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 .
027 4 I have an import version of this movie .
IT IS ONE OF THE BEST ANIME I HAVE EVER SEEN .
The animation is Very good , but what makes this Anime ' One of the best ' is its Story .
If you have not seen this Title and you like anime I suggest you buy it , or at least make an attempt to see it . ( I plan to Buy the US Release of this title as well . If Disney Ever gets around to makeing it . )
{ I think they have the rights to the Miyazaki films }
I am not sure but I think that Princess Mononoke is the only Miyazaki film to be release on DVD in the US so-far .
( note : Kiki's Delivery Service was released on vhs . GET IT TOO ! )
046 4 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 .
010 4 I'm not a specialist of Japanese animation movies ; though I have seen a few . I love the world of this movie , it's as dreamlike and beautiful as that of Princess Mononoke . It's a bit of a mix of 19th century industrial era visuals and what you'd expect from the best sea stories , except that here they are transferred to the sky . Remember those pirate movies ? Well you'll find a nice tribute to that in this movie . Having clouds instead of waves is seriously impressive , and a long fall instead of cold waters is not bad either .
I have to say this Japanese work of art is very , very rich . Both in images and references . The very floating island , Laputa , is taken directly from Swift , as is made clear by one of the main characters . You'll also find parallels with the Golem , and other religious connections .
It may be important to say here that I've seen this movie dubbed in French , so I wouldn't know anything of the English dubbed version . But I guess this wouldn't make a substantial difference to my review .
The visuals of this movie are so beautiful and impressive I could spend my whole review just repeating that . It's just wonderful . I totally recommend it !
016 4 On a strange alternate earth , a young boy and girl evade capture by pirates and government agents as they try to learn the secret of the flying kingdom of Laputa , to which the girl has a mysterious connection . Although the animation is not as smooth as some of Miyazaki's later films , there are still plenty of mind-blowing visuals and actions sequences here . Although there are plenty of battles and high adventure , the movie also displays the gentle humanism for which Miyazaki is so well-known .
Disney needs to get more serious about releasing Miyazaki's work in a timely manner instead of pouring its energy into product such as Peter Pan 2 and Aladdin 3 .
024 4 Even though I have'nt seen this particular dub I have see the original and would highly recommend buying this if only for the fact that it is likely to have a subtitled version included ( . . . )
I have to agree that this is still the best anime cartoon I've seen so far ( I first saw it as a kid 13 years ago ! ) and it's been a long wait for it to be available in the West .
The title is suitable for both younger viewers and older ones and it boasts a strong storyline ( more than I can say for some productions ) which should keep you interested even if you don't normally watch anime .
For viewers of a Spanish speaking background , please don't make the mistake of thinking that the name of the island ( Laputa ) is being used for it's Spanish translation and not buy it . Miyazaki simply used it as it was the name given to the flying island in the classic children's story ' Gulliver's Travels ' . I assure you that the story has nothing ( as far as I could tell ) to do with the meaning of the word .
Again , this is a very good choice for any animated feature fan ( . . . )
031 4 Although I had no major problems with Disney's music treatment and dubbing job ( Cloris Leachman as Dola is fine ) , I do prefer the Japanese language track ( even without the Dolby 5.1 surround sound ) . The film itself lacks the power of Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke , but it is plenty good - - good enough for Disney to seemingly borrow lots of ideas from it for its Atlantis !
Miyazaki's 1986 film has gorgeous artwork , an adventurous plot , dramatic action sequences , comedic relief , and touching scenes of devotion and friendship . The floating castle of Laputa ( the castle in the sky ) is magnificently depicted by the animators , with incredible gardens , buildings , and twisting roots overgrowing ruins . The story of how Pazu and Sheeta work together , with some humorous pirates , to combat the Colonel is a good one . The film is a bit long , but my interest was maintained by the characters ' desire to figure out how to get to Laputa and by my fascination with the various imaginative flying contraptions that Miyazaki has drawn .
The DVD extras are nothing special : John Lasseter's Introduction says little ; Behind the Microphone is the usual Disney behind the scenes glimpse that doesn't add much to our knowledge ; the storyboards ( which take up an entire disc ! ) get boring fast .
One word of caution : younger viewers and their parents might be horrified by the death and destruction shown in this film . While not gory , a lot of people meet their demise !
041 4 This movie was released in Japan some 17 years ago , and I saw it in Japanese . You forget that you are watching an animated film .
So , the disappointment on hearing the new English version + the new music score is what you can imagine as lots of other people who wrote reviews on this DVD . But for your information , the new score is still by the great Joe Hisaishi , who did the original score and almost all other Miyazaki movies . I think Disney requested him that he redo the score upon U.S . release . There is a sound track CD that can be imported from Japan of this new score . This is acctually great . It's just that it doesn't go with the movie . The english version has music sounding almost through out even where in Japanese version intentionally made silence ( for example : where the kite that Pazu and sheet is on gets sucked into a thunderstorm and Pazu sees an illusion of his father ) , and it completely ruins the entire movie . I don't even wanna get into how bad a job the actors did on voice over . Watch this moive in Japanese with English subtitle , and get the sound track seperately .
045 4 This is one of the best movies by Miyazaki . Amazing imaginary world , beautiful animation ( especially considering the fact that this film was made in 1986 ) with matchingly beautiful music by Joe Hisaishi , and heart warming story . Enjoyable both for children and adults . I would strongly recommend everyone to watch with original Japanese recording with English subtitle . Somehow , they chaged all the orchestration when they dubbed in English . Very bad orchestration ! ! Too dramatized and noisy . Dubbing was done poorly too . They added more words than the original . I would have given 5 stars if they didn't touch the music and didn't add extra words in dubbing . It was very disappointing to find these out as a long time fan of Miyazaki movies . Nevertheless this is one of the best animation movies of all time !
034 4 THis still has to be one of my absolute favorite movies and I'm 14 ! The animation and story are gorgeous and magical and the music score ( my favorite ) is breathtakingly phenominal !
The story is about a young boy named Pazu who discovers a gril with a strange necklace floating down from the sky one evening . Soon they are chased by both the government and pirates who want the girl ( SHeeta ) ' s necklace because it contians a stone from the mysterious floatin isle of Laputa . BUrsting with excitement and an unexpected plot this is a fantastic piece of work .
My particular favorite character was Musca , the villian of the story . He was portrayed perfectly by Mark Hamil ( Luke SKywalker from Star Wars ) and has to be one of the best villians I have ever seen !
Overall , I recommend this to anyone who loves Miyazaki's work . By far this is his greatest achievement ever !
021 4 I watched the movie with my kids , 3 and 5 . Even though it was over two hours , they were as glued as I was . I was initally alarmed by the shooting at the begining , but it is par for the course in almost any fantasy / adventure genre these days . I'd rather have them exposed while sitting with me so we can talk about the things . Some people get grazed or rocked by explosions , but no one is visibly shot , except for a robot .
There are so many whimsical flying machines . There is this strange mix of technologies , everything from coal locamotives to strange mining machines and insect like chariots . But above all this , it has an interesting plot , the quest to find the castle in the sky , by 5 parties , all for different reasons . This movie is worth seeing for anyone who likes mild fantasy , whether they like manga or not .
052 4 Like Akira , this animation has been around for years ( for decades to be exact ) ? I am amazed to see this again - in America - that late ! ! !
Anyway , it is a fabulous story . The above rating is given when I was a kid ( yeah right ! ) , I stand by it ! ! !
THE SECRET OF BLUE WATER . After all , both works share similar story and character elements . . . not to mention that they were both created by Miyazaki himself . Where both differ is in their execution . NADIA , although charming for the most part , suffered from taking a wrong turn at its midway point , devolving into cartoonish nonsense which all but distracted from the main plot , even though it did have a strong ending . CASTLE IN THE SKY , on the other hand , remains consistently entertaining and focused for its two hour running time , and is all the better for it . While the film's epic tone is sometimes broken up by some cartoonish moments , like a brawl between Pazu's boss and one of Dola's sons , it's never to the point that it detracts from the film .
About eleven years ago , Disney released an English version featuring a cast of big-names such as James van der Beek , Anna Paquin , Cloris Leachman , Mark Hamill , Mandy Patinkin as well as some cameo appearances by veterans such as Tress MacNeille and Jim Cummings . It also features an ambitious reworking of Joe Hisaishi's gorgeous musical score for a performance by the Seattle Music Orchestra ( interestingly , the man behind this rescore is none other than the composer himself ) . As much as purists have cried blasphemy over this version for its occasional extra dialogue and the aforementioned rescore , Miyazaki had no such problems ; in fact , he is said to have applauded the reworking , and for good reason , because the newly rerecorded music is truly the star of the new dub . While there are some instances where filling in some critially silent scenes from the original Japanese is a bit jarring ( notably the journey through a dragon-infested storm cloud ) , the overall reworking is fantastic and in many ways improves on the original , particularly in scenes such as when a robot attacks a fortress and the climactic moments toward the end . Here , Hisaishi displays his musical versatility and genius for matching music to visuals .
As far as the performances in the dub go , the leads are probably at the short end of the stick ; James Van Der Beek's Pazu sounds significantly more mature than his character , while Anna Paquin's Sheeta speaks with an odd accent that fluctuates at times ( a problem which actually works in favor of the character ) . That said , both do good jobs overall and provide a fairly believable chemistry throughout . It's the lively supporting cast , however , that really make this dub so much fun , particularly Cloris Leachman's Dola and Mark Hamill's Muska . Both are perfectly cast and steal every scene they're in ; as with the rescore , these two really warrant a listen to the Disney dub . The script adaptation borders on the loose side at times - - there's quite a bit of extra lines and / or commentary ( some of which are pricelessly funny and others somewhat overdone ) - - but aside from at least one debatable alteration ( Sheeta's speech in the climactic showdown the world cannot live without love as opposed to the original you can't survive apart from Mother Earth ) , the overall characters , story , and spirit remain fairly faithful to the original . On the whole , there is little point comparing the Disney version to the original language track ; each puts their own stamp on this legendary masterpiece , and I like them both . ( They're also better than Streamline / JAL's more literal but frightfully robotic , lifeless , abysmally acted and poorly written older dub from the late 1980 ' s . ) Either way , you can't go wrong with CASTLE IN THE SKY . It's one of Miyazaki's greatest , and I highly recommend it .
In 2003 , Disney brought this film to DVD ( after a long-delayed release from its initial 1999 date ) with the dub as well as the Japanese language track , complete with a widescreen anamorphic transfer and a surprisingly scanty amount of extras . This newest edition brings more extras , including new interviews by Miyazaki , except that the subtitles are now DUBTITLES , sans the extra chatter . More controversially , the dub has been revised , with all the aforementioned extra dialogue and the rescore omitted . ( I found the latter decision very disappointing , as the new music is arguably the dub's biggest asset . ) Whether it's worth double-dipping for this classic for those edits is up to the customer . Personally , I'd recommend holding onto the 2003 DVD and renting these new extras ; combine both , and it will truly be a special edition .
001 4 Castle in the Sky is a masterpiece of one of Japan's finest filmakers . There is a simple artistry to Miyazaki's stories . This is a children's film , but it is in the tradition of children's stories that appeal to all ages . A rare , pure fantasy , the film has the same magic as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and other early Disney films .
I first saw this movie when it was released in US theaters as Laputa the Floating Island . The mythical floating island of Laputa is taken from Swift's Gulliver's Travels . Like Swift , Miyazaki cloaks a political statement with a fantasy , giving deeper meaning to his story . Environmentalism has always been central to his films , and Castle in the Sky is no exception .
Visual , the film is a literal flight of fancy . Much of the film takes place in the air . Air pirates travel in unwieldy flying machines . Giant dirigibles sail the skies . Travel by kite is an acceptable option . The animation is of the highest quality , as is the sound and acting .
The story may seem familiar to followers of animation . Miyazaki also work briefly on the script of Nadia : Secret of Blue Water using some of the same concepts . The story was also adapted by Disney as their film Atlantis , sending the characters underground instead of up to the sky . However , Castle in the Sky is the story in it's original , best form .
I cannot recommend this film enough .
002 4 More than four years ago I rented the VHS tape of Kiki's Delivery Service , and there was an ad for Castle in the Sky before it . It was listed as coming soon .
Since then , I've gotten the Japanese version of Castle in the Sky on DVD , and I love it . However , I'm still baffled by the fact that Disney has paid professional actors to voice the characters and gotten the film prepared for release in the US - - even advertised it - - and has since then just sat on it .
It's almost criminal to hold such great films as Nausicaa , Castle in the Sky , and Pon Poko in your possession and not share them with the English speaking world .
If and when they see the error of their ways and make this film available , do yourself a favor and buy it . We need to let the media juggernauts know how much we love Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli .
003 4 Laputa , Castle in the Sky , is the most creative , ambitious , and adventurous Miyazaki film I have ever seen . I like Miyazaki's work very much for its grandeur , originality , and imagination . Sadly to say that Disney has lost its creative edge . It has been copying stories all over the world . Disney promised to release the Castle in the Sky video in 1999 but they failed to keep their promise . ( Disney , please include the original Japanese soundtrack on the US release because I don't like the English voice actor behind Pasu . )
After 16 years since Castle in the Sky was first released in the theatres , I still consider it the creme da la creme of all anime movies . Certainly Laputa's art direction cannot compare to today's S / B CGI and S / B 3D animation . However , the story is much more fascinating and breathtaking than KiKi Delivery Service , My Neighbor Totoro , and even Princess Mononoke . Princess Mononoke is a graphically stunning piece of art but Castle in the Sky is a wonderful story of courage and determination . While there are a few graphically violent scenes in Princess Mononoke , Castle in the Sky is packed with action without graphic violence .
I considered myself fortunate to be able to see it on the big screen ( the original English version . ) Castle in the Sky is a grand movie that deserves the big screen . I love the soundtrack of the movie very much . It is very uplifting and motivating . The title song , Carrying You , communicates the same kind of warmheartedness that permeates throughout all of Miyazaki's films .
004 4 I first saw Castle in the Sky in the original Japanese while living in Japan in the early 90s . I was instantly captivated . The characters were engaging and immediately likeable , the cliffhanging action was fantastic , the plot was original and rather gripping , and the music was just absolutely gorgeous . If I were rating the original film ( titled Tenku no Shiro : Laputa ) , I would readily give it five stars . Miyazaki is easily one of the most original and watchable animators in the business .
That said , this is an atrocious rendition for American audiences .
Overall , the voicecasting isn't too shabby . However , the actor playing the main character - the adventurous boy Pazu - is just plain awful . Not only does he sound more like a 28 year old than a 13 year old , but he has two voice settings : loud and soft , and absolutely no nuance in between . Listening to him is a rather teeth-grinding experience .
The translation of the dialogue from the original Japanese is pretty wretched . A lot of the original meaning was simply discarded and replaced by Disney . The lines of the air-pirate sidekicks were completely altered and not for the better . By the end of the movie , their constant stream of inane babble will have you wishing someone would just jettison the entire airship crew at high altitude . Overall , the dialogue of most of the supporting characters shows extremely poor scriptwriting .
For some odd reason , Disney decided to mute most of the sound effects in this movie . The ominous whirr of massive propellers , the sudden crash of explosive shells , the crisp sound of gun shots . All of it was toned down and muted-out by Disney . This detracts significantly from the excitement of the chases , the thrill of flying , and the incredible cliffhanging moments that made the original movie so much fun . Imagine the most recent summer action movie with the sound effects turned off and you'll get a pretty accurate picture of what Disney has done to Castle in the Sky . This is truly unfortunate since the original movie had some great sound-effects work .
The worst crime of all however , is what Disney has done to the soundtrack . The original Japanese film had one of the most spectacular , haunting and beautiful soundtracks I've heard in any movie .
Disney completely removed this soundtrack and replaced it with their own rendition .
Hints of the old score come through at times , but it is heavily watered-down and sounds almost elevator-musicish . I almost cried when I heard it .
The end result is a movie that little resembles the original film . Dramatic moments of silence are filled in with pointless dialogue , the savage howl of the wind replaced with bland instrumentals , piercing gunshots are replaced with something sounding suspiciously like a child's cap-gun , wonderful dialogue is completely butchered . It leaves one with a sneaky suspicion that Disney deliberately vandalized the film to protect its monopoly on the American animation market by making Japanese films look as bad as possible .
It is quite possible I'll never forgive Disney for this disgrace of an adaptation .
On the other hand , the Japanese language option ( with subtitles ) retains the original film in all its glory . For that reason alone , this DVD is definitely worth buying .
But please , PLEASE , watch the Japanese version before subjecting yourself to the horrible English-language version . Even if you hate subtitles , this film is worth watching in Japanese . Everyone I've shown it to , both young and old , has been instantly captivated .
Like I said , if I were rating only the Japanese-language version , this review would have been five stars . But the English-language monstrosity thoroughly deserves a one-star rating . On balance , I can't give this DVD more than 3 stars for an American audience .
This is probably the biggest disappointment I've had with films since George Lucas inflicted Jar Jar Binks on millions of unsuspecting Star Wars fans . Consider yourself warned .
005 4 Don't get me wrong , Laputa is one of my all-time favorite movies , and not just for animated movies , and I've eagerly awaited the region 1 release of this DVD ( I already own the region 3 release ) , only because I thought Disney will do a decent job of translating this anime masterpiece in a respectful , and most importantly accurate , way like they did for Mononoke Hime . After all , isn't it in the Disney-Ghibli-Tokuma contract that NOTHING can be changed in the process of traslation ? Miyazaki's masterpieces are like the music of Mozart , take away or add one note anywhere , and you'll end up destroying the whole thing . But Disney thought they can improve upon perfection and boy did they do a butcher job to Laputa ! First they thought the attention span of American audience is so short that they have to fill every quiet moment with musical background , just like in Hollywood movies . While Joe Hisaishi did a superb job with the updated score under the circumstances , it really distracts from the mood of the movie , because those quiet moments are meant for us to ponder , to reflect and to pick out the subtle background sounds from the movie , but all that is lost by filling almost every minute with background music . But the worst offence of all are the awful voices and the bad bad alterations in the dialog . If you put on the Japanese audio track while watching the English subtitle ( dubbed version ) , you can see the difference even if you don't understand Japanese . My estimate is that there are twice the amount of dialog in the American dub as in the original . Places where the characters shouldn't be talking are replaced by useless remarks or explanations . And worse , many of these remarks are spoilers of things to come ! Again it seems Disney thinks that American audience is so dumb that they have to have every single thing explained in painful detail . And the American voices of Pazu and Sheeta are just plain awful to hear .
I understand that Disney always views animation as only for kids , probably of age 12 or under , but Miyazaki's movies are equally entertaining to kids and adults . In fact I first saw Laputa almost 20 years ago when I was 20 yeas old and I loved it then and I still love it as much today . By dumbing down Laputa like Disney did , they're showing great disrespect not only for Miyazaki and Ghibli staff , but to all of us older audiences . It's plainly an insult to our intelligence .
I do hope that in time a Director's version of Laputa will be released , featuring the unaltered music and dialog in full DD5.1 / DTS glory . But until then , I suggest everyone watch the Japanese audio version with English subtitle ( the literal translation version , not the dubbed version ) to really appreciate this amazing movie for what it is .
P.S . the one star subtracted for the rating is solely for the bad American version . The original Laputa gets my perfect score in any rating system ^ _ ^
006 4 This review is from :
Castle in the Sky ( DVD )
The floating city , Laputa , was just a legend , a dream of explorers . But Pazu , given voice by James Van Der Beek , has a goal . His goal was to find Laputa like his father did before him . And then one day a girl , voiced by Anna Paquin , fell out of the sky . And things went weird .
The story is based on the Laputa of Gulliver's Travels , a flying city of thinkers and scientists , the city in this story has been waiting for the return of its people and rulers for 700 years . A city of wealth , advanced science and powerful weapons , it could be dangerous in the wrong hands . In fact it could be dangerous in anybody's hands !
The movie has a touch of magic and science fiction , with air pirates , military governments , robotic gardeners filling the scenes with action , adventure , battles and wonder . The setting seems to be a version of our Earth but with many changes . The landscape seems worn , mined out , the towns and cities , of the nonfloating type , look dirty and in great need of repair . There is an underlining message about the environment as well as the need for balance with the Earth but that never gets in the way of the plain old story telling that makes it a delight to watch .
Fans of Nausicaa will notice the animals in Laputa's garden as being related to Teto and will also notice how many of the uniforms and aircraft designs seem to suggest a link between this film to that one . The robots seem very retro , somehow warm and cold at the same time . Fans of Last Exile , the TV series , may also enjoy this film , as fans of this film may wish to buy the first disc of Last Exile to check it out .
Extras are cool , allowing us to meet the English voice caste , including Mandy Patinkin , Cloris Leachman and Mark Hamill . A must for any DVD library .
007 4 The floating city , Laputa , was just a legend , a dream of explorers . But Pazu , given voice by James Van Der Beek , has a goal . His goal was to find Laputa like his father did before him . And then one day a girl , voiced by Anna Paquin , fell out of the sky . And things went weird .
The story is based on the Laputa of Gulliver's Travels , a flying city of thinkers and scientists , the city in this story has been waiting for the return of its people and rulers for 700 years . A city of wealth , advanced science and powerful weapons , it could be dangerous in the wrong hands . In fact it could be dangerous in anybody's hands !
The movie has a touch of magic and science fiction , with air pirates , military governments , robotic gardeners filling the scenes with action , adventure , battles and wonder . The setting seems to be a version of our Earth but with many changes . The landscape seems worn , mined out , the towns and cities , of the nonfloating type , look dirty and in great need of repair . There is an underlining message about the environment as well as the need for balance with the Earth but that never gets in the way of the plain old story telling that makes it a delight to watch .
Fans of Nausicaa will notice the animals in Laputa's garden as being related to Teto and will also notice how many of the uniforms and aircraft designs seem to suggest a link between this film to that one . The robots seem very retro , somehow warm and cold at the same time . Fans of Last Exile , the TV series , may also enjoy this film , as fans of this film may wish to buy the first disc of Last Exile to check it out .
Extras are cool , allowing us to meet the English voice caste , including Mandy Patinkin , Cloris Leachman and Mark Hamill . A must for any DVD library .
008 4 This is one of my favorite all time movies . This and Nausicaa I feel are Myazaki's best , far superior to Mononoke and Sen . What I look forward to most is hearing the revamped soundtrack . Jo Hisaishi was brought back to write new music to update the 17 - year old movie and fill in some spaces . Hollywood has some silly rule about not allowing more than so many minutes of an animated film to go without any background music . But at least Disney went to the original composer ( I'm sure Myazaki would have it no other way ) . Hisaishi also composed soundtracks for all of Miyazaki's best known films and the main theme for Laputa ( Castle in teh Sky ) is maintained . It's a beautiful tune and in addition to how I feel about this film , I think it has the best soundtrack . I know I will be adding the new music to my collection .
What I don't look forward to is the poor transliteration of the names . Check out fan sights for this movie to see what was wasn't handled the best way . Still , I'm sure this will be better than the dub job done in the late 80 ' s . It's only a shame that this isn't coming to the big screen . Miyazaki is finally getting the respect he deserves and his movies should as well .
009 4 I have seen everything Miyazaki has ever made , with the exception of his most recent , after Princess Mononoke ( I don't even know what the title is ) . I've seen them all in Japanese , and all the English dubbed versions that are available .
Laputa : Castle In the Sky is my personal favorite , because it has the most amazing quality of wonderment and mystery , while maintaining that idyllic , childhood innocence . Nausica is more epic , Princess Mononoke is more vivid , Lupin III is funnier , and My Neighbor Totoro is cuter . I love ALL of Miyazaki's movies ,
BUT none of them put it all together , and add a classic sense of supernatural mystery like Laputa , and I doubt I will ever change my mind . In fact , I hope ( someday , in the far , far future ) somebody will have the compassion to put this film in and push the play button before they turn off the machines that keep me alive . That way I can pass beyond the veil with that ultimate sense of beauty , wonderment , and idyllic , innocent childhood I get every time I see this movie .
011 4 ' Castle in the Sky ' ( original title : ' Laputa , Castle in the Sky ' ) is one of the animation masterpieces from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli ( creators of ' Princess Mononoke ' and ' Kiki's Delivery Service ' ) , now being released in the US for the first time . Here is adventure and romance and comedy , reminiscent of a Spielberg film : a spunky little girl with a mysterious past , a magical pendant , a dastardly plot , a brave companion , a crew of comic-opera sky pirates , all converging on the legendary Castle in the Sky . The animation is brilliant and imaginative , and like much Japanese animation , owes more to the cinematic techniques of serious film than it does to American cartoons . This is an action film , may be too intense for the very young , but older children and adults will love its non-stop style . Some people consider it Miyazaki's best . If you have any interest in animation at all , this classic film is a must-see . [ Note : this DVD is not yet released at the time this review was written , and the quality of the DVD transfer is unknown ; however , Buena Vista's previous DVD release of a Ghibli film on DVD , ' Princess Mononoke ' , was a superb transfer . ]
012 4 I got the priviledge of viewing this Anime several years ago through a poor quality fansub that I received from a friend . I must say that this particular movie was the one that left the most indelible impression on my mind as to how Japanese animation is a completely different world than American . The story , visuals and music were all absolutely stunning when I saw this the first and subsequent times . My CD-R containing the fansub is quite beat up due to the repeated viewings , since this is my all time favorite animated movie ) It was no surprise that browsing through the DVDs at a chain wholesaler , my eyes grew as big as saucers , my jaw dropped and drool began to appear at the corners of my mouth as this title caught my eye and BOOM , I instantly had to snap this one up above all the others ( even Miyazaki's Spirited Away or Kiki's Delivery Service ) .
As a huge fan of Miyazaki I was tempted to speed on the way home since I was as eager as a little child to pop this baby in the XBOX . I was absolutely in love with the remastered digital picture . The experience of hearing it in 5.1 surround promised to awe and inspire in a whole new way . Yet something was different about the English track . I couldn't quite pin it down .
Then Pazu opened his mouth . . . . OUCH ! I couldn't believe the assault on my ears ! Disney , couldn't you have picked a younger and better voice actor ? Then I realized what was bugging me about the movie . . . THE MUSIC ! They changed it ! I flipped forward a few chapters to the part of the movie right where Pazu and Sheeta have crash landed on Laputa which IMHO has the best theme of the movie , and discovered that it was much slower and way too orchestrated for that entire sequence .
Joe Hisaishi is one of the premiere and most respected and recognizable composers ( along with Yoko Kanno in my book ) in Japan , yet what on Earth happened with the English track ? I read in an earlier review that Disney had ordered the entire English track rescored . WHY ! ? ! ? I can only imagine in my mind the debate by Eisner and ilk before releasing on us poor Americans : What is with all this silence and blank space in the soundtrack ? Music , we must saturate it with MUSIC ! MORE MUSIC ! sound of Eisner cracking the whip on Hisaishi > I said MORE ! ! MORE MUSIC ! ! ! ! ! ( this would earn the DVD only 3 stars ) Disney , when will you ever learn not to tamper with a non-Disney work in an attempt to make it inferior to your own ( inferior ) movies ?
After about 10 minutes of frantically scanning the different chapters , I was disgusted enough to turn it off and go cry . It was then I found the most redeeming quality of this DVD . They included the ORIGINAL Japanese track with Hisaishi's ORIGINAL score . HOORAY ! Who cares if it is not in the full 5.1 splendor , the movie would just not be the same without the original music atmosphere . As long as Disney continues to have the guts to swallow their pride and release the rest of Miyazaki's works with the ORIGINAL Japanese soundtrack , I will purchase every single one of them .
5 stars go to this movie , in spite of the English track's flaws .
013 4 Is it just me , or do those very words , without even knowing what they refer to , contain a whimsical , imagination-inspiring power to them ?
Castle in the Sky is by Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki , who I've come to believe is one of the most masterful storytellers alive today , and maybe of all time . It begins with a young girl , Sheeta , drifting down from the sky into the arms of a young miner named Pazu . From there begins an incredible adventure as these two search for answers to the girl's origins while running from both air pirates as well as mysterious agents . I don't intend to reveal much of the plot here , but suffice it to say , this movie reignited the feelings I used to have as a child when watching such classics as The Wizard of Oz and the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ( which I also just recently purchased on DVD .
The movie was created several years ago , but was recently brought to America , with a wonderful redubbing into English , thanks to Disney Studios . If you're looking for visuals like the mind-blowing , computer simulations in recent Disney hits such as Finding Nemo , this isn't it . However , if you're a fan of traditional cel animation , this film may be one of the best ever produced . Miyazaki's attention to detail , his ability to bring these two dimensional characters to life , is awe-inspiring .
For me , the greatest thing about this movie is that it's reminded me of the kind of fictional magic I hope to create myself one day , and makes me wonder if it's too late in my life for me to become an animator . The bad thing about seeing a movie like this , is that I know that I could never produce anything nearly as beautiful .
Fortunately for me , if I ever get the opportunity , I'm just stubborn , determined , and delusional enough to give it a shot anyway .
014 4 I have been exposed to a lot of Japanese commercial animation . That's why I always thought Japanese animation is never good . This one is different . I have to confess that Japanese animation studios ( or at least Ghibli studio ) has made a lot of progress .
It follows a great story full of mystery and attractions . you can never guess what happens next . The drawings are very eye catching , things that came out of a very creative mind and you won't see anywhere else . the same applies to the story itself . The action parts are kept to a reasonable amount and do not dominate the story . The main focus of story is on intimacy and sacrifices people do for their good friends .
One thing that caught my attention is how technology and modernity is portrayed in American and Japanese themes . As opposed to Americans who always show technology as destructive and monstrous , Japanese illustrate technology as cooperating and protective of men and nature . This is a well desired break from the desperate and desolate future world Disney and Hollywood want to show us .
015 4 I really love this movie . My grandpa first sent this movie in Japanese to my family about a year and half ago . As a fifteen year old , I really enjoyed it . My mom tries to get movies in Japanese so that my sisters and I can practice our Japanese dialogue . With the English and Japanese feature we can now hear it in Japanese AND English . I would recommend this to everyone I know . Hayao Miyazaki is a great director and he has made a lot of great movies in the past . Other movies I would recommend of his are : Princess Mononoke , Kiki's Delivery Service , My Neighbor Totoro , and Spirited Away . An animated movie that is not yet in English that is my favorite animated movie of Hayao Miyazaki's collection is Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind . Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind is and old movie from a few years ago , but it became a manga last year , I think , I'm not sure . I've read the manga but I still like the anime movie best . I think they should come up with an English version of Nausicaa so that everyone can enjoy it .
But anyway , I really like Castle in the Sky , or Laputa as my family has grown to call it . It's the third best movie of his that has come out , in my opinion . It has great graphics too .
017 4 I had the good and bad fortune to see the premiere of the English dubbed version of this movie with friend of mine at a Science Fiction conference a long time ago .
Good because he had an excellent grasp of the Japanese language and had seen the Japanese version ; bad because he kept yelling at the screen That's not what they said ! . Not knowing much Japanese , I really couldn't tell if he was right or wrong , but it seemed that the movie didn't quite work the same way as it did when I watched it in Japanese . I owned a copy of the Japanese version of this movie and so I watched it again - there is definitely something different betwen the two . The original's just a bit longer ( some of the more violent bits have been cut ) and the voice acting is a whole lot better . Why is it that we always use adults for children's voices ? Overall , the Americanized version just seems a bit blander .
If you possibly can , try to see a copy of this movie in its original language .
018 4 This review is from :
Castle in the Sky ( DVD )
This review is based on the Disney version of the movie , voiced by James Van Der Beek , Anna Paquin , Cloris Leachman , Mark Hamill and others . The basic premise is extremely simple - it's the old good vs . evil , science vs . nature scenario , but the animation and imagination is so cool that it looks much more complicated than that .
In case you were wondering , this is not based on the book Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones . Castle in the Air is the sequel to Howl's Moving Castle , which was also done in anime by the master Miyazaki . Castle in the Sky has roots in the story of Gulliver's Travels where Swift wrote about a flying city named Laputa , upon which this film is based .
Sheeta is a young girl , now an orphan , who was given an amulet by her mother before she died . It seems that lots of people are after the amulet , and after Sheeta is taken aboard an airship by creepy Government agents , the ship is attacked by a family of pirates . During the fracas , Sheeta falls from the airship , and it becomes apparent that the amulet is much more than a nice piece of bling-bling . She is rescued by a young boy named Pazu , who is also an orphan and works as an assistant to a mining engineer .
Both the pirates and the army are going all-out to get their greedy hands on Sheeta , and we learn that she is a vital link to finding the mythical floating city of Laputa , which is said to be packed with both treasure and advanced technology , securely hidden within a huge storm cloud .
The main characters , other than Sheeta and the heroic Pazu are Colonel Muska , a secret agent with huge ambition , Dola , domineering matriarch of the Pirate clan , and the General , leader of the armed forces .
Although more than two hours long , this action-packed family movie is never boring , but it does contain some amount of violence .
Amanda Richards , October 8 , 2006
019 4 This review is based on the Disney version of the movie , voiced by James Van Der Beek , Anna Paquin , Cloris Leachman , Mark Hamill and others . The basic premise is extremely simple - it's the old good vs . evil , science vs . nature scenario , but the animation and imagination is so cool that it looks much more complicated than that .
In case you were wondering , this is not based on the book Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones . Castle in the Air is the sequel to Howl's Moving Castle , which was also done in anime by the master Miyazaki . Castle in the Sky has roots in the story of Gulliver's Travels where Swift wrote about a flying city named Laputa , upon which this film is based .
Sheeta is a young girl , now an orphan , who was given an amulet by her mother before she died . It seems that lots of people are after the amulet , and after Sheeta is taken aboard an airship by creepy Government agents , the ship is attacked by a family of pirates . During the fracas , Sheeta falls from the airship , and it becomes apparent that the amulet is much more than a nice piece of bling-bling . She is rescued by a young boy named Pazu , who is also an orphan and works as an assistant to a mining engineer .
Both the pirates and the army are going all-out to get their greedy hands on Sheeta , and we learn that she is a vital link to finding the mythical floating city of Laputa , which is said to be packed with both treasure and advanced technology , securely hidden within a huge storm cloud .
The main characters , other than Sheeta and the heroic Pazu are Colonel Muska , a secret agent with huge ambition , Dola , domineering matriarch of the Pirate clan , and the General , leader of the armed forces .
Although more than two hours long , this action-packed family movie is never boring , but it does contain some amount of violence .
Amanda Richards , October 8 , 2006
020 4 I saw this movie in Japanese when it first came out , and have absolutely loved it ever since . So I was overjoyed when I found out that it was to be released in the U.S . in DVD . Also , you can just imagine how utterly disappointed I was in viewing the dubbed version .
For some unknown reason , they decided to use completely new musical scores , which does not go quite right with the movie . They have also decided to completely ruin a very dramatic scene in the movie by adding voice and music where there were none originally ( in the original Japanese version , the scene was completely silent . You just see Pazu utter a word . ) If this weren't enough , they added tons of unneeded and redundant dialogues where there weren't any . One such example is when Pazu and Sheeta are walking through the garden in Laputa . In the origianl version , the two characters are walking through the stunningly beautiful , lush garden in silent awe , backed up by a quiet , serene music . But in this Disney version , Pazu says in a surprised voice , Look , Sheeta , the trees grow bigger and bigger as we go deeper into the garden ! ( Any viewer could get that information , thank you very much , Pazu , by simply looking . ) Thus , by that added redundant and explanatory garble ( which , sadly enough , occurs frequently throughout the Disney version , ) the perfect scene with all its magnitude and mystical awe is destroyed . Of course , I need not mention the horrible translation . All the dialogues are so overly explanatory - - to such an extent that I could only take them as insults to the intellectual levels of the viewers . Not only that , but they even change Sheeta's personality from the original film - - to go with all that girl power thing , I guess . On top of that , the voice actors ( except for a very select few , such as the dazzling Louie [ at least I think that's how you spell his name ] ) are just plain horrible , especially Pazu , who sound goofy all throughout the film . But on other hand , while it seems like they like all the redundant sounds , they actually take away some vital sound effects , which is very uncomfortable .
But the DVD still features the original track ( hurrah ! ) and a very interesting feature which allows you to view the film in Miyazaki's original storyboard , which I just loved . If it weren't for the terrible dubbed version , I would have given this DVD five stars .
022 4 I've recently started to imburse myself in Miyazaki's works . I have seen Mononoke , Spirited Away , and now Castle in the Sky . I guess that means I am a newbie to him because i haven't seen it all , but honestly , these are some of the best films I've seen to date . It's mind boggling how I just can't explain how excellent these films are . But , Castle in the Sky , for some reason , despite its age still holds true today . It still provokes those wonderful childlike emotions that you want to get out of movies sometimes . It's like a traditional Disney film , and I am very glad to see Disney has purchased this movie for redistribution . Disney did infact sign a contract to leave all of Miyazaki's works completely uncut . So , everyone should love to see these films in their beautiful entirety once they get the time to go out and buy them .
Miyazaki , as many reviewers would say , is the Walt Disney of Japan . No , my friends he is Walt Disney incarnate . This man has brought about the wonderful things that are so often felt by Disney movies with a twist of Japanese and non-westernized flare . Miyazaki has done wonderful works with all of his films . I am however disappointed to see that Disney isn't rehyping Mononoke along with the other Miyazaki's it's selling . I assume thats only because Mononoke is too violent for Disneys reputation . It doesn't matter thought because once you start watching Miyazaki's works , you won't stop . One thing though . Parents , this film is GOOD for your kids . Many have been frightened by Spirited Away , but believe me this is definetly kid friendly . My 6 year old cousin was laughing and giggling through much of the film and he liked it a lot , despite being scared by Spirited Away the day before . I myself don't understand there fear , but maybe parents do . Yet again I say , this film is much more aimed towards younger audiences .
023 4 To start , I would just like to say that this movie was delayed not through fault of Disney , but by Studio Ghibli . The agreement between Disney and Ghibli stated that Disney could not release any of Miyazaki's films that hadn't already been released by Buena Vista in Japan . Specifically , Disney had to wait a certain time frame after the releasal of Miyazaki's films before releasing them in America . This prevented people from importing movies from American to Japan , thus losing Studio Ghibli a chuck of local royalties . And since Laputa : Castle in the Sky wasn't released until October of 2002 , Disney could only release Castle in the Sky over here now .
That being said , I'm glad this movie is finally being released here stateside . This movie certainly ranks among my top favorite Miyazaki films ( I'd probably place it 2nd , behind Nausicaa [ another movie I'm waiting for Disney to release ] , with Princess Mononoke coming in 3rd ) . This story has such a humanity to it , that it's hard not to get swept away in it's story . Perhaps that is the true beauty of this movie , it never tries to be more than it is . Just as all of Miyazaki's film , this movie is meant to spark your imagination and let your spirit soar , much like the wings that carry our characters to the Castle in the Sky .
With animation , music , and characterization rarely seen this side of the Pacific , Castle in the Sky is not a film to be missed . My only hope ( like many others ) is that Disney included the Original Japanese Soundtrack and voice acting just as they did for Princess Mononoke . As much as I admire and enjoy Joe Hisashi's sound tracks , I don't like the fact that he went in and added more music just to make the soundtrack more accessibile to Americans . However , that does not detract from the wonderous adventure of this story .
This movie has been in the waiting for almost 4 years , and I'm glad that it's finally getting the treatment stateside that it deserves .
025 4 Hayao Miyazaki is probably one of the most recognizable names in America for Japanese animation . One of the other famous directors is Osamu Tezuka , known for the creation of Astro Boy , Phoenix , Buddha ( an 800 plus page jaunt ) and Blackjack , the psychic surgeon . And while Tezuka is often refered to as the ' Disney of Japan ' , you could then say that Miyazaki is the ' Tex Avery ' or some other influential but not the same level either . Think of this : all of Miyazaki's films feature his own quirks and fetishes , they are all similar in story or voice and all seem to be slightly more innovative than Tezuka was with his . Tezuka stuck to familiar formulas , crazy and new characters , and overall family values ( hence the disney feelgood comparison . ) But Miyazaki will always have a place in this reviewers heart as a king among men , for some of the most notable Anime ever .
Miyazaki's second film , Castle in the Sky ( or Laputa in the Japanese release ) is based on Jule's Verne's ' Gulliver's Travels ' . It tells in it's intro of strange steam flying machine , and a time when the room on the ground was so scarce that whole islands were taken up to the skies . The famed city Laputa is still rumored to be seen in the air , but no proof backs this up . We meet a young girl Shiita ( thats sheet-ah for the english speakers ) who is on an airship . But when air pirates and G-men both battle to get to her , she falls from her dirigible . Enter Pazu , a spunky young boy who works a 9 to whenever job and lives by himself all in this small town . What Pazu doesn't know is he's about to get a surprise when Shiita falls into his arms . Or , rather flots in like a feather , with seemingly only her blue glowing pendant keeping her in the air . Soon though , the Army and Pirates cathc up , and they begin a crazy escape , and eventually Pazu tries to reach Laputa , to prove that his father had really seen the famed city before he died ( one of the few things he had to leave Pazu was a picture of the city , obscured by clouds ) .
Now , why three stars ? ( Geeks / fans click ' no ' because I didn't give it 5 , others read on )
Usually , the english translation works well , with good voice actors , and more recently disney has been beefing up the quality of Miyzaki's older movies ( the earliest two , Nausicaa and Laputa ) and making them even more beautiful . But , this isn't the case of castle in the sky . It suffers from a poor digital transfer and various animation mistakes are blatant and sore to watch . The audio is decent but with some of the music and voices drowning each other out in the wrong places . The voice actors don't all seem to fit , but more on that later .
Now , a poor transfer is only one point . But , number two is from the special features . First , we get a Behind the mike segment , which is extremely short , the shortest one I've to see yet . With only a few famous names ( Anna Paquin as Shiita , Mark Hamill as Muska , James Vanderbeek as Pazu , Andy Dick as Henri , Brad Garret , and Cloris Leachman as Dola ) , it's disappointing to see a short one . However with the weak James Van Derbeek as Pazu , less is more . Next , not a single featurette , unlike Porco Rosso or the Cat Returns . And to top off this two whole disc set , the only thing on the second disc is a Storyboard comparison . This is basically the audio track from the movie set to the storyboard pictures . As I've said in all the reviews , disney may think this feature is special , but you'll watch it for ten minutes tops then shut it off . ( Unless you're an animator or maniac obsessed , then you may sit through the 90 minutes of still pictures . )
Overall , a great story based a sweeping and huge comic . . . whichyou should read ! And , a crappy transfer keeps this one in the realm of good movies to show your kids , but not to own . Parents , rent it . Fans , wait or get the Miyazaki box set .
026 4 This is easily one of Miyazaki's greatest movies ( but he never makes a bad one ! ) . I have the R2 ( Japanese ) version with subs , 2.0 DD , and about 83% progressive , but this version will have DD 5.1 Japanese and English , and be 100% progressive ! It will also have a redone soundtrack by it's original composer Joe Hisaishi ( which translates to Quincy Jones in American , who is also a great composer ! ) , redone dub with Anna Paquin , James Van Derbeek , and other Hollywood celebs , it will come with a second disc ( no there isn't a box or special edition , so preorder now ! ) that will have storyboard to movie comparison , trailers , and some more stuff ! The only thing bad is that Disney will probably put their own movie trailers on the second disc . . .
Now that that's out the way , for my review : THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF THE 80 ' s , NO MAKE THAT OF ALL TIME ! ! It starts out with a bang , Mama and her gang overrun a blimp for a necklace that can make things levitate that a little girl named Sheeta has been kidnapped for . They bust into a room and the girl climbs out the window to get away but falls into the sky and falls . We see Laputa engraved on a stone and then see probably the greatest intro to any movie . . . EVER ! ! It shows the story of flying castles and what became of this . A young boy spots Sheeta falling and catches her just in time . Thus , the beginning to a great story with amazing visuals , interesting characters , funny scenes , and great character development . This movie or any Ghibli movie will turn non-believers into frothing at the mouth anime fans like you and me ! So far Disney has released 1 movie since they licensed 11 Ghibli movies in 1996 ! They plan to release Castle in the Sky ( Laputa ) , Kiki's Delivery Service , and Spirited Away this year . But they stil have to release :
Porco Rosso ( touching movie about a human turned Pig to isolate himself from a discriminating world . . . They should release this next year )
Pom Poko ( Racoons fighting to save Western Tokyo from developers trying to bulid over their land ! )
Only Yesterday ( A tale of an older woman escaping the complexity of city life to the country and reminiscing about childhood . . . )
My Neighbors the Yamada's ( A comedy about Japanese culture , no hand drawings in here ! Completely CG ! ! )
Whisper of the Heart ( Probably the most touching love story ever produced )
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind ( I haven't seen this yet but people say it's his greatest work . . . I NEED THIS NOW DISNEY ! ! )
Totoro ( they are going to re-re-re-release this with 5.1 , dual language , subbed , anamorphic . . . I have this already but I need the 5.1 ! )
Well that's about all the time I have ! Be sure to buy this piece of animated history , something Disney could never make ! !
028 4 The wonderful thing about this movie is the way in which Miyazaki likes to present his underlying message ; that technology is seductive , overwhelming , and may be the key to dominating others , but the user / abuser eventually isolates himself from those whom he would rule and / or fear . The isolation is complete , separating the powerful from others as well as nature . The poem that Sheeta recites to Muska is the reason why the initial inhabitants left Laputa :
We need roots in the Earth ;
Let's live with the wind ;
With seeds , make fat the winter ;
With the birds , let's sing of spring .
To couch the theme of this poem in the metaphor of the search for a floating mythical island of power demonstrates the depth of Miyazaki's talent and abilities in blending a moral message with his love for flight , talent for timing , storytelling prowess , and his immense respect for ecology and nature .
The other wonderful thing about Miyazaki's / Studio Ghibli's films is that it isn't aimed at any market ; it is aimed at both adults and children despite the fact that it is anime , and as a result , is much more honest about presenting its themes without resorting to sugar-coating or talking down to children . It is a very watchable film - not cartoon - despite being a fantasy , despite being anime , and despite Disney's efforts to process it through its marketing machinery .
It's appalling that the release of this movie as well as Miyazaki's others such as Nausicaa , Porco Rosso , Omohide Poro Poro ( Only Yesterday ) , and others has been held up in this country for as long as they have simply because Disney or Buena Vista owns the distribution rights . The international release year was way back in 1986 , when I was in 6th grade . I enjoyed it immensely then , I enjoy watching it with even more pleasure now . I find it ridiculous that Disney would request the rescoring of the movie simply for marketing purposes and to sell more DVDs . Nonetheless , the belated release of this movie in this country more than overshadows the distateful actions of corporate narrow-mindedness .
029 4 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 .
033 4 Retitled from its original Japanese name of LAPUTA ( for being an offensive phrase , something which director Hayao Miyazaki was oblivious to at the time ) , CASTLE IN THE SKY is the master animator's third film , and it's one of his most beloved of all time . Initially a box office disappointment in its 1986 release , it has since been embraced by critics and audiences around the world . Inspired by Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels , CASTLE IN THE SKY is a steampunk-themed action adventure tale about two young orphans - - young miner Pazu , and mysterious girl Sheeta ( who wears a magic crystal around her neck ) - - who team up to find the long-lost island of Laputa , which is rumored to have great riches and gems . They are aided by a band of bumbling yet sympathetic air pirates led by the feisty Dola ( who at first chase them , yet turn out to be true allies ) and pursued by the government headed by its villainous topmost-secret agent , Muska , who wants the power of Laputa for his own benefit .
For anyone looking for an exciting way to spend two hours , this film is an excellent choice , featuring just the right amount of humor , exploration , wonder , and mystery to keep one interested . The artwork , although not as spectacular as in some of Miyazaki's later movies , is fantastic and gorgeous enough to watch with imaginative characters and locations , incredibly exciting action scenes , and breathtaking flight sequences that will make one feel giddy . And while the characters that populate this tale are less complex than Miyazaki's other works , each has a memorable , endearing personality that stays with the viewer long after the film is over . Dola , in particular , makes for a terrific comic character , shouting orders to her dimwitted sons one moment and being protective of Sheeta the next . Muska is one of the few Miyazaki creations to ever come across as an irredeemable villain , but like Dola , he commands every scene he's in with a sinister charisma that is both alluring and chilly .
Anime fans have often compared this movie to Gainax's sci-fi adventure series NADIA : THE SECRET OF BLUE WATER . After all , both works share similar story and character elements . . . not to mention that they were both created by Miyazaki himself . Where both differ is in their execution . NADIA , although charming for the most part , suffered from taking a wrong turn at its midway point , devolving into cartoonish nonsense which all but distracted from the main plot , even though it did have a strong ending . CASTLE IN THE SKY , on the other hand , remains consistently entertaining and focused for its two hour running time , and is all the better for it . While the film's epic tone is sometimes broken up by some cartoonish moments , like a brawl between Pazu's boss and one of Dola's sons , it's never to the point that it detracts from the film .
About eleven years ago , Disney released an English version featuring a cast of big-names such as James van der Beek , Anna Paquin , Cloris Leachman , Mark Hamill , Mandy Patinkin as well as some cameo appearances by veterans such as Tress MacNeille and Jim Cummings . It also features an ambitious reworking of Joe Hisaishi's gorgeous musical score for a performance by the Seattle Music Orchestra ( interestingly , the man behind this rescore is none other than the composer himself ) . As much as purists have cried blasphemy over this version for its occasional extra dialogue and the aforementioned rescore , Miyazaki had no such problems ; in fact , he is said to have applauded the reworking , and for good reason , because the newly rerecorded music is truly the star of the new dub . While there are some instances where filling in some critially silent scenes from the original Japanese is a bit jarring ( notably the journey through a dragon-infested storm cloud ) , the overall reworking is fantastic and in many ways improves on the original , particularly in scenes such as when a robot attacks a fortress and the climactic moments toward the end . Here , Hisaishi displays his musical versatility and genius for matching music to visuals .
As far as the performances in the dub go , the leads are probably at the short end of the stick ; James Van Der Beek's Pazu sounds significantly more mature than his character , while Anna Paquin's Sheeta speaks with an odd accent that fluctuates at times ( a problem which actually works in favor of the character ) . That said , both do good jobs overall and provide a fairly believable chemistry throughout . It's the lively supporting cast , however , that really make this dub so much fun , particularly Cloris Leachman's Dola and Mark Hamill's Muska . Both are perfectly cast and steal every scene they're in ; as with the rescore , these two really warrant a listen to the Disney dub . The script adaptation borders on the loose side at times - - there's quite a bit of extra lines and / or commentary ( some of which are pricelessly funny and others somewhat overdone ) - - but aside from at least one debatable alteration ( Sheeta's speech in the climactic showdown the world cannot live without love as opposed to the original you can't survive apart from Mother Earth ) , the overall characters , story , and spirit remain fairly faithful to the original . On the whole , there is little point comparing the Disney version to the original language track ; each puts their own stamp on this legendary masterpiece , and I like them both . ( They're also better than Streamline / JAL's more literal but frightfully robotic , lifeless , abysmally acted and poorly written older dub from the late 1980 ' s . ) Either way , you can't go wrong with CASTLE IN THE SKY . It's one of Miyazaki's greatest , and I highly recommend it .
In 2003 , Disney brought this film to DVD ( after a long-delayed release from its initial 1999 date ) with the dub as well as the Japanese language track , complete with a widescreen anamorphic transfer and a surprisingly scanty amount of extras . This newest edition brings more extras , including new interviews by Miyazaki , except that the subtitles are now DUBTITLES , sans the extra chatter . More controversially , the dub has been revised , with all the aforementioned extra dialogue and the rescore omitted . ( I found the latter decision very disappointing , as the new music is arguably the dub's biggest asset . ) Whether it's worth double-dipping for this classic for those edits is up to the customer . Personally , I'd recommend holding onto the 2003 DVD and renting these new extras ; combine both , and it will truly be a special edition .
035 4 This is perhaps my favorite of the Miyazaki films that I have seen . Smooth pacing , excellent plot , brilliant dialogue and astounding visual and literary symbolism . The animation is increadible , given the film capabilities for the time it came out , and is a real treat for the eyes . Hisaishi-san's music is beautiful , as always . Need something for your kids can watch that isn't mindless drivel ? Need something for you to watch that isn't mindless drivel ? Get your hands on Castle In The Sky : Laputa . It won't be a waste of money .
Notes
Horrible English dubbing , even as anime dubbings go .
The music in the English dubbing is a rescoring done by Hisaishi-san .
Great basis for family discussion .
036 4 Castle in the Sky is a wonderful , imaginative , and beautifully animated film from Hayao Miyazaki .
The film is a fantasy adventure that is about a boy named Pazu ( James Van Der Beek ) who lives in a small mining town . One night , Pazu rescues a girl named Sheeta ( Anna Paquin ) who is floating down from the sky with a glowing blue stone around her neck . Together , they set out on a quest that leads them to the mysterious floating city of Laputa with the help of Dola ( Cloris Leachman ) and her gang of silly but lovable sky pirates . Meanwhile , the ruthless government agent , Muska ( Mark Hamill ) , seeks to use Laputa's powers for his own evil ends .
The film is like a work of art that moves , it is clear how much time and effort went into creating it . The acting is top-notch and the dialogue is sprinkled with humor here and there . The film has a subtle environmental message , which is quite common in many of Miyazaki's other works as well . It is probably one of the most accessible of Miyazaki's films due to it's more simplistic storyline and humor , making it more easily watchable for young children . But don't think this film is just for kids , I found myself very entertained and amazed by the high standard of creativity that Miyazaki puts into this film that rivals ( or even surpasses ) Disney classics like Aladdin and The Lion King . Just don't expect huge musical numbers .
Overall , If you are looking for fun , family-friendly entertainment , I highly recommend Castle in the Sky !
037 4 I love almost all of Miyazaki's works ( with the exception of Porco Rosso ) , and Castle in the Sky is no different . Miyazaki's story-telling style tends to be rather slow-paced , which is fine , but I really enjoyed this movie for its faster , more energetic pacing . Almost immediately , the action starts , and it doesn't let up until the momentous climax .
The story itself is filled with entertaining fantasy elements - including sky pirates , princesses , and exciting chase scenes . Overall , the story is not too deep ( there is some environmentalist themes in there ) , it is more of a adventure-driven tale . While watching this movie , I was repeatedly reminded of some of my favorite RPG games - - and that's a good thing . Castle in the Sky is also helped along with some very humorous parts ( especially Dola ) , so it never got dull . I must also say that I enjoyed the English dub and found no problems with it . So , if you love whimsical fantasy tales , then this may be the film for you .
P.S . - While the movie is excellent , the dvd bonus features are rather lacking . This is unfortuneate , since bonus features are one of my favorite aspects of a dvd . The only thing included is a short sequence on the English voice actors ( it's okay ) , a storyboard ( who watches those anyway ? ) , trailers ( how I love watching ads ) , and an introduction by John Lasseter ( what is the point of this ? ) . As for that last part , I have no idea why Mr . Lasseter feels the need to spend five minutes telling us how great the movie will be . He does this on every Miyazaki film ( seriously , can they really ALL be his favorite one ? ! ) . Well , anyway , I would've liked to have a nice making-of feature , but don't let the dvd ruin your enjoyment of this great film .
039 4 I moved to Japan when I was 11 and saw this movie on TV before I had fully understood the language . I didn't even know the title of the movie , but I fell in love with it . I later learned that this was one of many great animated movies produced by Hayao Miyazaki . I have seen most of his movies , but The Castle in the Sky Laputa will always be my favorite . Cheers .
040 4 After some investigating ( and an erroneous online review ) I was stupidly given to believe that this re-release had been properly English subtitled with corrected Japanese translations ( for those interested in watching the film in it's original language ) but alas , after forking over the additional funds for this , my third version of this film on DVD ( having previously purchased a rather nice Studio Ghibli collection DVD box set as an Asian import ( with truer subtitles but with a lot of , Engrish translations and miss-synced or flash past text ) and the previous Disney release ) I was ticked to discover that the subtitles where still dubtitles ( it is very evident from the beginning of the film as the pirates keep referring to their leader ( an old cantankerous woman ) as Mama , but the word never appears in the subtitles or English audio dub ) .
So if you where hopping ( like me ) that this re-release would have fixed this issue , then prepared to be disappointed : (
BTW : the three star ratting is due to the lack of proper subtitles , as the film itself is worth 5 + stars .
042 4 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 .
043 4 I saw this film nearly three years ago , and it's one of the greatest movies that I have ever seen . It is an anime and it makes most Hollywood movies look like TV movies of the week which is saying a great deal about the talent of the ingenious Hayao Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli , the creators of this wonderful film .
Essentially the movie is about a young boy living in a small mining town who one days has a chance encounter with a mysterious girl who has a magical necklace that sends her floating down into his arms on an otherwise ordinary day . The girl is on the run from dictatorial , war-monger authorities who seek the locket in her necklace , which is rumored to have a special secret hidden within . Together Pazu the boy and Sheeta the girl have amazing adventures as they fight and run away from space pirates as well as the evil government agents and their military , power-hungry leaders . The heart of the story , much like Miyazaki's other films , is a message about saving the environment , cherishing nature , the power of love between people and opposing war in all its evil forms .
The soundtrack is excellent and it perfectly complements this magnificent movie , at every scene , brilliant . It's inspirational and makes the audience feel that it is along for the ride on a high flying adventure .
Onto the animation . I could easily tell that it was hand drawn , and as far as I am concerned , hand drawn is far superior to digital / CGI . Hand drawn to me gives that distinct , magic touch and quality , whereas digital can feel emotionless at times , lacking that human aspect .
Of course digital can be ingenious when used properly , such as in ' Ghost In the Shell ' and ' Blood : The Last Vampire ' , but if it is overdone it loses its natural quality in the transition . I have always been a fan of the original Disney cartoons and anime , and it is easy to tell that ' Laputa : Castle In the Sky ' ( original title ) was made back in the mid 1980 ' s because it has that old school feel to it , which makes it even better , partly because of nostalgia of an age that was golden for animation but also because it has soul that came from Miyazaki's endless talent and love for his craft .
' Castle In the Sky ' set the bar back then for where animation in general should be headed , but it is unfortunate that other companies have not followed the lead . Maybe now with the widespread success of ' Spirited Away ' ( another amazing Miyazaki film ) , other animation studios around the world will take notice , and not necessarily emulate the geniousness of Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki , but rather be inspired by it and achieve for greatness in all aspects of animation , in their own unique way .
Words do not do this film justice , but I promise that it is a fantastic story of epic proportions , a truly enchanting tale of awe and mystery , filled with adventure and suspense , but perhaps most importantly , it reels one's spirit in with its imagination , and it certainly pulls at one's heart strings , at least that's what it did to me . A good friend of mine recommended this movie to me , and I'm glad he did , because it totally blew me away . Talk about master story telling at its best , this movie takes the cake in this category , hands down . If you have not seen this movie yet , you owe yourself the favor to do so , because if you're a fan of magical adventures that challenge the norm and uplifts your spirit , this is the film for you .
047 4 Before the 3 Miyazaki movies came out on DVD in the US , I told people the 2 best companies for DVD presentation are Criterion Collection and Disney . If you want proof , there are many that can back them . But after watching the 2 - disc Castle In The Sky , The Disney company has put out their most lack-luster DVD ever . Disc 2 is JUST storyboards ? No Angle switching like the imports ? Why not just include them on disc 1 alongside the original movie like Grave Of The Fireflies did ? Other extras are pretty bland , couldn't they dig up some archives from Ghibli , or newspaper articles text form ? Probably didn't seem to interest them since all Studio Ghibli movies are their stepchildren . ( Cinderella anyone ? ) Disney has ruined the movie with their english dub in larger proportions than ever . Come on , does VanDerBeek even remotely sound like a 10 year old ? The new music ? Mr . Hisaishi , I absolutely think you are an incredible composer , but the scene where the robot hands over the flower ? What happened ? All the emotional power of that scene was lost in the new music . All the ' scary ' music replaced with ' exciting ' music ? Not a very good job in my opinion . New dub and new music ? Remember folks , the remixes usually can't surpass the original . So why 4 stars for such a bad review ? Incredible movie , and the fact that they didn't remove a frame , and kept the original Japanese soundtrack . Miyazaki-san is probably the greatest living director , so give him props ( that means you , Disney ) .
Best shot / sequence :
The robot on Laputa handing over the flower to Sheeta for the grave is one of the most touching moments in any of his films , but ONLY when you watch it with the original Japanese music . Then comes a cameo appearance by Nausicaa's Teto , with a bunch of his friends and play on the robot's shoulder . If you watch Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind first , you will be most overjoyed by the appearance .
048 4 This review is specifically for the 2010 re-release edition of Castle in the Sky . I am giving it one star because it contains dub-titles rather than the original subtitle translation that was on the original DVD release . What this means is that if you watch the film in its original Japanese track with English subtitles on , the subtitles do not translate the original Japanese dialogue but rather transcribe the English dubbed soundtrack . This is not good , as some of the dialogue was changed for the English dub , and at times , the Japanese actors are speaking and there is no subtitle translation for what is being said . I don't understand how Disney could have re-released this film without the true subtitle translation that was featured on the original DVD . For fans of the movie who still own the first DVD edition and prefer to watch the film in Japanese , hold on to it .
This is an amazing movie and easily deserving of five stars . But the subtitles situation is just shameful . It's really sad too as the special features on this new edition are superior to those on the first DVD .
049 4 Rather than rehash the plot yet again , I will give my overall impressions of the movie . I found the story to be very compelling and the artwork , particularly that of the village and the mines ( what I like to refer to Wales in Hell ) , is spectacular . Excellent voice talent , including Mark Hamill of Star Wars fame , adds to the overall enjoyment . Like the man once said , Sometimes you have to lose to win and this is my favorite Studio Ghibli presentation .
Areas of enjoyment for me , I love the facinating airships ( a common feature of Studio Ghibli fantasy releases ) which I notice are usually based on some specific prototype out of the past . Also adding a bombastic , yet charming aspect are the pirates and their antics .
As I have mentioned in other reviews of Studio Ghibli features , the Japanese dialog and subtitles are better and more enjoyable than the English translation . It is hard to believe this film is 20 years old ( or that I first saw it in Japanese more than ten years ago ) but it has the benefit of the timelessness of fantasy . Where do I get my hikoseki ? ( Flying Stone )
050 4 Hayao Miyazaki's second feature film , and his first one to be widely acclaimed both commercially and critically ( though his debut - Nausicaa AKA Warriors of the Wind is considered by many fans his best ) , ` Tenku no Shiro Rapyuta ' AKA ` Castle in the Sky ' may seem childish and simplistic when compared to his more recent masterpieces like ` Kiki's Delivery Service ' , ` Mononoke-hime ' and ` Spirited Away ' , but in 1986 it was years ahead of its time and it was one of the milestones of modern anime . It's important to remember that ` Castle in the Sky ' was made two years before the revolutionary ` Akira ' , and while it's not provocative and controversial like the aforementioned masterpiece , the lead characters are all mainly basic manga hero / heroine / villain type characters , and the story is quite predictable and obvious ( at least in today's standards ) , Miyazaki's designs and animation work are of standards never seen before . While the story and humor are a bit silly and outdated at times , the movie is still very entertaining and very enjoyable - if not as breathtaking as ` Spirited Away ' . And if you'll allow yourself to see the beauty of the frames themselves and ignore the low-budget coloring and animation and the identical twin faces - at this point Miyazaki is still faithful to his roots and to the agreed standards of Japanese cartooning - you'll see Miyazaki's genius shine through as well as it does on ` Spirited Away ' and Mononoke . While ` Castle in the Sky ' , being a sci-fi adventure and very suitable for children , fits in more neatly with classic anime than anything else he had done since , his motifs and principles still show and play an important part . To say much more would be to ruin the movie , so I'll kindly shut up . Suffice to say that I'm giving it only four stars because if I gave it five I couldn't go any higher for ` Spirited Away ' and ` Princess Mononoke ' . And that would be a crime .
As in most anime movies , I recommend watching the Japanese version with the English subtitles , even if you don't speak a word of Japanese - the English overdubs just don't tend to be very good , and in this case it's just horrendous . You might want to watch it in the English version once , though , just for the laughs , and for the star-filled cast ( the English dub was only recorded following the success of ` Spirited Away ' , as it was for ` Kiki's Delivery Service ' ) - Anna Paquin and James Van Der Beek ( Yeah , the Dawson guy ! ) fill the lead roles , Mark Hamill ( Luke Skywalker from ` Star Wars ' , in case you don't know ! ) plays the villain , and other roles are filled by Andy Dick , Tres MacNeille ( The Simpsons , Rugrats , Animaniacs . . . ) , Michael McShane ( Friar Tuck from Kevin Costner's Robin Hood travesty ) and Mandy Patinkin ( Hello , my name is Inigo Montoya . . . ) Good for a laugh , or a few laughs really . But watch the Japanese one first .
051 4 Pazu is a young boy who works in the mines of his town . One day he's going about his business as usual , when he sees a light above the large mine and runs to see what it is . To his surprise , it's a girl his age , with a crystalline pendant hanging around her neck !
This is the beginning of Castle in the Sky , an wonderful adventure with just the right amount of adventure and comedy . Pazu soon realizes that the girl , whose name is Sheeta , is being chased by a sort of FBI - - bowler-hatted government agents who will stop at nothing to capture her . He finds himself on a rousing adventure , which culminates in the beautiful Castle in the Sky .
( A side note : I can't help but compliment Mark Hamill of Star Wars fame on his great voice acting here . He does a wonderful job on the head secret agent Muska , giving him a tone of very real madness . Great ! )
