HOWLS MOVING CASTLE (DVD) DVD

Howl's Moving Castle
Hayao Miyazaki, the Japanese animation director who wowed audiences worldwide with his award-winning film Spirited Away, brings another visually spectacular tale of imagination to the screen. Sophie is an 18-year-old girl who toils in the hat shop opened years ago by her late father. Often harassed by local boys, one day Sophie is unexpectedly befriended by Howl, a strange but flamboyant wizard whose large home can travel under its own power. However, the Witch of the Waste is displeased with Sophie and Howl's budding friendship, and turns the pretty young woman into an ugly and aged hag. Sophie takes shelter in Howl's castle, and attempts to find a way to reverse the witch's spell with the help of Calcifer, a subdued but powerful demon who exists in the form of fire, and Markl, who protects the four-way door which can instantly take visitors to other lands and dimensions. Howl's Moving Castle was released in North America by Walt Disney Pictures, who distributed the film both in its original Japanese and in a dubbed English version; the English-speaking voice cast includes Christian Bale, Emily Mortimer, Jean Simmons, Lauren Bacall, and Billy Crystal. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Cast Emily Mortimer as Sophie (English Version) Chieko Baisho as Sophie Takuya Kimura as Howl Christian Bale as Howl (English Version) Lauren Bacall as Witch of the Waste (English Version) Akihiro Miwa as Witch of the Waste Billy Crystal as Calcifer (English Version) Tatsuya Gasyuin as Calcifer Ryunosuke Kamiki as Markl Josh Hutcherson as Markl (English Version) Jean Simmons as 90 Year Old Woman (English Version) Mitsunori Isaki as Servant Yo Oizumi as Prince Akio Ôtsuka as King of Ingary Daijiro Harada as Heen Haruko Kato as Madam Suliman

Crew Noburo Yoshida - Art Director Yoji Takeshige - Art Director Mitsunori Kataama - Animation Director Hayao Miyazaki - Director Takeshi Seyama - Editor Joe Hisaishi - Composer (Music Score) Shuntaro Tanigawa - Songwriter Yumi Kimura - Songwriter Atsushi Okui - Cinematographer Toshio Suzuki - Producer Shuji Inoue - Sound/Sound Designer Hayao Miyazaki - Screenwriter Toru Noguchi - Sound Effects Editor Kitaro Kosaka - Supervising Animator Akihiko Yamashita - Supervising Animator Takeshi Inamura - Supervising Animator Diana Wynne Jones - Book Author

Howl's Moving Castle
Hayao Miyazaki's reputation as the creator of the most enchanting and inspiring animated films of the past 20 years is only strengthened with the fresh and complex fairy tale Howl's Moving Castle. Those looking for the beauty and magic of a Disney yarn but thirsting for more underlying meaning could convert based on this movie alone, while hardcore Miyazaki fans should find that this installment falls perfectly in line with the filmmaker's prolific and much-loved filmography. While the narrative is charming and accessible, much like Kiki's Delivery Service, it also remains true to an epic and purposeful subtext in a style that calls to mind Princess Mononoke. Both a coming-of-age tale and an essay on the human price of war, each character in Howl's Moving Castle -- especially Sofi, Miyazaki's trademark strong female protagonist -- is confronted with questions about self-image. Like many of us, Sofi struggles to discern whether her true self is defined through her own actions or through her relationships with others. The way Miyazaki employs this theme is particularly clever in that, rather than seeking to answer the question, he focuses his energy on illustrating how universal the issue is, as nearly every peripheral character in the story also wrestles with the same impasse in a different way. For instance, title character Howl, who is a charming and aloof conjurer, grapples with a curse that changes his physical form, warping his perception of what he is in the most literal terms. Even the villainess in this fairy tale eventually proves that the most wicked of deeds seldom reflect the actual wickedness of people. By the end of Howl's Moving Castle, Miyazaki has spun a delightful fable into an expressive examination of identity, and what it means for all of us as the struggle to grow up continues through old age. It's a theme that speaks to young and old alike, proving once again that there is still room for meaning in the world of charming, animated fantasy. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
 

Joe Hisaishi: Los Angeles Film Critics Association, Best Score (winner)

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Animated Feature (nominated) Broadcast Film Critics Association, Best Animated Feature (nominated) New York Film Critics Circle, Best Animated Feature (winner) Online Film Critics Association, Best Animated Feature (nominated) San Diego Film Critics Association, Best Animated Feature (winner) Venice International Film Festival, Osella Award for Technical Contribution (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French, Japanese Subtitle Options: Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel Additional Features: Behind the microphone Interview with Pixar Animation Studios director Pete Docter Hayao Miyazaki visits Pixar Animation Studios TV sports and trailers Storyboards DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1: Theatre Wide-Screen MPAA Rating: PG DVD Discs Included: 2 DVD Sides: 2 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 119 min   DVD Chapters: Disc #1 -- Howl's Moving Castle 1. Beginning Credits [:00] 2. A Moving Castle [:00] 3. Being Followed [:00] 4. An Old Curse [:00] 5. Staying at the Castle [:11] 6. Howl's Summons [:15] 7. Cooking Breakfast [:15] 8. Yesterday's Faith [1:05] 9. Night Fight [1:05] 10. Drama Queen [2:59] 11. Reporting to the Palace [7:58] 12. A Long Climb [5:15] 13. Looking For Suilman [5:15] 14. Instant Escape [4:25] 15. Loving the Best [5:53] 16. Is It Time To Move? [6:56] 17. The New Home [5:13] 18. Hiding the Love [3:38] 19. Bombing Raid [6:22] 20. Collapse [3:05] 21. Finding Howl [6:18] 22. Aftermath [6:02] 23. Young Prince [4:30] 24. End Credits [4:40]