Studio Ghibli

owlwink

Just thought I'd set up a thread to discuss the films made by Studio Ghibli.

Pom Poko is by far my favourite ghibli film. Just recently watched tales from earthsea and didnt really enjoy it at all.

Demonique

owlwink wrote: »

Just recently watched tales from earthsea and didnt really enjoy it at all.

But it's gotta be better than the SciFi Channel train wreck, hasn't it?

owlwink

I returned my copy of earthsea because I found it so boring. Which is a first, cuz I have most of the other Ghibli films. Just wasnt feeling this one.....Very predictable and seemed to lack that usual Ghibli charm...:(

Karl Hungus

Hmm, I didn't think Tales from Earthsea was as bad as everyone made out. It's certainly nowhere near the usual Ghibli standard, but it's decent enough.

art

A lot of the Studio Ghibli films are currently at reduced prices on amazon.co.uk if anyone is interested in buying the DVDs, by the way - average around eight to about twelve in sterling.

monkeyfudge

Karl Hungus wrote: »

Hmm, I didn't think Tales from Earthsea was as bad as everyone made out. It's certainly nowhere near the usual Ghibli standard, but it's decent enough.

I think if you take it as a straight forward fantasy film it's pretty bloody brilliant.

Ghibli films have been getting a little over convoluted with films like Howls and Spirited Away, it was nice to see a simpler tale.

Anyway... we're back to Hayao Miyazaki directing this year with "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea"

Artwise it looks a lot like "My Neighbors the Yamadas" Which was fantastic.

art wrote: »

A lot of the Studio Ghibli films are currently at reduced prices on amazon.co.uk if anyone is interested in buying the DVDs, by the way - average around eight to about twelve in sterling.

You can pick them up for about that price in HMV these days... on the older titles anyway.

johnny_ultimate

I think the problem with Ghibli is that they have set their own standards WAY too high with stuff like Spirited Away, Pom Poko, Totoro, Mononoke etc... So when something like Earthsea comes along - which is good on its own terms, but very disappointing for a Ghibli film - people compare it unfavorably with what has come before. I felt the same with Howl's Moving Castle - extraordinarily well made film, but when it didn't match up to the imaginative energy of Spirited Away I felt disappointed. But sub-par Ghibli is usually superior to alot of other animé. It is just that vintage Ghibli is far, far superior to any other animé and animation out there.

But I am looking forward to Ponyo. As Monkeyfudge pointed out, My Neighbours the Yamadas was a wonderful artistic achievement, and I am looking forward to Mayasaki taking on a truly original and exciting art style. Plus looks like it will be a return to the smaller scale stories that he has been massively successful with in the past.

owlwink

I hate porco rosso!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

monkeyfudge

I should report your post for that!

owlwink

monkeyfudge wrote: »

I should report your post for that!

Sorry for the severity. I really don't find it pleasurable. I would have to go so far to say unenjoyable.

johnny_ultimate

I also dislike Porco Rosso. By far my least favourite Mayasaki film. Too European or something. The Italian culture didn't feel nearly as engaging as the energetic Japanese setting of Spirited Away and the like, and the story was dull. It picked up slightly during the airborne conclusion, but overall I was really disappointed by it.

owlwink

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I also dislike Porco Rosso. By far my least favourite Mayasaki film. Too European or something. The Italian culture didn't feel nearly as engaging as the energetic Japanese setting of Spirited Away and the like, and the story was dull. It picked up slightly during the airborne conclusion, but overall I was really disappointed by it.

You go my brother from another mother. You would swear we had met...

summer_ina_bowl

personally, i loved howls. thought it was quite subtle, you pick up new things every time you watch it, with a bit of concentration i think its at least if not more involving that spirited away, which i found a little 'clean cut'. adored grave of the fireflies, thought it was full of warmth and depth, a real 'huggy' film, lol! also really like princess mononoke, though i had to watch it with subs to enjoy it coz her dubbed voice destrys the character!!!

owlwink

grave of the fireflies is a very beautiful piece of emotional work. Officially the only anime to ever make me quiver..

summer_ina_bowl

quiver or cry???

thefinalstage

owlwink wrote: »

grave of the fireflies is a very beautiful piece of emotional work. Officially the only anime to ever make me quiver..

Bah, it did not have an ending. Give me Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind any day.

owlwink

thelastangryman wrote: »

Bah, it did not have an ending. Give me Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind any day.

Obviously it did have an ending otherwise you would be watching it forever.:D

Its ambiguity is merely a deconstruction which works in harmony with the subject matter of the story. IMO...

EmoMatt15

I remember a year back, during the mid term Channel 4 would have a Ghibli film on every morning
Personally my favourites are Grave of the Fireflies, The Cat Returns and Howls Moving Castle

thefinalstage

owlwink wrote: »

Obviously it did have an ending otherwise you would be watching it forever.:D

Its ambiguity is merely a deconstruction which works in harmony with the subject matter of the story. IMO...

Heh, it had no real ending then. It juse stopped telling the story.

Misa-san

Anyone else love Kiki???! Man I loved Kiki, she's my hero

Rhyme

EmoMatt15 wrote: »

I remember a year back, during the mid term Channel 4 would have a Ghibli film on every morning

That was incredible, had me scrambling out of bed like a kid. Odd how they put the Brave Little Toaster in on the Friday... out of place but still pretty good.

Monkeyto

Just bought Grave of the Fireflies the other day. Hopefully I'll get to watch it soon though I'm moving house so it would be better enjoyed when I'm settled.

FruitLover

thelastangryman wrote: »

Heh, it had no real ending then. It juse stopped telling the story.

Yes, because the story ended.

thefinalstage

FruitLover wrote: »

Yes, because the story ended.

Smart ass . Fine then, the best way it can be described as then is bad ending. The story itself was pretty good though. Its grabbed me in naughty places and would not let me go.

Meller

spirited away is just incredible. i won't go into it, but wow. it deserves all the attention it's gotten and it's one of the best animated movies of the 00s.

grave of the fireflies was a huge disappointment to me, i thought it was dull as anything. depressing does not equate good! i thought the characters were irritating as heck and just completely lacking in any personality or likeablility, the plot was just 'meh' and well, just because everyone died doesn't mean it was any use or took any talent to make.

edit: and howl's, i need to watch that again. i enjoyed it immensely the first time i watched it but i couldn't help finding it was alot more 'bitty' than spirited away, it didn't flow as smoothly. maybe i do just need to watch it again, though. i remember picking up on little things here and there and really enjoying that about it.

HelenMcc

thelastangryman wrote: »

Smart ass . Fine then, the best way it can be described as then is bad ending. The story itself was pretty good though. Its grabbed me in naughty places and would not let me go.

They both died of starvation. That's a pretty bad ending from most points of view.

Grave of the Fireflies isn't a cheerful movie, but that's not surprising. It's based on a 'semi-autobiographical' novel by a survivor of the war - Akiyuki Nosaka lost his father and two sisters, one to malnutrition. (Aside from his career as a writer he also became a singer and went into politics.)

Saruwatari

HelenMcc wrote: »

Grave of the Fireflies isn't a cheerful movie, but that's not surprising. It's based on a 'semi-autobiographical' novel by a survivor of the war - Akiyuki Nosaka lost his father and two sisters, one to malnutrition. (Aside from his career as a writer he also became a singer and went into politics.)

Huh, I wasn't aware that it was based off someone's actual experience, I'll have to look into the novel sometime.

On a related note to Grave of the Fireflies, has anyone ever seen Barefoot Gen?

Generic Dreadhead

There was no other thread or area for me to put this other than this Zombie Thread... so enjoy

W0LFMAN

Laputa the flying island is one of my favourite films, I hum the songs to my baby to help him sleep. Not just because I enjoy it, but because I'm trying to programme him early. .

Any hardcore fan might help me here. The film laputa has in fact two English versions dubs the terrible American Disney recent one and the origional 80's English Dub one. Anyone who has a copy of the old English dub. I'm willing to pay top dollor for a copie, it has to be the old English dub one. Not the latest one.

W0LFMAN

ok I found some information.

I need the Japanese DVD [2002] laputa the flying island "the Streamline dub" Version NOT the I repeat NOT the Disney Dub one?

Anyone help me get a copie of the original

I think the Japanese DVD [2002] it IT It contains the Japanese audio (with English Subs) and the original English dub.

Can pay reward for someone successfully sourcing me a copie