicity man!

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

Did a you listen to a the Mike Keaton do the voice onna the English a dub? What did a you think?

He sound a to me like a he phoned it in, eh?

[Brocktune]

yeah, it was a little weak. in fact, it kind of marred my enjoyment of the beginning of the flick, and i wasnt really able to get over it until about 20 to 30 minutes in. and even then, it still bothered me. next time, im watching them shits with the subtitles. unless, disney somehow comes to their senses and stops altering the dialog, and hiring shitty actors to do a job that is only half of what a real voice actor could do. its funny, frank welker and rob paulsen and tress macneille are all in that movie, and they all have like 1 line. any wone of them couldve voice acted the pants off of michael keaton.

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

Iffa you ask a the Dino, I think a the big problem is a that they donna get alla the actors inna the room atta the same time to record a the dialog, eh? A true voice actor, they donna need a to do this for a the good performance (i.e. The Simpsons) but when a they hire just a regular actor? I think a they need a the physical body to play off of, no?

[ThisIsTheGirl]

Had to go for Spirited, just because it still sends sparks down my spine when I watch certain scenes.

I should point out that Ihave yet to see Castle in the Sky, The Castle of Cagliostro, Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro or Porco Rosso - so I can't give a totally informed opinion.

I've also never seen one of his films without subtitles (ie. I've never seen any dubbed versions), and the only version of Nausicca I've seen is the one with fan-made subtitles, but I still thought that was excellent.

As for themes, I can see similarities in the ones I've seen, but they aren't so similar as to seem overdone. Lots of directors put similar themes in their work anyway. All in all, I'd say he probably <b>is</b> the greatest animation director of all time.

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

Totoro is a great iffa you got a the little kids, eh?

[ThisIsTheGirl]

I have a couple of godchildren aged 3 and 5 who might be interested......

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

PERFECT...

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

Iffa you go onna line, you can a even a buy a the plush Totoro for a them after they watch a the movie...

[Pacino86845]

Had to go for Spirited, just because it still sends sparks down my spine when I watch certain scenes.

I should point out that Ihave yet to see Castle in the Sky, The Castle of Cagliostro, Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro or Porco Rosso - so I can't give a totally informed opinion.

I'm pretty much in the same boat, but voted for Spirited for the same reason.

[thomasgaffney]

Spirited Away, cause it's the only movie on the list that I saw.

[ZombieZoneSolutions]

I gotta go with NAUSICAA. Even though my avatar is a pic of the robot from LAPUTA taken at the GHIBLI MUSEUM a few years back, NAUSCIAA is the closest to my heart.

But pretty much everything he's done is essential viewing...

that being said, however, i was disappointed by HOWLS MOVING CASTLE

[Keepcoolbutcare]

that being said, however, i was disappointed by HOWLS MOVING CASTLE

Please explain.

Not to start a debate or anything, I'm just curious. I "liked" it, but it's rare that I just "like" a Miyazaki film.

Oh, and here's some intel. on what Studio Ghibli's doing next...

http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/003606.html

[ZombieZoneSolutions]

Please explain.

Not to start a debate or anything, I'm just curious. I "liked" it, but it's rare that I just "like" a Miyazaki film.

First of all, i didn't really like the characters all that much. None of them really engaged me. (Although the fire spirit was funny, and Howl was funny when he was throwing his fits).

In addition, i was really disappointed that the main character spends most of the film as a crone. I know that the point was about how youth is something in your heart, but, you know, i want to see a girl hero as a girl hero, not as a crone. I mean look at Princess Nausicaa and Mononoke -- the noble quasi-religious cute girl hero is what i want, not a mopey freaky looking olde lady.

In addition, and probably most of all, the Magic War that is going on in the background is about 95% off screen. I would have been much more interested in seeing more about this war and what exactly was going on. The scenes with Howl going after the flying ships were very cool, but extremely short. too short for my taste. With Nausicaa and Monoke, the war(s) are right there in your face and dynamic and interesting. In Howl it almost seems like an afterthought... and i think it suffers because of it...

It's not that i hated it or anything, i was just disappointed. It felt very rushed and half thought out.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Good points.

Nice to have you here Zombie, always liked the comments you made in the TB's.

[ZombieZoneSolutions]

thanks keepcoolbutcare! glad to be here...

[Nerfherder]

anyone read the Nausicaa Manga?? If not, I highly recommend you do. Classic epic Sci-fantasy.

[Nerfherder]

BTW - does anyone know if the new disney dub of Nausicaa is available in the UK yet? The one with Pat Stewart and Uma Thurman doing some voicework? I keep looking in HMV but haven't seen it yet.

[aaronsullivan]

Nausicaa for me.
I like to watch both subs and dubs, because with art like Miyazaki's you don't want your eyes at the bottom of the screen! Also, Patrick Stewart was PERFECT as Lord Yupa. I'd cast him in a live action version. Nausicaa's Allison Lohman was mixed. She seemed utterly bored at times and at others she's brilliant. Despite the all around butcher-job, I actually love the voice acting in the much-maligned "Warriors of the Wind" version. Agreed, that the manga is worth reading; it goes way deeper than the movie.

I also put Howl's slightly below some of the others. My favorite part of the movie was actually the "crone" heroine however and her unique character is what has stuck with me the most. My biggest disappointment was the pat ending. It's almost a mockery of what is "wrong" with classic fairy tales. I think it was intentional, but it still makes for an unsatisfying conclusion.

As a note, if you watch Porco with subtitles, consider watching the french dub version. Jean Reno does Porco's voice and it's Miyazaki's favorite voice for him.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

now that's some quality intel!

[MelaWolf]

Princess Mononoke is my all time favorite, it's an experience, but I also just love Spirited Away and Nausicca. Can't wait for Howl's to be released on DVD.

[ZombieZoneSolutions]

Speaking of NAUSICAA.... i have the special edition that came out in Japan back in '03 (when I was living there)... of course its fantastic, but i don't have a region free player back home!

in short: can anyone recommend a good region free player to buy?

[Fievel]

My favs -Spirited Away, Castle In The Sky (I liked this almost as much as spirited - great action!), Howl's Moving Castle (thank you BT), Princess Mononoke, Kiki's (and being last on my list doesn't mean I didn't like it).

[bastard_robo]

Nausica and Mononoke are tied in my book.

I think Miyazki is at this best when he's balancing darker material with his own style.

[freak2thec0re]

i'm a fan of all, but Spirited Away has to be tops. Something about the images in it that just suck me in. There are few films I can totally zone out into like I can with Spirited Away.

[hexceN]

For me it has to be spirited away, that movie made me love anime, I really believed the world presented to me, and the characters really had their own personality. It’s a movie a movie that doesn’t represent the fight between good an evil therefore it shows the midpoint of it. The characters sometimes make wrong decisions but that doesn’t make them purely evil.
Its a story that people of all ages can enjoy.

[Ribbons]

I guess this would be a good opportunity to mention that Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away will both be on TCM tonight, so if you have it... and you're a Miyazaki fan... and you don't already own them on DVD, it might be worth a look. TCM will be playing Ghibli movies every Thursday night for the next 4, 5 weeks or so.

[colonel_lugz]

i am truly in love with all of Miyazaki's work, his films take me away to magical places and really capture the child in me, i sit there grinning like an idiot every time catbus turns up in Totoro, and Jiji from Kiki's is the cutest thing I have ever seen. The storys are wild and enthralling and the animation is truly breathtaking. I cant praise it enough.

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

Iffa you gotta the bambinos, you can a buy them a the plush Totoro instead of a the teddy bear, eh? Iffa you donna have a the private jet anna canna make it out to a the Far East, you can a do a the search onna eBay, eh?

The little putzes, you gotta to buy a their love, no?

[Keepcoolbutcare]

The little putzes, you gotta to buy a their love, no?

the dino's cup runneth over...

[Ribbons]

It's Ghibli Thursdays on TCM again!

Tonight they're playing Nausicaa and something else that excapes me at the moment. Seeing as how I don't have Nausicaa, I'm going to try and check that out.

[Carolian]

They're showing "Castle in the Sky" along with "Nausicaa". Love "Nausicaa", and haven't seen "Castle" yet, so I'll be glued to my TV tonight.

God bless TCM. Best... channel... ever!

[Juno Reactor]

I have seen Nausicaa, Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away, and I recently purchased Kiki's Delivery Service and will watch that as well.

For now, I voted for "Spirited Away," which is perhaps my favorite film of all time. I don't feel up to the monumental task of trying to capture its brilliance in mere words... All I'm going to say is that if you have not seen this movie, you have not experienced the true magic of cinema, quite frankly. Watch it twice for the best effect.

Runners-up would be the powerful, epic "Princess Mononoke," and a movie that absolutely floored me with its subtle brilliance and beauty, "My Neighbor Totoro." The latter releases on DVD along with Howl's Moving Castle this March, and I'll be right in line to snag both of 'em; the English dub with the Fanning sisters is totally believable, and my collection would feel incomplete without the likes of the Catbus in it.

"Porco Rosso"--which I taped off of TCM, watched thrice, and now plan to buy on DVD--really surprised me as well; I love its Mediterranean music, its picturesque settings, and memorable characters like Fio. Oh, and the dogfights were nice too.

So, that's my take on the topic.

- JR

[Ribbons]

Clip of Miyazaki's test film for Little Nemo, which was eventually adapted by someone else.

I never saw the film or read the comic strip on which it's based, but that looks pretty cool.

[Pacino86845]

That looked pretty neat. What happened to the film in the end?

Dunno if having Miyazaki adapt it would've been too great though... the art style is too different from McCay's style, which is brilliant btw.

I've seen that the Little Nemo strips have been reissued as deluxe hardcover graphic novels. I've got a 50% discount card at the local bookstore, I may just use it to get the GN.

[AtomicHyperbole]

That looks like one of my childhood films, only never realised. Astoundingly beautiful, and what a score! I doubt that any animation would imitate McKay's style anyway, that'd be very hard to nail. It's always better to emulate the feeling rather than copy outright. Remember Rupert and The Frog Song?

[Pacino86845]

I doubt that any animation would imitate McKay's style anyway, that'd be very hard to nail.

I dunno, I think something out of Fleischer's animation studio (or going for that look, like for his Superman serials) would be a lot closer than 80s anime...

[AtomicHyperbole]

To be fair, the animation is very good in that piece and balances a reasonable line between anime and western styles.

Fleischers work was far, far more cartoony. I'd probably say (heh, but I'm biased) Cosgrove Hall in the UK would be the best bet at retaining a style.

[Pacino86845]

To be fair, the animation is very good in that piece and balances a reasonable line between anime and western styles.

Yes, but I was stating a preference...

Fleischers work was far, far more cartoony.

I was thinking of the Superman shorts, which is what I associate to Fleischer's name... those are not that cartoony and the style seems like a natural cousin to McCay's.

I'd probably say (heh, but I'm biased) Cosgrove Hall in the UK would be the best bet at retaining a style.

I don't really know their work.

[travis-dane]

I love Princess Mononoke,great anime,
but Howl's Moving Castle is great too.
On the other hand,there is allways Lupin the 3rd!
Gotta love Lupin and Jigan....

[AtomicHyperbole]

Aha! But to state it's in an anime style isn't true. Whether or not it's preference or not... personally I'm not so sure a Fleischer style would suit it.

Don't know Cosgrove Hall? For shame! I keep forgetting this is an international forum... creators of Danger Mouse, Count Duckula and so on, old British staples. They also do the Noddy series and have a raft of freelance artist talent that includes people that worked on Raymond Briggs' The Snowman and the Rupert animation.

[Pacino86845]

Oh yeah I guess I do know some of those cartoons... then in that case I'd say their stuff is way too cutesy, and Count Duckula looked like animated vomit!

As for Fleischer, I don't know what your beef is with it as that style is the closest to McCay's IMO. In any case, all this back and forth about McCay is only compelling me to get that giant sized bound volume. *drools*

[AtomicHyperbole]

Cosgrove have done many, many different styles of work and the people that work there have a ream of experience of over 30 years of animation. Wind in The Willows, for example... beautiful even now.

AND I WON'T HEAR ANYTHING BAD ABOUT DUCKULA!

And I don't have a beef with Fleischer! Jeebus. I'd love to see Nemo animated as it is but it'd be very hard to nail down.

[Pacino86845]

After rewatching the Miyazaki clip I've come to appreciate it even more... the initial "shock" of it not looking like McCay's art quickly wore off and I was better able to enjoy the fluid animation. Very impressive stuff there.