026 4 Anyone expecting this movie's plotline to be anything remotely like the Dianna Wynn Jones novel , will be totally disappointed . Hayao Miyazaki shows yet again , his gift for animation and originality . However , saying that he took creative liberties with the story is an understatement . I sat stunned as I watched the Witch of the Waste turn into a sweet , harmless old lady . And Howl morphs into a bird-like monster to fight in a war . Why ? They never really explained . Michael , a teenaged apprentice , in love with Sophie's sister , in the movie is Markl , a goofy little side-kick child . And what's with Sophie flip-flopping from old woman , to young girl , back to somewhere in between ? If it weren't for the genius animation , I'd have given this 2 stars . Okay , so it's a little entertaining , but if Hayao Myazaki would have stuck to the original story , he'd have struck gold !
021 4 I am a fan of animation since I was a very young boy , going back to Max Fleischer's Popeye and Superman cartoons . This is one of the most imaginative and well-produced major MOVIES that I have ever seen , let alone a mere animation . Why are you reading this , when you could be watching a true gem ?
062 4 I loved this movie ! ! It is definitly one of myazaki's best work . The plot is wonderful and I liked the love story woven into this movie . Animation is top notch .
072 4 This movie by Hayao Miyazaki is beautiful ! The details in the background and on the characters makes them feel real . The story line is wonderful too . For anyone not entirely sure of which of the Miyazaki films to choose from , I would pick this one first .
115 4 This is Miyazaki at his absolut best . While Kiki's delivery service seems somewhat simple and childish this is very deep and complex with Miyazaki's flair for dramatic and beatifull settings . It is a DVD that you will reccomend and you will watch it many times .
132 4 This is the finest example of creative genius I have seen in years ! ! ! ! Destined to be an example which all fantasy wtiters will hold their work up to and see if they have come close . Just buy it and get ready to be dazzled by innovative , fresh , imaginative story telling !
147 4 This is a really wonderful and fun movie . The only downside is that you miss out on a lot of the background that is referenced in it unless you have read the book . . . the book is very good , and I recommend both .
042 4 A BEAUTIFUL WORK OF ART BASED ON THE BOOK BY DIANA JONES . THE UNIQUE ROMANCE IS ENCHANTING AND PULLS PEOPLE OF ANY AGE INTO THE MAGICAL TALE BEING WOVEN . HIGHLY RECCOMENDED FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS ALIKE . ONE OF THE MOST TOUCHING MOVIES I HAVE WATCHED . EXCELENT ! !
144 4 I first saw this movie on Starz family channel , and I miss like half of it . But that didnt matter cuase I instantly fell in love . DEFINATELY ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES MADE ! ! ! !
I did NOT enjoy ) , I wasn't keen to see Howl's Moving Castle . However , I did see it recently and found it wonderful , and I've watched it a number of times to try to figure things out .
First , it seems to be making a loose nod towards The Wizard of Oz . Sophie is like Dorothy , a young woman who has a run-in with a wicked witch that leaves her searching for a home . Ok , so she's cursed by the Wicked Witch of the Waste ( sound sorta familiar ? ) and now looks like an old hag . So that's different . She meets a scarecrow on the way who helps her find a place to live - with the Wizard Howl . Howl seems to be a composite of the Wizard of Oz and the Cowardly Lion and the Tinman - he's a Wizard , he's afraid to commit to anything and he doesn't have a heart . There's even a little dog , Heen , who attaches himself to Sophie . There are plenty of flying baddies - other wizards who have transformed into demon-like beings , sorta like the flying monkey boys , attacking Howl . Towards the end the Witch of the Waste is on fire and Sophie douses the witch with water , which has an adverse effect that I won't reveal here .
But of course it's not a complete parallel , just the characters are reminiscent . But it's an interesting and fun story , full of magic and mayhem , and a sweet love story . And there seems to be a time-travel loop .
Sophie is a young woman who is in a rut . She doesn't believe she is pretty , probably comparing herself to her sister and mother who seem to mesmerize men with their blonde ( but ditzy ) beauty . Sophie has mired herself in duty to her father's milinary shop . On her way to visit her sister in a nearby town , she encounters Howl , who saves her from some soldiers . But he himself is being pursued by minions of the Wicked Witch of the Waste , and he puts Sophie in a far worse danger - bringing her to the notice of the Witch .
Later that day the Witch curses Sophie with old-age as ( presumably ) a means to make the girl less desirable to Howl . But what it does is make Sophie leave her home to find her place elsewhere , and she inadvertantly makes her way straight to Howl . Insert a wizard's apprenctice - Markl - and a fire-demon - Calcifer - and an interesting castle that wanders around the wastes ( sort of dreary no-man's lands outside of the general towns ) makes for a fun story . Now for some spoilers and thoughts :
Another reviewer asks why doesn't Howl have a heart ? how / why did he lose it ? and I think the answer is this : When Howl was a chld studying magic alone in a cottage his uncle gave him , he met the demon Calcifer . Now , in most literature , the use of magic - especially strong magic - generally requires a sacrifice of something important . In this case , Howl gives his heart to Calcifer in exchange for powerful magic on tap . At the time he makes this deal with Calcifer , he sees a strange vision - a young woman with silvery hair yelling at him from across a river - that she knows how to help him and Calcifer , that her name is Sophie and he should find her in the future . A black hole opens up and swallows her . He goes on to live his life until one day he saves a young brown-haired woman named Sophie from some soldiers . It's obvious to the viewer that he somehow knows Sophie , but she does not know him , she doesn't even realize he is Howl , who is a terrifying figure as he is reputed to eat the souls of beautiful young women ( although she believes she is safe because she's not pretty ) .
Throughout the story , Sophie goes from looking like a warty , fat old granny , to a young woman to a middle-aged woman and a range in between . She doesn't notice the changes , but something is changing inside of her , as she spends time living , she becomes younger . As an old lady , she can be funny , feisty , outrageous , she expresses herself with no regard to others , just says what she likes , which is freeing . She gives reign to anger and sorrow , but finds herself enjoying life . She also finds love , in a family with Markl , Calcifer , Heen , Howl , even the Wicked Witch of the Waste . When she spends time with Howl alone - in life or in her dreams - she completely changes to a lovely young woman . And Howl himself transforms a bit , he had had an affair with the Witch of the Waste because he thought she was beautiful , until he realizes she is not . With Sophie , as the old hag she is not beautiful , but becomes beautiful to him . I think it's both his seeing thru the curse and Sophie's acceptance that she is beautiful , especially in Howl's eyes that finally breaks her curse . I've heard the phrase youth is wasted on the young and in this case Sophie gets a chance to really appreciate her youth once the curse if lifted .
Overall I highly recommend this movie . There are a lot of things that are puzzling , including the war and the weird way it is being waged . The relationships between people are odd and hard to figure out , like Mrs . Suliman and how she strips the powers from witches and wizards . But how much can you do with a movie that's only a little over 2 hours long ? But it's enjoyable enough that I spent a bit of time trying to puzzle things out . Take a look , hope you enjoy !
001 4 Not a lot of directors would be brave enough to take on a love story between a girl-turned-old-lady and a wizard missing a vital organ . But Oscar-winning Hayao Miyazaki tackles a new fantasy realm in in Howl's Moving Castle - - namely , that of fantasy dowager Diana Wynne Jones .
Sophie ( Emily Mortimer ) is a plain , unhappy young woman working in a milliner's shop - - lightened only slightly by a mysterious wizard who rescues her one day . But then the evil Witch of the Waste ( Lauren Bacall ) comes into the shop , and casts a spell on her , turning her into an ancient old lady ( Jean Simmons ) . Sophie ends up wandering into the Moving Castle , a chicken-legged chaos machine , and encountering the sexy if childish wizard Howl ( Christian Bale ) , smart-aleck fire demon Calcifur ( Billy Crystal ) , and preteen apprentice Markl ( Josh Hutcherson ) .
Sophie appoints herself the cleaning lady and starts whipping the castle into shape , trying to deal with Howl's temper tantrums and the war brewing all around them , and trying to cure her peculiar curse . But when she runs an errand to a castle in Howl's place , she finds that her new boss has some sinister problems of his own - - including his missing heart , and impending transformation into a monster .
Don't expect much fidelity to the novel ; Miyazaki takes plenty of liberties with the story . As a result , it feels more like his story than Jones ' , with all the earmarks he usually has - - blobby monsters , colorful rural settings , intense anti-war messages , strange machines , and a Jules-Verne atmosphere of Victorian technology . But Howl's Moving Castle is very different from the others Miyazaki has done , since he kept the British flavour of the original book .
It's also different because it's a love story - - and a surprisingly un-cheesy one . In less skilled hands , having Howl say I finally found something worth protecting . It's you would seem inane , but Miyazaki keeps it brief and powerful . And even though Sophie looks elderly through most of the movie , Miyazaki never falls into trite observations about inner beauty . He just lets the story tell us that .
The animation is virtually flawless , from the chaotic absurdity Moving Castle to the breathtaking aerial battles with the bird-man Howl . Tiny details are everywhere , from painted ceiling beams to elaborate doorknobs . But there are also quiet , entertaining moments , such as Sophie attempting to houseclean the entire Moving Castle . Calcifur is the one sore point - - he's not done badly , but he looks vaguely artificial . I suppose a fire demon is hard to animate .
There are a few flaws , in that the story could have used a bit more fleshing out - - at times the relationships between the characters are sketchy . Not much detail , for example , is given about sorceress Suliman ( Blythe Danner ) and her relationship to Howl , or why she's so peeved at him . Or about the nature of Howl's increasingly dangerous magic and why he did what he did to lose his heart .
While there are the usual howls that the English dubbing is inferior to the original Japanese , the assorted voice actors did exceptional work in the American version . Christian Bale and Billy Crystal are the major standouts - - Crystal is funny and dry as usual , while Bale is sultry , sexy , soft-spoken and deep . Except , of course , when Howl runs around the house shrieking that his hair is ruined .
Howl's Moving Castle moves on a little too fast in places , but it's still a breathtaking , romantic , colorful ride . A wonderful story , told by one of the few filmmakers who could do it justice .
002 4 Probably many people find the story confusing . I felt the same thing when I saw it in the theater for the first time ! The story seemed arbitrary and I couldn't connect the pieces together . But when I watch it again on the DVD , I realize the movie is probably about one thing : personal freedom .
Howl is a free person . He doesn't has a heart and even his home ( which is usually characterized as a stable point in one's life ) can move : - ) He is disguised as different wizards in different counties , and when Sophie asks him how many identities he has , he said Enough to guarantee my freedom . When Sophie confronts Suliman , she comments Howl as selfish and cowardly and unpredictable , but he's straight as an arrow . He only wants to be free . But in Miyazaki's world , nothing is black and white . According to Suliman , Howl's power is too great for a person without heart , and he will eventually becomes a monster ( some political figures come to my mind ) .
Sophie , on the other hand , is bounded by responsibilities . She is young , but her heart is old . She refuses the invitation from her friends and keep working at the hat shop . When her sister asks her Are you going to spend your life in that shop ? She replies It meant so much to papa . Besides , I'm the eldest . . Even her sister asks her to look out for yourself .
When Sophie is turned to an old lady , it actually set her free because the good thing of being old is that one has so little to lose She becomes more adventurous and takes control of her life . She is very assertive as being the cleaning lady in Howl's castle and even tames Calcifer to cook her food . For Howl , his turning point comes when he refuses to move his castle anymore ( I'll leave it to the reader as why he does that ) By the end of movie , he regains his heart . He feels terrible because it is like trapped under a stone . And Sophie says , Yes , a heart is a heavy burden .
There are other wonderful things in the movie . For example , this is probably one of the few movies that tell me what it is really like to be old . But I do want to highlight the thread about personal freedom as it will help you to tie up the pieces of the story .
003 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
Not a lot of directors would be brave enough to take on a love story between a girl-turned-old-lady and a wizard missing a vital organ .
But Oscar-winning director / writer Hayao Miyazaki tackles a new fantasy realm in in Howl's Moving Castle . In this case , it's the world of fantasy dowager Diana Wynne Jones , and he wraps the storyline in humor , romance and genuine flair . No , it's not faithful . But it is fantastic .
Sophie ( Emily Mortimer ) is a plain , unhappy young woman working in a milliner's shop . But then the evil Witch of the Waste ( Lauren Bacall ) comes into the shop , and turns her into a hobbled old lady ( Jean Simmons ) . Sophie ends up wandering into the Moving Castle , a chicken-legged chaos machine , and encountering the sexy , immature wizard Howl ( Christian Bale ) , smart-aleck fire demon Calcifur ( Billy Crystal ) , and preteen apprentice Markl ( Josh Hutcherson ) .
Sophie appoints herself the cleaning lady and starts whipping the castle into shape , trying to deal with Howl's temper tantrums and the rapidly deepening war . And , of course , trying to de-curse herself . But when she runs an errand that Howl is too scared to deal with , she finds that her new boss has some sinister problems of his own - - including a missing heart .
Don't expect much fidelity to the humorous fantasy novel . Miyazaki takes plenty of liberties with the story , leaving out characters and adjusting others . As a result , it feels more like his story than Jones ' , with the earmarks of his style - - blobby monsters , colorful rural settings , intense anti-war messages , strange machines , and a Jules-Verne atmosphere of Victorian technology . But Howl's Moving Castle is very different from the others Miyazaki has done , since he kept the British flavour of the original book .
Moreover , it's a love story . Miyazaki has vaguely touched on romance in prior movies , but here it's full-blown , and surprisingly un-cheesy . In less skilled hands , having Howl say I finally found something worth protecting . It's you would seem inane . In Miyazaki's hands , it's not . And even though Sophie looks elderly through most of the movie , Miyazaki never falls into trite observations about inner beauty . He just lets the story show it .
Not that it's all lovey-doviness - - Sophie's housecleaning and Calcifur ( Sophie , help ! I'm going out ! ) provide plenty of amusement . And the animation is as close to flawless as you can get , from the chaotic absurdity Castle to the breathtaking aerial battles that Howl swoops in on . Tiny details are everywhere , from painted ceiling beams to elaborate doorknobs . Calcifur is the one sore point - - he's not done badly , but he looks vaguely artificial .
There are a few flaws in that the story could have used a bit more fleshing out - - at times the relationships between the characters are sketchy . Not much detail , for example , is given about sorceress Suliman ( Blythe Danner ) and her relationship to Howl , why she's so peeved at him . And it's a bit hard to comprehend why Howl's condition would turn him into a monster bird .
And while there are the usual howls that the English dubbing is inferior to the original Japanese vocal work , the American voice actors did exceptional work . Christian Bale and Billy Crystal are the major standouts - - Crystal is funny and dry as usual , while Bale is sultry , sexy , soft-spoken and deep . Except , of course , when Howl runs around the house wailing that his hair is ruined .
Howl's Moving Castle moves on a little too fast in places , but it's still a breathtaking , romantic , colorful ride . A wonderful story , told by one of the few filmmakers who could do it justice .
004 4 Not a lot of directors would be brave enough to take on a love story between a girl-turned-old-lady and a wizard missing a vital organ .
But Oscar-winning director / writer Hayao Miyazaki tackles a new fantasy realm in in Howl's Moving Castle . In this case , it's the world of fantasy dowager Diana Wynne Jones , and he wraps the storyline in humor , romance and genuine flair . No , it's not faithful . But it is fantastic .
Sophie ( Emily Mortimer ) is a plain , unhappy young woman working in a milliner's shop . But then the evil Witch of the Waste ( Lauren Bacall ) comes into the shop , and turns her into a hobbled old lady ( Jean Simmons ) . Sophie ends up wandering into the Moving Castle , a chicken-legged chaos machine , and encountering the sexy , immature wizard Howl ( Christian Bale ) , smart-aleck fire demon Calcifur ( Billy Crystal ) , and preteen apprentice Markl ( Josh Hutcherson ) .
Sophie appoints herself the cleaning lady and starts whipping the castle into shape , trying to deal with Howl's temper tantrums and the rapidly deepening war . And , of course , trying to de-curse herself . But when she runs an errand that Howl is too scared to deal with , she finds that her new boss has some sinister problems of his own - - including a missing heart .
Don't expect much fidelity to the humorous fantasy novel . Miyazaki takes plenty of liberties with the story , leaving out characters and adjusting others . As a result , it feels more like his story than Jones ' , with the earmarks of his style - - blobby monsters , colorful rural settings , intense anti-war messages , strange machines , and a Jules-Verne atmosphere of Victorian technology . But Howl's Moving Castle is very different from the others Miyazaki has done , since he kept the British flavour of the original book .
Moreover , it's a love story . Miyazaki has vaguely touched on romance in prior movies , but here it's full-blown , and surprisingly un-cheesy . In less skilled hands , having Howl say I finally found something worth protecting . It's you would seem inane . In Miyazaki's hands , it's not . And even though Sophie looks elderly through most of the movie , Miyazaki never falls into trite observations about inner beauty . He just lets the story show it .
Not that it's all lovey-doviness - - Sophie's housecleaning and Calcifur ( Sophie , help ! I'm going out ! ) provide plenty of amusement . And the animation is as close to flawless as you can get , from the chaotic absurdity Castle to the breathtaking aerial battles that Howl swoops in on . Tiny details are everywhere , from painted ceiling beams to elaborate doorknobs . Calcifur is the one sore point - - he's not done badly , but he looks vaguely artificial .
There are a few flaws in that the story could have used a bit more fleshing out - - at times the relationships between the characters are sketchy . Not much detail , for example , is given about sorceress Suliman ( Blythe Danner ) and her relationship to Howl , why she's so peeved at him . And it's a bit hard to comprehend why Howl's condition would turn him into a monster bird .
And while there are the usual howls that the English dubbing is inferior to the original Japanese vocal work , the American voice actors did exceptional work . Christian Bale and Billy Crystal are the major standouts - - Crystal is funny and dry as usual , while Bale is sultry , sexy , soft-spoken and deep . Except , of course , when Howl runs around the house wailing that his hair is ruined .
Howl's Moving Castle moves on a little too fast in places , but it's still a breathtaking , romantic , colorful ride . A wonderful story , told by one of the few filmmakers who could do it justice .
005 4 My two young kids ( 8 & 6 ) and I enjoyed this film very much . We have never heard or read the book which the movie is based on before . I love and have watched almost every movie done by Mr . Miyazaki . This one is no exception . The visual , the story and the charactors are all wonderful . We have watched the movie over and over and never got tired of it .
After enjoy so much about the movie version of Howl's Moving Castle , I decided to read the book written by Diana Wynne-Jones . It is a really fascinating work with lively charactors and incredible imagination through out . Then I found out that I was slightly disappointed by the change Mr . Miyazaki made to his movie . I hope that he would follow the book more truthfully . I don't really care much about the Anti-War theme in the movie with a confusing plot . I would rather watch the battles between Howl and the Witch of the Waste .
However , if you can seperate them and view them as two unrelated work , I really enjoy and love both of them because they both feature my favorite charactors including Howl , Sophie and Calcifer .
p.s . I rate this film 4 stars but it shows only 1 star . And I can't change it !
006 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
I have seen every Miyazaki film that has been released in the U.S . and loved them all . Out of all of them , this is my favorite ( closely followed by Spirited Away ) . The plot was perfectly paced and well constructed . The visuals were gorgeous . The message was sweet . In every way that matters , this film is perfect .
I took my four hyperactive children ( 17 , 9 , 5 , 3yrs ) to the subtitle version of this film . It held their attention . We went the following week to the dubbed version ( excellent voices ) and again the film held them enthralled . The only other films that have come close to this are from Pixar .
BTW - - One aspect I do not see discussed in this thread is the fluidity of Sophie's curse and what that implies .
007 4 I have seen every Miyazaki film that has been released in the U.S . and loved them all . Out of all of them , this is my favorite ( closely followed by Spirited Away ) . The plot was perfectly paced and well constructed . The visuals were gorgeous . The message was sweet . In every way that matters , this film is perfect .
I took my four hyperactive children ( 17 , 9 , 5 , 3yrs ) to the subtitle version of this film . It held their attention . We went the following week to the dubbed version ( excellent voices ) and again the film held them enthralled . The only other films that have come close to this are from Pixar .
BTW - - One aspect I do not see discussed in this thread is the fluidity of Sophie's curse and what that implies .
008 4 Should Miyazaki be pleased or despairing that his handcrafted animations have reached their zenith just as their computer generated cousins threaten them with redundance ? At age 64 , he's probably beyond worrying . This is a celebration of the human touch , in a similar vein to Nic Park's whacky , Grommit . The care lavished on the subtle tonalities of colour and texture is one of their shared domains . Another , at least with , ' Howl ' is a predelection for an earlier , and now only a dimly familiar , period of the early C20th , where freeways were lanes , and cobblestones and woodgrain were yet to be superceeded by synthetics . And , inventor's magic reigns supreme . The parable in ' Howl ' is about the transforming power of love , a power of the most potent magic . Witches cast spells and wizards are sought for counsel by kings . Wars churn along with machine-like inevitability , the consequential milieu of a bewildered populace . The animated heart , aflutter with infatuation , burdened by outward appearance , stretched by loyalty to compassion , promotes the narrative . Howl's Castle , an unlikely chunk of Boschlike junk on four legs ( flashes of Frank Zappa's , ' Billy The Mountain ' , for me ) is the resevoir of recouperation and regeneration for the wounded hearts , kept alive by a spirited flame . The narrative asserts that appearances deceive and that youthful ones in particular , can be an encumbrance . There are no such encumbrances with the appearance of Miyazaki's films , which are a liberating , elevating joy . His reach is considerable : from the aforementioned details out to superb panoramas , be they the incendiary glimmer of a distant city under nocturnal aerial seige , or a pellucid valley lake enthroned by ice-capped peaks . For me , the animator's artistry with halated colour and whimsical line is the fiat to the elusive powers of his characters . What facility ! Together with ' Princess Mononoke ' and ' Spirited Away ' , Miyazaki enters the pantheon of cinematic geniuses .
009 4 Once again the grand master of animation makes his own world . I have seen all of Mayazaki's films and this one with out a doubt is my favorite . I did not think it possible that Mayzaki could create another film that I would love more that Spirited Away . However when I was in the theater I was found to be very wrong . Each time the grand master film maker and storyteller graces us a film he creates a whole new world . This one is my favorite because there is so much in it you have to watch two or three times to get everything . Sophie is so identifiable because I am sure anyone and everyone has felt unattractive and unloved . Howl is very childish and selfish but you fall in love with his character anyway . The visuals are stunning and I challenge anyone to not want to take the Hine the dog home with them . I have own many animes and have seen even more . However as to date this is my favorite film . The plot , the music , and the characters make this in my opinion Mayazaki's second master peace with Spirited Away being a close second . Oh yes if you like soundtracks at all get this one Joe Hisaishi really outdid himself this time . In the end I cannot recommend this film enough for anyone and everyone who believes in love and magic . You shall not be disappointed .
010 4 Howl's Moving Castle directed by Hayao Miyazaki first came to my attention when it was nominated for an Academy Award . I thought the title was ridiculous and what was a ` moving castle ' ? While channel surfing , I was immediately stunned by the imagery of this conventionally-animated film and I've bought the DVD .
Sophie leads a quiet life in her family's hat shop . This imaginary world is like early twentieth century western Europe with significant differences . Magic exists along with technology . One day while going to see her sister , she is aided by a handsome stranger . This stranger ( later reveled to be the wizard Howl ) has problems of his own and they are chased by mysterious black rubbery creatures . These creatures are henchmen of the Witch of the Wastes . Seemingly cornered , Howl literally sweeps Sophie off her feet to safety .
When he sets her down again , we know she will love him forever .
Later while alone in the shop , she is cursed by the Witch of the Wastes who believes Sophie is her romantic rival for Howl . Instantly Sophie is aged from 19 to 90 . She leaves town and ventures out into the countryside . In her journey , she is befriended by an enchanted scarecrow . She helps him and he helps her . She ultimately finds refuge in the moving castle of Howl . She is allowed entry by the fire demon , Calcifer who powers the castle . She later meets Markl , Howl's young apprentice . Then the Wizard Howl returns home . Sophie recognizes the man who rescued her . What she does not realize , is Howl recognizes her despite the curse .
In time , she becomes a member of the family . Howl is also cursed along with other problems . Events in the outside world intrude in their personal lives when their nation goes to war . If you want to know what else , watch the movie . . . . . . : - )
This film is nothing short of a masterpiece . I never would have thought of Christian Bale as having a romantic voice . His voice is the perfect compliment to the beautifully animated Howl . The characters are vivid . Howl can be dashing and the man certainly knows how to make an exit . Sophie is insecure as a young woman but oddly comfortable as a old woman . As her confidence and love for Howl comes through , her appearance returns to normal . It as though the curse is a physical manifestation of her insecurities . Young Markl is initially annoyed by this old lady but she soon fills a void in his life .
The DVD extras were interesting . Remember this is a foreign film . Even though it is a cartoon , it is dubbed . The animated characters lips were originally synced to a Japanese language script . When American voices were used , the translated script had to take into account the lip movements of the animated characters .
The movement is based on a novel by Diana Wynne Jones . Having read the novel , I think the movie is an improvement . It seems Pixar Director Pete Doctor has not . While pointing out the interesting plot elements made by Miyazaki , he names things created by Ms . Jones . While this is a wonderful film , it is based on Ms . Jones work . It would've been nice if she'd been given proper credit .
Even though this is a cartoon , it isn't necessarily a children's film . Adults will love this also .
011 4 Personally ? I loved this movie . But the purpose of this particular review is to try to give you an idea of whether or not YOU will like it , not me . So . Here we go .
If you have read the book and liked it - You may my disappointed with the movie , or not . It depends on how flexible you are when it comes to changing the storyline and characters . What I think Miyazaki did was borrow the characters and put them in a totally different situation . So , fans of the book , be prepared for something different . Doesn't mean you won't like it ; just be prepared .
If you have not read the book - First of all , READ IT ! It's an amazing book . . . read it seven times in three months , I have . = ) Anyway . Well , you definitely have to go into this movie with an open mind . It has a lot of plot holes that you may not understand if you haven't read the book , and some you won't understand anyway . This is the kind of movie where you just have to sit back and enjoy the ride and not worry about every little thing being explained . In a way , it's realistic . In life , you don't know why everything happens . It just . . . does .
Eh , this came out a lot more brief than I wanted it to be , but I got tired of typing and ran out of stuff to say . So . I hope this helped anyway . = )
012 4 This is a difficult movie to review , at least for those of us who have read Diane Wynne Jones ' original novel .
The problem , you see , is that both the original book and this film are beautiful , but also completely different . Besides the title and some of the character's names they share nothing else .
Wynne's novel is charming and lighthearted , a mixture of soft romance and mystery , with even some adventure thrown into it .
Miyazaki's adaptation tries to be much more serious , touches difficult subjects ( such as the terrors of war ) and , unfortunately , gets lost in the proccess .
While Wynne's book offers a near-perfect ( if simple ) plot , Miyazaki's own is full of holes - some of you might not notice them while watching the film , but once it's over you'll end up wondering many things . . .
Which kingdoms were fighting ? Over what ?
Why did the Witch decide to curse Sophie ? What was it that she wanted in the first place ?
Why was Howl involved in the war in the first place ? Why does Sophie's hair remain silver ?
Where did the air-machines and bombers came from ? What are those frog-like things supposed to be ? Why does Howl transform into that . . . thing ?
Some are minor details , some aren't so easy to over-look .
However , this film is beautiful . Beautiful . The visuals are amazing , the interaction between characters heartwarming and the music has a bohemian touch that fits the mood all too well .
I would go as far as to say that this film has ephimeral moments - the scene with the stars running over the lake , for instance , is too beautiful for words , even . Howl coming back , exhausted , almost invisible and falling onto a chair is , as simple as it sounds , artistic , and his all-feathered body , and all the scene during which he protects his house and Sophie will make 95% of the female audience sigh .
So , should you watch this movie ? Yes , if you haven't seen it yet , then yes ! Try not to think too hard about the many whys and just enjoy the ride . Enchanting visuals , lovely music and an over-all feel-good feeling ( redundant , I know ) will accompany you , I promise . You won't regret it .
If you are a fan of Wynne's book , however - be wary . You just need to understand they're not the same thing . This movie isn't trying to be a faithful adaptation ; it's something very different and very unique . Don't expect Wynne's lighthearted romantic humor , but you'll get something really good in its own way .
013 4 For those of you who have been wondering , some of the main differences between the film and the book are the following :
1 ) The book fleshes out Sophie's family relations and the reasons why she may have been eager to take her opportunity to leave home ( until I read the book I had wondered why she suddenly decided to head off into the Wastes )
2 ) Sophie's latent magical abilities - - explored very interestingly in the book , but only just barely touched on in the movie .
3 ) The movie changes the character and motivations of the Witch . In this case , the movie actually succeeds in creating a more interesting and sympathetic character . I think Miyazaki dislikes good / bad dichotomies and struggles , in each movie to show that characters are all a mix of hero and villain .
4 ) The War . In the book there is only a vague mention of a coming war , but nothing active . In the movie , the war is much more prominent and central to the story . The movie takes several moments to express a negative view of war as useless , idiotic , stupid . . . . Again , this is something Miyazaki likes to talk about in his movies - - the pointlessness of violence and war and the importance of peace and domesticity .
5 ) Gadgets . The book doesn't spend a lot of time describing Howl's castle or other gadgets . And there are most certainly no airships . But Miyazaki likes to insert artistic-looking aircrafts and other Rube Goldbergian devices into his movies . . . and I can't really begrudge him that . They're a lot of fun , and provide interesting detail that is not out of place .
6 ) Old / Young Sophie - - The book doesn't show transformations as Sophie's identity develops and grows . It's a neat visual effect though , and a good way to communicate a concept that would otherwise require a lot of clumsy narrative explication . What the book DOES suggest , very interestingly , is that Sophie is actually responsible for the old lady image herself - - that she prefers being in disguise .
All in all , I think this was a great film adaptation . Gorgeous .
014 4 Whenever it is pizza night for movie's , I have a housefull of kids ranging from 6 to 17 . Trying to find a movie that's appropriate for the little ones but exciting for the big ones is tough .
This one kept everyone engaged . The story had love , action and a little animated fire character that the little ones loved .
The older kids thought the imagination of the whole story ( moving castle , birdman , witch of the waste , etc . ) was awesome .
The animation is gorgeous . I kept pointing out how whoever animated it showed clouds reflected on the windows as they rolled by . It is definitely a DVD with replay value just to soak in some of the animation that was missed the first time .
The movie had no depressing cheap shots ! I loved Lion King , but when Mufasa died , which I know had to be part of the story , it was tough to watch . Disney has been pulling this trick with death for awhile . You range from happy to sad in a matter of sixty minutes .
It was nice to see a kids movie which kept your attention while not resorting to having to kill off characters left and right .
015 4 I watched this at a local theater yesterday , and was very excited about it . I am a huge fan of miyazaki , and I was even happier when I learned they would be showing the original , uncut , Japanese version with english subtitles . At first , when people said that movies would keep you on the edge of your seat , I didn't know what they meant . Then I watched Howl's Moving Castle . I was on the edge of my seat the whole time . This movie was fantastic , but I highly recomend you watch it in Japanese with subtitles . I don't know what changes Disney made , but I think that you still should watch it in Japanese . There is some violence , but it isn't too bad . this is , in my opinion , the best miyazaki movie . . . the best movie EVER . You HAVE to see it .
016 4 Based loosely on the book by british author diana wynne jones , Howl's moving castle is a dazzling and spectacular , make-believe fantasy directed by the legend Hayao miyazaki . It has all the Miyazaki brilliance and charm , it has amazing characters trapped in circumstances beyond one's imagination , it has breathtakingly beautiful landscapes and open spaces , it has its hearfelt uplifting moments , it has Joe hisaishi's heavenly score , capable enough of transporting the viewer into a magical , mystical world on its own , it has everything else one ever expects from a Miyazaki or a Studio Ghibli film . . . . and above all it has a message ! Howl's moving castle is Studio Ghibli's strongest anti-war statement after Grave of the fireflies .
The story of Howl's moving castle revolves around a young girl sophie who works in a hat shop . After she is saved by a wizard , Howl , from the dark forces , Sophie is turned into a 90 year old wrinkled old woman by the witch of the waste , out of jealousy . In the wilderness , Sophie comes across this strange moving castle wherein she takes refuge . Howl happens to be the master of the castle . While howl fights demons and dark forces in the war torn land , Sophie is left alone alongwith a fire demon Calcifer to take care of the magical moving castle which seems to posses supernatural powers in itself . Even its doors lead to different worlds ! The plot gets deeper and complex as Sophie and Howl , alongwith few other amazing characters such as a scarecrow and a very strange dog , try finding resolutions to all the problems surrounding them . Due to its interwoven sub-plots and complexities , Howl's moving castle easily calls for multiple viewings .
Only Miyazaki could have told a story as complex as this one with such a grace and charm ! Even the most unbelievable and wierdest characters come alive amidst gorgeous settings in a Miyazaki film ! ! Howl is an unforgettable experience which certainly leaves the viewer spellbound , craving for more . Miyazaki's attention to details in the film is , as usual , stunning . Character animation looks absolutely flawless and is certainly more complex and richer than in any other ghibli film . Animation on the castle alone is jawdropping . Each and every frame of the film is lush , detailed , a true piece of art , putting to shame anyone who thinks traditional animation is a thing of the past . The hand drawn beauty and feel of the film Howl's moving castle easily surpasses any of the recent digitally animated films by leaps and bounds .
With Howl's moving castle , Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli have once again successfully proved that they work only for the projects they believe in . Without succumbing to the market needs or giving a damn to the ongoing trend or formulas in the industry , they rather follow their own hearts and minds , exploring new horizons in art and cinema with their unusual storylines and experimental subjects .
Howl's moving castle is a grand film with a soul , a meaning and a purpose .
017 4 I won't comment on the book adaptation or the structure of this highly-developed film , because so many others already have . But I do want to add a note about why this film is well worth purchasing on CD rather than just renting or seeing in a theatre .
Howl's Moving Castle ranks with early Disney masterpieces like Snow White as a landmark in the naturalistic animation of a fantasy world .
Where it differs from most other movies is in its incredibly rich texture . In almost every scene there are dozens of things going on , some of which you won't notice on a first viewing .
The magnificent set-pieces , like the scenes of bombing or the busy cityscapes , have dozens of separate elements . The moving castle itself , with its jiggling turrets , stomping claws and hissing steam-vents , is an astonishing creation . And the comic scenes - - as when Sophie , Heen , Markl and Turnip struggle to eject the crashed plane from the castle's gullet - - work on many hilarious levels .
There is not a wasted second or an inch of wasted space in this film ; like a lovingly-created diorama under a glass dome , touched by a magician , it seethes with weird but utterly convincing life .
You will find yourself watching some of these scenes many times over , marvelling at the inventiveness of Miyazaki and his team , catching some new detail every time .
This is certainly among the best animated films ever made , and I highly recommend it !
018 4 There are hardcore fans for everything , and it always saddens me when fans of a studio like Ghibli overlook every single flaw and injustice done to a preexisting work . This particular film is such a case . I like good anime and have introduced many people to that art form via Ghibli , but this was one film I had to tell them to ignore .
The art is fantastic , but the story is unrelated to the book except in name . There was plenty of room to edit material from a single youth novel into a film , but Miyazaki chose the unfortunate route of adding several plot elements ( some of which are never concluded ) and changing everything else , which severely limited character development . When I saw this with friends at an art film showing , most of the people leaving the theatre had subdued reactions and many were confused by several details ( not all had read the book yet - this is confusion with / without the book ) . Granted , the majority of the audience there were college level and higher .
I recommend literate individuals , especially parents with children , to pick up the novel by Diana Wynne Jones . Read it at bedtime or on the couch ; it's a very unique work and superior to the Harry Potter franchise in eloquence . Don't believe the hype for this particular adaptation . And assume the most glowing praise from such adaptations ( including the most recent one of Tales from Earthsea ) are by hardcore fanboys / fangirls who are not familiar with the original written works .
The only good thing to come out of this film is increased interest in the original written word .
019 4 Yeah , yeah , I'm late to the party . It's not my fault . I've sat through so much crappy anime , that anything that smacks of Japanese and is animated makes me run out of the room .
But , I got so many recommendations to see HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE , that I caved . The film is based on the novel by Diana Wynne Jones ( familiar to fans of fantasy , most likely . )
Glad I broke my no anime rule , too . Absolutely delightful film that I heartily recommend .
In brief : Set in some Europeanish land that feels like the 19th century , where contraptions of odd sorts and magic coexist happily , this is the story of Sophie , a plain young woman who works making hats , and who , after a brief rescue from sludgy thugs by a very attractive blond fella ( the wizard Howl ) , finds herself cursed by the Witch of the Waste ( who still resents not being able to capture Howl's heart ) . The curse turns her into a very old woman . So , off Sophie goes to the wizard in hope of breaking the curse . In typical fairy tale fashion , she has spunk and is quite industrious and noble of heart - - helping a scarecrow stuck in a thicket ( who then follows her slavishly , bounce-bounce-bouncing along ) , entering Howl's castle and bargaining with the fire demon , beginning to tidy up , taking charge of the place . Sophie and Howl and Markl ( the boy who assists Howl ) and Calcifer ( the fire demon who is dependent on Howl , and Howl on he , in some symbiotic curse ) end up getting along and working to end a war incited by the disappearance of a prince . ( It won't take much guessing to figure out who's the prince ) . In the end , solutons are found and a new family is created from the cursed and lonely folks of the castle .
A truly happy and romantic , even , ending .
The castle itself if hilarious and whimsical and a joy to behold in action . The sort of thing I'd have given a few toes and fingers to ride in as a kid . The story has a generous and good heart , if you pardon the pun . ( You'll get the pun if you see the film . ) One young woman's selflessness and courage makes life better for a whole lot of people , breaking curses left and right . People don't always get what they deserve , interestingly . They do get compassion and grace and mercy . The idea of the longing for family is at play as well , and family may not be flesh-folk , but folk who band together and live together and make a life where they help and get help from one another , and where they put up with each other's moods , flaws , and eccentricities .
Good theme , that .
And if you like to laugh , Billy Crystal will make you . . . er . . . HOWL as Calcifer , the fire demon . I laughed my wee head askew .
Christian Bale adds something extra to the character of Howl , the tormented wizard . A weariness , a masculinity , a strength , a bit of humor . I really like Bale ( he was the best Batman on film ! ) , and while I didn't recognize the voice during the flim and had to check the credits , I kept thinking , I know that voice . I know that voice ! He was perfect for the part .
For those who love a Beauty and the Beast type tale , this has that , too .
And I recognized at once the voices of Jean Simmons and Emily Mortimer , but it took me a while to place Lauren Bacall , who does the Witch of the Waste perfectly , even after the character undergoes a rather startling transformation . ( Oh , you're gonna love it . )
From what I've read about Academy Award winning animator , Hiyao Mayazaki , he's a gifted man with the knack of adding a special magic to his creations . His work has brought him great honor and success in his homeland ( and globally ) for films such as MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO , NAUSICAA : The Valley of the Wind , PRINCESS MONONOKE , SPIRITED AWAY and others .
Howl's Moving Castle is sprinkled with some of that magic .
020 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
I am a fan of animation since I was a very young boy , going back to Max Fleischer's Popeye and Superman cartoons . This is one of the most imaginative and well-produced major MOVIES that I have ever seen , let alone a mere animation . Why are you reading this , when you could be watching a true gem ?
022 4 I don't have a lot to add here that wouldn't just be redundant praise for Miyazaki's genius , but I did want to draw special attention to the english dub version of this film . Ordinarily , I can't stand to watch english dubbing on any foreign films including anime or animation ( and ordinarily the quality of the voice acting in dubbing is really atrocious ) , but I wound up trying this one out and I was truly impressed by the job that Pixar did with the dubbing of this movie . Emily Mortimer sounds absolutely nothing like the Japanese actress who did the voice of the girl in her young incarnation , but she does a really fabulous job , so they absolutely made the right choice to go with her acting ability over the principle of similarity to the original . In fact , I may actually prefer watching Howl dubbed over subtitled because of the fantastic Mortimer / Simmons voice pairing , which makes this film pretty unique in my experience . Thanks dub people , great job everybody , all around !
023 4 This is Hayao Miyazaki's last work of art before he retired . I really love every work done by him through Studio Ghibli , and this one does not disappoint . The story is based on Diana Wynne Jones ' fantasy novel of the same title , it offers everything Studio Ghibli has to offer . The beautiful graphics , vivid characters , nice flow to tell a fairly complicated story without a hitch , and yes , the beautiful music by Joe Hisaishi .
There is not much I can add about this work of the master than already said / written million times .
But what is surprising about this Disney release is that the voice-over was done so nicely , I actually think IT IS BETTER THAN the original Japanese version . Beleive me , I watched both language versions , and I don't need the subtitle in either language to comprehend .
As opposed to Japanese track where Chieko Baisho did both young and old Sofi ( where young Sofi sounded too old and old Sofi sounded too young ) , Jean Simmons was lively and convicing , and Emily Mortimer was just right for her younger self . Billy Crystal and Lauren Bacall were just so natural and wonderful , the whole film is not the same without them . Christian Bale sounded just like Howl should . Hin , of course , did not need any voice over .
If you didn't know better , you can be easily convinced this film was produced for English audience to begin with .
Yet , this is not a kiddy film that many U.S . audiences still expects . It is made for all ages , and different age groups will see this differently . Watch this ten years later and see if you find something new .
Thank you , Miyazaki , for all your work , and thank you , Disney for producing a nice English version . They could market Ghibli works more rigorously , though .
After all , these animation features are done with a great deal of effort and care of old Disney manner , something Disney forgot to do already .
024 4 Nothing like the book ! The book itself had a good plot , I guess , but confusing . Let's just say the movie is Howl's Moving Castle : Miyazaki Style . The animations are wonderful , the scenes are beautiful . It's really funny too ! It's a must for people who love Hayao Miyazaki's films or people who love fantasy .
025 4 Miyazaki nails it again . I thought he peaked at Spirited Away but this movie is just as good . I always suggest watching in Japanese with English subtitles but Billy Crystal steals the show with his voice acting in the English dubbed version . I highly recommend this movie . You will not be disappointed .
027 4 I don't know how other people feel about this movie , but this one has to be my favorite done by Hayao Miyazaki . Spirited Away was fantastic , but Howl's Moving Castle topped it for me . I didn't think it would be as good as Spirited Away , but it was . Right off when Howl first meets Sophie and they walk in the air I was captivated and the music made it seem even more magical . It's a fun and creative story full of magic and ethreal romance that almost anyone could love . The music to it is very fitting and unique as well . The art , lovely . Love it and watch it ! Support Miyazaki ! ^ ^
028 4 I read most of the reviews here and I wanted to give a different light to this movie that I don't think is emphasized enough . I'm assuming that you read the synopsis so I won't bore you with the plot of this movie . Basically want I think is the central theme of this movie is the love story between Sophie and Howl . I love that Sophie and Howl were able to love without prejudice and without restrictions . They saw in each other the strength to help each other overcome the curse that they were both under . In Sophie , Howl was able to see the courage that he lacked in himself and to face his fear of caring for someone and sticking with them . In Howl , Sophie was able to see someone who loved her for her even if she was turned into an old lady .
I think this movie focused more on the characters and their development than the plot of the movie which I know Miyazaki is very popular for . The plot to me did not matter in this movie b / c IT WAS about the characters ! I understand that a lot of people didn't understand the plot or they thought the plot wasn't going anywhere but I honestly think that's the point . I also thought that Miyazaki created a useless war b / c most wars are fought over useless things anyway and are started over useless things , like the king's son being lost . I mean do you really need to bomb a whole country side or village b / c your son is missing ? He didn't make war a central theme in the movie or made the war plot go anywhere b / c I think the whole point was that war shouldn't be the answer to finding everything or solving anything and that's why the war plot didn't go anywhere . Personally I liked that he didn't focused on war and more on the characters and how they came to love each other , become a family , and trust each other . It's about love and redemption and the power to look past the appearance of a person and into their heart . I have all of Miyazaki's films and this is still my all time favorite Miyazaki and I wish he would make more movies like this . I hope this shine a different light for viewers next time they watch the movie and think about the characters and not the plot .
029 4 Hayao Miyazaki's 2004 animated film Howl's Moving Castle was another wonderful animated film that equals the quality of his past works that include films such as
Kiki's Delivery Service
,
Princess Mononoke
and
Spirited Away
. Not using as strong a Shinto theme as in Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away , the story of Howl's Moving Castle is about a young woman named Sofie who works in a hat shop and is placed under a spell that makes her an old woman from the spiteful Witch of the Waste . With war looming between Sofie's kingdom and a neighboring kingdom , Sofie leaves the city and wanders into the neighboring hills , which isn't easy for an old woman ; but she meets a scarecrow who helps her find shelter . The shelter turns out to be a moving castle ( a hovel ) that is owned by the young wizard named Howl , whom Sofie had previously met . Walking into the castle , Sofie settles down in front of the fireplace and the fire , named Calcipher , begins to speak with her ; but the exhausted Sofie falls asleep . The caslte's other resident , a boy named Markl , pretends to be an old man when around other people . Howl's castle doesn't just move on its own on a set of long legs , it also has a magical door that is a portal to several different locations simultaneously depending upon the setting . Sofie settles into the castle as a cleaning lady . Once war breaks out , the kingdom that Sofie & Howl live in attept to induct Howl into its army of other wizards to fight the neighboring kingdom in large , flying airships ; but Howl wants no part of it and instead begins to fight the kingdom's forces to avoid being captured . Sofie , in the meantime , is in love with Howl ; but will the spell that the Witch of the Waste put on her ever be broken ? Will Sofie discover the connection between Calcifer and Howl ? Will Howl be captured ? Who is the scarecrow ? You'll just have to watch this wonderful animated film to find out .
With brilliant animation , engaging characters and an amazing story , I rate Hayao Miyazaki's animated film Howl's Moving Castle with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars . Though some amazing actors ( such as Billy Crystal , Lauren Bacall and Christian Bale ) provided their voices to the English version of the film , I prefer to watch the Japanese version with subtitles . The film was nominated in 2006 for a Best Animated Film Oscar , but the Oscar ultimately went to the 2005 animated film Wallace & Gromit : The Curse of the Were-Rabbit .
030 4 I'm very pleased with this movie . It deviates quite a bit from the book , but is still a lot of fun to watch and is well-done . I especially enjoy that it has both the Japanese and English dubbed audio , as well as subtitles . I prefer the Japanese audio myself , but the English is very good . ( My only reservations about the English is that Christian Bale's voice seems too deep and manly for Howl , and that Sophie's old voice is American while her young voice is obviously British ! It's a very odd effect . ) The English subtitles are good , but listening to the dubbed version cleared up a few things about the story for me , because it was so carefully translated . Great movie !
031 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
Despite the looming war , 19 - year old Sophie Hatter continues to quietly toil in a hatshop and live a staid , humdrum existence . One day , she is rescued from boorish soldiers by a magical , charismatic man , who we later discover is Howl , the rumoredly horrible sorcerer . Displeased with Howl's attention on Sophie , the jealous Witch of the Waste transforms our heroine into a feeble 90 - year old crone and makes her unable to speak of her curse . Sophie makes her way to the wastelands and chances upon Howl's ensorcelled castle , which is only the beginning of her many magical adventures . . .
The venerable Hayao Miyazaki , most recently of Spirited Away fame , has again outdone himself with the leisurely-paced Howl's Moving Castle , his film adaptation of Diana Wynne Jones's fantasy novel . This man is an exquisite artist , pure and plain . He once more combines stunning pastoral imagery with quirky yet opulent fantasy sequences . He seamlessly marries the mundaneness of his steam-powered world of science with the wild nature of inexplicable , powerful magic . Another cool thing about his films is that he takes full advantage of the cinematic scope , filling the screen's edges and corners with visual delights .
Howl's Moving Castle is also a gentle love story between the shy Sophie and the brash but irresponsible Howl . And , like Spirited Away , this offering also focuses on the maturity and growing confidence of the female lead , on her bravery and loyalty to her friends . And speaking of friends , the ones she makes are peculiar and wondrous : Calcifer , the belligerent fire demon who is the engine of Howl's castle ; Howl's young , eager apprentice Markl ; Hin , the court sorceress's asthmatic runaway dog ; and my personal favorite , the very obliging , non-talking , animated scarecrow Turniphead .
I pretty much rate the voice actors by how unintrusive they are in the animated film . If I don't notice them , then it means I became so immersed in the picture's goings-on that I fully bought into the reality of the characters . In this film , the English voices are convincingly synchronized with the animation . It's nice to see Jean Simmons and Lauren Bacall back in the cinema , and they do a marvelous job respectively as the aged , fatigue-wracked Sophie and the selfish wicked Witch of the Waste . Emily Mortimer is equally proficient as young Sophie , who initially is lacking in confidence but over time , becomes more assertive and assured . Christian Bale ( Batman Begins ) correctly plays Howl as dashing , undoubting , reckless and yet , underneath the surface , filled with a certain uncertainty . And Billy Crystal's Calcifer , of course , is perfectly contentious yet endowed with a good heart .
The Special Features are sweeeet : Disc 1 contains : Behind the Microphone , an informative breakdown of the intricacies of voicing an animated film ; an interview with Pete Docter ( Co-Director of the English voices ) ; Hello , Mr . Lasseter : Hayao Miyazaki visits Pixar feature ; and T.V . spots & trailers . Disc 2 has the whole rough storyboard played out to the movie's actual soundtrack .
032 4 Despite the looming war , 19 - year old Sophie Hatter continues to quietly toil in a hatshop and live a staid , humdrum existence . One day , she is rescued from boorish soldiers by a magical , charismatic man , who we later discover is Howl , the rumoredly horrible sorcerer . Displeased with Howl's attention on Sophie , the jealous Witch of the Waste transforms our heroine into a feeble 90 - year old crone and makes her unable to speak of her curse . Sophie makes her way to the wastelands and chances upon Howl's ensorcelled castle , which is only the beginning of her many magical adventures . . .
The venerable Hayao Miyazaki , most recently of Spirited Away fame , has again outdone himself with the leisurely-paced Howl's Moving Castle , his film adaptation of Diana Wynne Jones's fantasy novel . This man is an exquisite artist , pure and plain . He once more combines stunning pastoral imagery with quirky yet opulent fantasy sequences . He seamlessly marries the mundaneness of his steam-powered world of science with the wild nature of inexplicable , powerful magic . Another cool thing about his films is that he takes full advantage of the cinematic scope , filling the screen's edges and corners with visual delights .
Howl's Moving Castle is also a gentle love story between the shy Sophie and the brash but irresponsible Howl . And , like Spirited Away , this offering also focuses on the maturity and growing confidence of the female lead , on her bravery and loyalty to her friends . And speaking of friends , the ones she makes are peculiar and wondrous : Calcifer , the belligerent fire demon who is the engine of Howl's castle ; Howl's young , eager apprentice Markl ; Hin , the court sorceress's asthmatic runaway dog ; and my personal favorite , the very obliging , non-talking , animated scarecrow Turniphead .
I pretty much rate the voice actors by how unintrusive they are in the animated film . If I don't notice them , then it means I became so immersed in the picture's goings-on that I fully bought into the reality of the characters . In this film , the English voices are convincingly synchronized with the animation . It's nice to see Jean Simmons and Lauren Bacall back in the cinema , and they do a marvelous job respectively as the aged , fatigue-wracked Sophie and the selfish wicked Witch of the Waste . Emily Mortimer is equally proficient as young Sophie , who initially is lacking in confidence but over time , becomes more assertive and assured . Christian Bale ( Batman Begins ) correctly plays Howl as dashing , undoubting , reckless and yet , underneath the surface , filled with a certain uncertainty . And Billy Crystal's Calcifer , of course , is perfectly contentious yet endowed with a good heart .
The Special Features are sweeeet : Disc 1 contains : Behind the Microphone , an informative breakdown of the intricacies of voicing an animated film ; an interview with Pete Docter ( Co-Director of the English voices ) ; Hello , Mr . Lasseter : Hayao Miyazaki visits Pixar feature ; and T.V . spots & trailers . Disc 2 has the whole rough storyboard played out to the movie's actual soundtrack .
033 4 Howl's Moving Castle , the latest release from Japanese anime master Hayao Miyazaki , is a beguiling romantic fantasy , a foray into the wizards-and-sorcerers genre adapted from a novel by British fantasy doyenne Diana Wynne Jones . ( She's as big as J.K . Rowling over there and has written over 50 books . )
I'm not a fan of either style , but I was still impressed with this movie , a gigantic hit in Japan but only an art-house release over here . Unlike Spirited Away and most of Miyazaki's other work , this has a vaguely English ( or maybe Swiss ) setting , a world of Victorian shops and lush lakeside gardens . There are only a handful of central characters but they're distinctive and well-drawn . The heroine , Sophie , is introduced as a shy young hatmaker in her family shop , but encounters a mysterious flying castle and a hefty witch who not only draw her in but turn her into a 90 - year-old lady . The movie centers on Sophie's journey between old and young , her involvement with the dashing wizard named Howl and his flying , Rube Goldberg-meets-Harry Potter castle , and Howl's assistants Markl ( a little boy who dresses up like a mini-sorcerer ) and Calcifer ( a wisecracking talking fire ) .
Together and on their own , they labor to break the spells upon them on the way to the promise of freedom .
This sounds like a fantasy cliche , but as I've learned , Miyazaki does not do cliches . We marvel at how Sophie , one minute a wizened laundress , the next a slim young woman , can both charm and scare the pants off Howl , who can fly like the eagles one minute and cower in bed the next . Calcifer the fire is also the castle power plant , while the Witch of the Waste - huge and voluptuous at first - turns on a dime into a wheezing , cigar-chomping crone . It may be a little confusing to some , but you won't find a more empathetic depiction of the very elderly in any animated - or most live-action - films than here .
Disney / Pixar , which oversees all Miyazaki / Studio Ghibli films for Western audiences , has again taken great care to keep the film and images intact while making it look and sound like it was made , or at least recorded , in America . Two bona fide Hollywood doyennes , Jean Simmons ( Grandma Sophie ) and Lauren Bacall [ ! ] ( Witch of the Waste ) , join hot heartthrob Christian Bale ( Howl ) in the lead English voices . But who expected Billy Crystal in here ? As the voice of Calcifer the Fire , that honking Long-Guy-Land accent threw me for a loop at first , yet he's a weird fit as comic balance inside the castle . Miyazaki's gifted composer / conductor Joe Hisaishi adds to the atmosphere with a simple but moody theme heard in countless ways - childlike piano at first , then vaguely-Continental and pastoral - to bring in a lovely musical background . As with Spirited Away , the voices , music and images meld in a way that just grabs you even without slam-bang action or kicky slapstick . One sequence that floored me comes at the end , when the kingdom's at war and the royal capital gets strafed ; it looked and felt like bombed-out London in the ' 40s - or maybe Hiroshima . To his credit , Miyazaki never stints on the horrors of war , and his pacifist philosophy , though naive by today's standards , is never preachy and true to the Japanese values he's so proud of .
This DVD has a few extras , including a look at the American cast and their director , Pixar regular Pete Docter ( Monsters Inc . ) . It's a real treat to see someone as legendary as Lauren Bacall lend her still-sultry voice to the weird and obese witch character . Miyazaki is also a surprise visitor to Pixar's Bay Area studio , where we learn he's an absolute deity to John Lasseter and his wonder boys . The second disc is for serious animation scholars only : the entire movie in storyboard form . If you're an anime purist , you can also watch the film in Japanese with ( or without ) subtitles ; we learned that the Japanese version had the same actress doing Sophie in all her ages . In English , gifted young Brit Emily Mortimer ( Match Point ) played young Sophie with a prim upper-crust accent .
While Howl's Moving Castle isn't quite as enchanting as Spirited Away or as playful as earlier fare like Kiki's Delivery Service , and it may be a bit too Anglo-fantasy-ized for a lot of American kids ( I recommend it to Harry Potter fans over 8 ) , it's still a wonderful fantasy from one of the few-perhaps the only - people on earth who can draw romance , battles , flight , wizardry and so many other things from his own drawings into a beautiful movie . Howl deserved its Oscar nomination and , along with Spirited Away , made me an instant Miyazaki follower . Together , they just might make you a fan too .
034 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
This is yet another beautifully rendered Miyazaki masterpiece about a wizard called Howl ( and sometimes Jenkins . . . and sometimes Pendragon ) who lives in a castle that moves across the moors ( or the waste as it's called in this world ) . It can also move between cities , all through a magically color-coded door . A young girl named Sophie starts the tale . She works in a hat shop and is very shy and rather drab and very afraid of adventure . However , she winds up getting one whether she likes it or not when a witch puts a spell on her , turning her into an old woman . She goes to Howl in an attempt to get the spell taken off , but since part of the spell's magic is that she can't say she's under one , she has no choice but to remain with him in the guise of a cleaning lady until she can figure out how to get rid of it . However , she soon practically forgets all about her own spell when she realizes that Howl is trapped in a sinister spell of his own - - one that may kill him . Sophie is the only one who can find a way to save him , and somewhere along the way , she learns how to save herself .
Features the voices of Christian Bale as Howl ( He even SOUNDS hot - - how does he manage that ? ? ? ) , Blythe Danner , legendary actress Jean Simmons as Old Sophie , up and coming Emily Mortimer ( Match Point ) as Young Sophie , and Lauren Bacall as the witch . It's based on a book of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones . Both are very good , but in different ways . The book is more lighthearted and has far more subplots ( and at times is frankly a bit confusing ) . It's a bit hard to find - - I had to order it at Half.com myself to avoid paying through the nose for it , because most stores don't carry it , and neither did Amazon.com at the time . It's worth checking out if you can manage to hunt a copy down . And the movie is a DON'T MISS , for sure . Miyazaki's subplot about the war is not in the book ; he invented it to help make the story more poignant , and it works - - this is another film that can be described literally as magical . You just have to see it to believe it , and believing is bliss .
Check this one out , and see for yourself how it was robbed of the Best Animated Feature Oscar . Wallace & Gromit ain't got nothing on this !
035 4 This is yet another beautifully rendered Miyazaki masterpiece about a wizard called Howl ( and sometimes Jenkins . . . and sometimes Pendragon ) who lives in a castle that moves across the moors ( or the waste as it's called in this world ) . It can also move between cities , all through a magically color-coded door . A young girl named Sophie starts the tale . She works in a hat shop and is very shy and rather drab and very afraid of adventure . However , she winds up getting one whether she likes it or not when a witch puts a spell on her , turning her into an old woman . She goes to Howl in an attempt to get the spell taken off , but since part of the spell's magic is that she can't say she's under one , she has no choice but to remain with him in the guise of a cleaning lady until she can figure out how to get rid of it . However , she soon practically forgets all about her own spell when she realizes that Howl is trapped in a sinister spell of his own - - one that may kill him . Sophie is the only one who can find a way to save him , and somewhere along the way , she learns how to save herself .
Features the voices of Christian Bale as Howl ( He even SOUNDS hot - - how does he manage that ? ? ? ) , Blythe Danner , legendary actress Jean Simmons as Old Sophie , up and coming Emily Mortimer ( Match Point ) as Young Sophie , and Lauren Bacall as the witch . It's based on a book of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones . Both are very good , but in different ways . The book is more lighthearted and has far more subplots ( and at times is frankly a bit confusing ) . It's a bit hard to find - - I had to order it at Half.com myself to avoid paying through the nose for it , because most stores don't carry it , and neither did Amazon.com at the time . It's worth checking out if you can manage to hunt a copy down . And the movie is a DON'T MISS , for sure . Miyazaki's subplot about the war is not in the book ; he invented it to help make the story more poignant , and it works - - this is another film that can be described literally as magical . You just have to see it to believe it , and believing is bliss .
Check this one out , and see for yourself how it was robbed of the Best Animated Feature Oscar . Wallace & Gromit ain't got nothing on this !
036 4 First of all , I need to mention that the three-star rating has more to do with my frustration with the extra features and interviews on this disc , than with the movie itself .
The movie itself is visually great , as are all of Miyazaki's movies . I was a bit taken aback since I'd read the book the movie was based on ( more on this later ) about 2 months before seeing the movie . It was as if Miyazaki just read the first third of the book , then put the book down and wrote his own story . The second two thirds of the movie bear no resemblance to the book whatsoever , either in plot or characterization . In some ways , I think this is a good thing - some aspects of the book's plot wouldn't translate too well to movie format . I did like the book's plot better , although it was enjoyable watching Howl the bird . : )
Then I started watching the interviews , and sat through a half an hour of Miyazaki getting praised for coming up with such ORIGINAL ideas ( like a girl who comes into her own after being cursed with age , or a moving castle , or a door which opens to different cities depending on the way the doorknob is turned ) . While Miyazaki did take a LOT of creative license , and the movie is definitely a Miyazaki work . . . all of the specific ideas that I just listed SHOULD have been credited to Diana Wynne Jones , who published the book in 1986 . I sat through interview after interview , waiting for SOME mention of the fact that these creative ideas had come from a children's book by the same name , but it never happened . It's as if the movie makers are completely unaware that there had been a book before the movie . And I just don't like it when credit is not given where credit is due .
If it weren't for my frustration with the interviews , I probably would be giving this DVD four stars instead of three . . . I did enjoy the movie , and once I accepted the fact that Miyazaki had taken the basic story elements from the book and then written his OWN plot , I thought that there were many good things about the movie . It wasn't my favorite Miyazaki movie , but it was still pretty good .
037 4 Make no mistake , Miyazaki's world is a revelation . An enlightning and truly breathtaking experience . There are few words to describe the epic frontiers envisioned , and somehow it still retains the intimacy of storytelling . The dynamics of characters still engaging . Anyone who is still suspicious of animation cinema should enter the world of Miyazaki .
Having said that , my thoughts must stay specific to this animation alone . I have been blown away by Miyazaki's previous work , ' Spirited Away ' , ' Castle in the Sky ' , ' Nausica ' and though Moving Castle is another great addition , it is becoming apparent a curse has been cast on our beloved man . It seems that the stories are fixed in one place , limited by Miyazaki's obsession to contrive a story based on the same world . The steam engines , the flying castles , the 19th century feel , the backdrop of war , a future stuck in the industrial age . The setting is very similar . And even the stories retain a similar progression in character transition . The journeys are very alike .
Ultimately , I felt a little empty towards the end of ' Moving Castle ' . The slow sequences began to disrupt my attention and it was quite clear where the story was going . The happy ending was overwhelmingly naive . Everything fell into place all of a sudden , the war ended and everyone lived happily ever after .
I just wonder , what is next for Miyazaki . Is Miyazaki's imagination bound by this one world . I cant help but feel his production team and resources are starting to go to waste , stagnant .
Tell us of a new world .
038 4 This film stole my heart . I am not even an anime fan , but I reluctantly watched this movie on a recomendation . It is refreshingly original to say the least . Why did I not hear about this movie upon its release ? ! This is The best thing I have ever seen come from Disney ! It will break you out of the box of ordinary movies . Howl's Moving Castle took my imagination on an emotional adventure which I shall never forget . Buy this film without hesitation .
039 4 Let me preface this review by saying that I have never read the book that this was based on , and I don't really care to . I've heard the book's very different and I think it would ruin my enjoyment of this fantastic film .
Okay , I love this movie , it may be my favorite Miyazaki movie of all time ( though The Cat Returns and My Neighbor Totoro come pretty close ) . There's just something magical in this fantasy tale that really draws me in . First off , some people complain that this movie made no sense , but I really enjoy Miyazaki's narrative style ; he doesn't spell things out for you plot point by plot point ( the story is not very hard to understand anyway , I don't understand people's confusion ) . It really gives this movie good replay value ; everytime I rewatch it , I learn / notice something new .
Secondly , the animation is beautiful . Just the sweeping scenes of the landscape was gorgeous and really helped you get a feel for the setting .
Thirdly , I felt the characters were very endearing . Especially Calcifer . I really loved his character ( with Billy Crystal voicing ) , he is very humorous ( Sophie , it looks like it's gonna RAIN ! ; this line just wouldn't be as funny if someone else voiced it ) . The other characters were also very likeable , and showed excellent character depth and development . Especially Sophie , who we see transform from a timid , mousy girl to a woman who isn't afraid to speak her mind .
Overall , I highly recommend this movie to anyone who's a fan of fantasy films .
P.S . The bonus features aren't too shabby ; there's not an actual making-of , but there is a very interesting interview with the English translator of the film , an interview with the English voice actors , and an amusing piece of footage following Mr . Miyazaki's visit to Pixar . Overall , the bonus features aren't too bad compared to some of the other Studio Ghibli films .
040 4 This is the one that started me out in Anime . I caught it on tv one day and the title interested me . I was mesmerized by the quality of such a good Anime . I did not even own any Anime . ( I'm a 58 year old male ) . I had to find out who was responsible for this artistic film . I was introduced to Hayo Miyazki . He is reviered as one of the best at his craft . Many Animies are compared to his work . What a stroke of luck that I happened on to the ( genius ) . I now own all but Whisper of the Heart and The Yamadas . They are all good and well worth watching over and over .
Howl's Moving Castle is one of his better works . It is filled with fantasy , magic , interesting characters . Even the fire that powers a moving castle is a character with a voice . The castle is magic itself . Doors that enter into other worlds . Absolutely beautiful scenery . Plenty of very imaginitive flying machines that are a trademark of Miyazaki's . Colors that are exceptional . It's so creative that you wonder what will come next . What a mind this man has !
As you can see by the reviews of Miyazaki's films most people love his work . He is compared to Walt Disney . I like both Disney and Miyazaki and would have a hard time choosing who is best . I will say that Disney started it all and had no one to be influenced by .
I recommend any of Miyazki's films . They are all top notch and probably the best of the best . Enjoy !
P.S . Looking forward to the new one Ponyo on the Cliff .
041 4 My brother doesnt even like these type of movies and he really enjoyed them . I liked the storyline . Coming from someone who is relatively new to Miyazaki's work , the way he portrayed the love is nice . It wasn't unbelieveable . It was refreshing .
Christian Bale is the voice of Howl-the young , conceided magician who falls in love with Emily Mortimer as Sophie-the young turned old girl ( by a spell ) . THey have up and downs just as anyone normal person .
My favorite part was where Howl has a tantrum because Sophie rearranged his maigc potions in the bathroom . He runs down the stairs saying What's the use of living if I can't be beautiful ? .
Anyways , I strongly recommend this for everyone .
043 4 I'm a huge fan of Hayao Miyazaki and , although Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is a close second , Howl's Moving Castle has to rank as my absolute favorite of his films . This movie has lovable characters and a unique plot all within a wonderfully imaginative world . Parts of this movie may be a bit much for very small or sensitive children .
044 4 I am a 75 year old grandmother who keeps buying this movie and it keeps going out the door . Just ordered my third copy . It is so wonderful . My daughter and I both agree it is on our top ten list . Fantasy at it's finest . The American actors chosen for the parts were perfect . The music was beautiful . I love it .
045 4 I have to agree with the one reviewer that the book is better but the adaptation from the book to the movie is tasteful and enjoyable . Without reading the book , you have to pay attention to subtle comments by non-specific characters to determine Howl's perceived personality within Market Chipping and the reason the two cities are at war . My seven year old daughter is in love with the movie and we now own a fish named Calcifer .
046 4 I have read all of the one-star reviews , and have read some of the five-star reviews . You don't have to be too observant to see one thing - most people are disappointed with the fact that the movie is not like the Diana Wynne Jones novel . Has anyone ever compared a manga with an anime ? A movie adaption to a novel ? Even Harry Potter strays from the plot , sometimes .
The fact that the movie is only about 1 / 3 accurate to the novel is fine with me . Both stories are equally enchanting , in my view . If you're a diehard stickler for storyline with Jones's novel , you have to consider this a whooole different story with the same characters . Most of them , anyways , since Michael turned into Markl .
The movie features a war , which makes me think that Miyazaki was rather familiar with Jones's sequel to Howl's Moving Castle , Castle in the Air . That is the book that mentions a war with a neighboring country , the escape / vanishing of Prince Justin , and using magic for the war . There's also Madam Suliman , who , if you pay close attention , is a mix of the Royal Wizard Benjamin Suliman from the novel , and Howl's old tutor , Mrs . Pentstemmon . Turnip Head is much less morbid in the movie , which I think is a good thing . The novel . . . well , he sort of scared me in the novel . I don't want to spoil the deal with him , though . Howl , though , remains vain and in my opinion , very humorous , Michael / Markl is naive and funny as ever , Calcifer is still very . . . Calcifer-like ( although I like how Miyazaki made him more humorously hyper , his manner of speaking makes me laugh ) , and Sophie is the strong-minded female character that's there to screw things up , even though there's more emphasis on that in the novel .
All in all , even Jones fans should be able to enjoy this take . Miyazaki's classical airship / war / beast elements do fit with Jones's original story . ( I like the fact that Wales isn't there anymore , I thought that was completely out of context . ) Five stars . : ]
047 4 Howl's Moving Castle was the third movie that I watched of Miyazaki's movies I believe . Every one of his movies has touched me in some way and I love them all . This one in particular is very beautiful . I guess being of his newer ones , it's visuals and stunning art is astounding . It took me a couple of times of watching to actually grasp the whole plot of the story and to understand what was going on . This movie is surely a Miyazaki classic and will catch the hearts of children and adults . If you love Miyazaki films you won't be disappointed .
048 4 Arguably Miyazaki's best film , Howl's Moving Castle is the enchanting tale of a girl under a curse and the life she leads trying to save both herself and the young man who can help her .
As usual with Studio Ghibli , Disney has taken up dubbing it , so for those of you who fear anime along with all other foreign films for either bad voice acting or subtitles , have no fears . The voices are well done for the most part ( some are even recognizable from other Disney films , as they often reuse voice actors ) .
Another thing people worry about is the quality of the animation . Howl's Moving Castle features some very smooth animating , much in the same quality level as Princess Mononoke ( both of which , from an artistic standpoint , are far superior to other Ghibli films such as Nausicca ) .
All in all , there is nothing that should scare animation lovers from taking this up . It is a shining example of animation in general , Japanese or otherwise . And with their cooperation with Disney , you can be assured that the overall production is worth the purchase .
049 4 A very vividly colorful movie . Studio Ghibli is always on top in animation and this movie is no exception . There is always something in the background that catches the eye and makes fantasy almost like reality . A good deal of humor runs through this film and it has a mild , different since of innocence in the characters . The atmosphere in this movie is slightly fantastic on a child's level , but I'm sure adults would also be interested in watching it . Even so , I've always been a fan of Hayao Miyazaki and his crew and I recommend Howl's Moving Castle .
051 4 Miyazaki is one of the most visionary and inspired story tellers alive , not to mention his spectacular artwork . I am a watercolor artist , and when I watch his movies , I often will go frame by frame to study his water scenes , or sunsets , or even his slime entities . It's interesting to see the use of CG in this latest creation . The story is a bit ' loose ' , but I don't mind one bit not being in on every single detail . It's actually one of the things I appreciate about his work , not everything is spelled out in an overused formula . ( I am really tired of the Disney recipe : open with tragedy , find a cute sidekick , and get home ) . In this story the evil Witch of Waste ( what a great concept ) , is not vanquished , but rather embraced and then tolerated . . . I also loved watching a movie where the heroine is a 90 - year old action figure ( take * that * Hollywood ! ) . My only question for Miyazaki , is what does he have against drawing Asian eyes ? Those big soupy eyes do annoy me . Otherwise , absolutely brilliant work .
052 4 I'm not sure what it is about Miyazaki films but for some reason a 21 year old here feels like an 8 year old again . I'm not saying this movie is just for kids or anything but I would highly recommend the movie for any parents out there . Now I went and watched the movie without knowing anything about it and sure i was a bit unsure of the movie at first but Miyazaki won out in the end .
Technically the movie is pretty good , the voice overs are pretty decent . If you are one of those people that couldn't stand say dakota fanning and her sister in My Neighbor Totorro you have nothing to worry about . I got to give props to Billy Crystal , he does a great job .
I really don't know what else to tell you , by now you should just buy it already especially if you are already a Miyazaki fan . If not this one would be a great one to see first . I'd also recommend Princess Mononoke and Kiki's Delivery Service .
053 4 I deliberately read the book first before I watched the movie and guess what , I LOVE the movie version more ! It has so many needed elements to make everyone stay in their seat ( at least me ) .
Then to prove my point , I noticed what has Miyazaki done to the original story ( which only left me a vague idea of Howl and Sophie's love ) ? He made all the characters to have good side and bad side , nobody's pure evil and nobody's too good .
And the most important thing , a numbly moving castle with feet AND war setting . If that still won't satisfy you , try to find out why Howl found Sophie .
BUT I also suggest that you read the book before or after because Miyazaki also has left some details ( as usual with movie-book ) .
In short , it is a romantic fantasy with lots of mysterious puzzles and filled with Miyazaki's trademarks . It is too good to be passed by a Howl's fan .
054 4 A masterpiece , it should have the won the Oscar for Best Animation , I don't care how much I love Wallace and Gromit , Howl's Moving Castle was brillant ! The story was utterly original , and now I want to read the book version , because it either must be good as or even better then the film . Miyazaki has created one of the beautiful animation in years . . . well . . . not in years , but whenever Spirited Away came out . The animation as well as the story are fluid and move like liquid , with grace and wonder . If you love a : good story , animation , anime , Miyazaki , or basically anything revolving around animation GO SEE THIS MOVIE
055 4 If I've said it once , I've said it a million times , I don't really know anime but I know what I like . It took a while to grow on me , but I really like Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle . a curious colourful fantasy based on the book of the same name .
Sophie is a girl who works in a hat shop , in a world filled with steam-based technology , witches and wizards , caught up in a WWII-esque battle in the skies . Near closing time , she refuses to let in a rather plump snobby woman , not realizing that it is the Witch of the Waste . The witch puts a curse on poor Sophie , turning her into an old woman . Though a little shocked , the change isn't that devastating for Sophie , but her friends and housemates might not take it so well , so she hobbles off to the wild wastes , where she discovers Turnip Head , a scarecrow who points poor Sophie to a giant , steam powered , travelling castle , owned by the enigmatic Howl . He's a handsome , charismatic wizard , much talked about in the town , but he is a man full of secrets , a man embroiled in intrigue and conspiracy , a man who has a dark side of sorts , but whose heart truly is in the right place .
Like I've mentioned , this film took a while to grow on me , but grow on me it did . It was probably all the elements that at first glance look like they totally wouldn't work together ( the age of steam , wizards , war , cute scarecrows , etc ) . Took a while for everything to click , I think that's the best way to describe it , it took a while to understand how everything works within this fictional world . It's one of those films that doesn't stop to explain what's what in great detail , and expects you to keep up . Once it clicks , though , it is a very fascinating place .
Hayao Miyazaki does a few things in Howl's Moving Castle that I thought were rather unique , like making a rather dramatic scene out of the simple task of climbing a flight of stairs . I liked the look of the fire demon Calcifer , how he licks and snakes around the objects he's burning but still seems solid and there . I also liked the way that Howl's messy bathroom managed to look really bright and colorful and yet gritty at the same time . There's a lot to see and enjoy , and lot of characters as colorful as the scenery to love . The music is worth a mention too .
I haven't seen much of Hayao Miyazaki's work . I mean , I saw Castle of Cagliostro and thought that was pretty interesting , but that was a fair while ago . After seeing Howl's Moving Castle I think pretty soon I'll be getting my hands on Spirited Away and some of his other works on DVD .
The English dub was interesting , as there a couple of rather big names on it . Billy Crystal comically does the voice of fire demon Calcifer , while Christian Bale ( Batman / Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins ) is the charming voice of Howl the wizard .
Recommended to lovers of anime and lovers of fantasy .
056 4 I am convinced that Hayao Miyasaki will live on in legend , for his films are among the finest I have ever seen . Rivaling the early works of Disney , Miyasaki's words combine stunning imagery , rich characters and deep plots that can not only please children but impress adults with their complex deeper meanings .
Howl's Moving Castle is no exception .
Sofi is a young woman who seems to be living under the shadow of her more glamarous peers and family members in a region plagued by a foolish war . When she is transformed into the body of a feeble old woman by a spiteful witch , Sofi must travel to Howl's moving castle in order to seek his expertise in reversing the curse .
What happens next is both unexpected and enlightening , for children's movies often feature the most mundane of plots . Not only is war presented as a terrible choice that yields no winners , but Sofi herself begins to have brief bouts of time in her former self - - but only when standing up for what she believes in .
Can she muster the courage to break the witch's curse on her own ?
Howl's Moving Castle remains one of the most underrated films that came to the US in recent years , with a disappointing box office domestically but an absolute smash over seas . Hopefully Disney ( who seems to distribute these films ) will invest more time in marketing them in the future , because we could really benefit from some good material for our children , who will hopefully come to learn ( through our mistakes ) that war is never an answer to conflict !
057 4 Despite the fact that Walt Disney has stopped making old fashioned 2 - D animated films they are still releasing stateside the animated films of Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki which is good news for animation lovers everywhere.With strong echoes of The Wizard of Oz this film follows the fantastic adventures of a young girl transformed into an old woman by a witch.Filled with interesting characters from the mysterious Howl to a friendly bouncy scarecrow to a loudmouth ball of flame ( hilariously voiced by Billy Crystal ) and with beautifully detailed animation this puts other recent computer animated talking animal films to shame.There are also moments of quiet magic like when the old woman sits and enjoys the serene landscape around her . . . something you'll NEVER see in American animation films that seem designed for sugar junkies lately.The combination of engaging characters , magical surprises , and gorgous visuals ensure that this movie will stand the test of time as one of the best animated films of the 21st century .
058 4 Howl's Moving Castle is a touching story of a young girl's search for freedom ; not that she knows that is what she's looking for . Sophie works making hats . One day on a trip to visit her sister she's bullied by some soldiers and rescued by a handsome stranger who turns out to be a wizard . Next thing she knows the Wicked Witch of the Wastes curses her and turned into a 90 - year-old woman . Sophie sets off to find a demon to lift the curse . Along the way she helps a Turnip Head scarecrow and becomes Howl's housekeeper .
As Howl tries to stop the war between the two nations , Sophie becomes more and more a part of Howl's life , taking care of the castle , the fire demon , an the apprentice Markl . Slowly they form a family and Sophie learns to stand up for herself and her friends .
The artwork is detailed and there is so much to see going on the background and as just small parts of a scene that you could watch this film over and over and still find more surprises . The story is multi-layered and so engrossing that at times you forget to notice how wonderful the scenery is or how seamless the dubbing . It's Miyazaki at his best . See it you'll be glad you did , honest .
059 4 This is a wonderful movie especially if you are a big fan of Hayao Miyazaki . While it changes almost everything from the origional book , it still is delightful . Wonderful and detailed animation , a whimsical story , and well thought out characters . The story is about Sophie , a young woman , who sells flowers and one day the witch of the waste puts a spell on her turning her into a 92 year old woman . Sophie afraid to show her new form , goes out into the world looking for a way to remove this curse , she eventually meets up with Howl and his moving castle . And that is where all the fun begins , to know more go see the movie . I would recommend this movie to anyone who loves a good family film and / or a fan of animation .
060 4 The DVD extras on Howl's Moving Castle pretty much repeat the format used for Spirited Away . Rather than focus on Hayao Miyazaki and his typically fantastic film , the featurettes fuss over Pixar's stewardship of the movie .
To be fair , let's note that Pixar and Disney have more than lived up to their vow to give the Japanese animator first-class treatment in the States . For example , they spent big on the dubbing talent for Howl , which includes Christian Bale , Lauren Bacall , Billy Crystal , Blythe Danner and Jean Simmons . Pixar's creative frontman John Lasseter declares this the best English-language dub of any picture I have seen . Viewers who usually go straight for the subtitles may even agree , depending on their tolerance for Disney-style sidekicks . You never see a fire demon before ? Crystal asks , as if he's serving up some Carnegie deli . ( Remote , please . )
An interview with the English dialogue director , Pete Docter , and a docu on Miyazaki's visit to Pixar both were shot for the use of Japanese broadcasters and repurposed on the DVD without explanation , making for odd cross-cultural viewing in spots . ( Miyazaki enthusiasts thrive on this kind of disorientation , of course . ) The Japanese director addressed the Pixar troops before a Howl screening . The film is true to my heart , he warns the audience of film pros . And that might confuse you . Miyazaki has said this tale of a moody wizard and the teen who loves him - - even after she's turned into a 90 - year-old crone - - could be his last project . Fans of the director know more or less what to expect except for the Victorian setting . Newcomers should start at the top , with Spirited Away , then circle back .
The other major extra , which takes up disc 2 , is a feature-length storyboard presentation . Few of the drawings have much visual impact and there's no option to view the finished scenes at the same time , as there was on Asian Howl DVDs .
The widescreen images ( 1.85 : 1 ) look fine , perhaps a bit too artificially sharp . The 5.1 surround is strong and nicely detailed , with all speakers in play . When Howl's castle moves , the subwoofer pounds the ground right along with it .
061 4 This movie has all of the elements that make Miyazaki's films so great : breathtaking animation , fantastic imagery , and a strong and courageous heroine . Even the heroes have flaws , and the villians have redeeming features . Unlike so much other animation , which is hectic and noisy , his makes use of pauses and dreamlike silences .
The English dubbing is excellent . At first , I was a bit put off by Billy Crystal as Calcifer , and found the casting a bit jarring . I got over it quickly , however . The dubbing avoids most of the over-hurried dialog of some of the other English versions of Miyazaki's films .
The plot is fairly complex , and you never know quite what's going to happen next . I do wish a few of the details had been fleshed out a bit ; I was somewhat confused about what , exactly , happened to Howl's heart and why .
My daughters , ages 3 and 6 , love this movie , and it's been standing up to repeated viewings for the family adults as well . I like that it's not too violent or scary for my 3 - year-old , but not too tame for the rest of us .
All in all , strongly recommended . This movie deserves a place in the family video library .
063 4 It's true , there are some repeated themes from Miyazaki's early films , and the plot is confusing and non-sensical at times . . . however , I think that these are positive attributes in this film . First of all , Miyazaki can reuse his own visual imagery as much as he wants , it's his and it's fantastic . The movie has plenty of original imagery , but it also nods to Spirited Away , Kiki's Delivery Service , and Princess Monoke .
Secondly , I was very confused at the plots of Spirited Away and Princess Monoke , but I feel that this confusion increased my childish wonder at the films . These movies aren't meant to make sense . Kind of like art .
Before viewing this film , I considered Spirited Away and Princess Monoke the best of Miyazaki's work , Princess Monoke perhaps a little superior . This film , without a doubt , is neck and neck with these two films in it's animation , imagery , and larger themes . Howl's is even superior to these films in humor , and it has a really great love story in it with delightfully flawed characters . I don't like too much romance in my films , but this was one of the exceptions where I really enjoyed it .
If you love Spirited Away and Princess Monoke as I do , you'll love Howl's Moving Castle .
064 4 Like Howl himself , Miyazaki's version of Howl's Moving Castle is gorgeous but has some serious problems . Severe changes from Diana Wynne Jones ' original book were made , with resulting contradictions in the plot and some vital information left almost completely unexplained . Anybody who is looking for a movie with a crystal-clear storyline , or an exact adaptation of DWJ's original work , should consider something else .
That being said , Howl's Moving Castle the movie is definitely beautiful . The animation is top-notch and breathtaking to behold , and while the story takes a while to understand , the end result is fully worth it . I own the Japanese release DVD and have seen it in both English and subtitled Japanese , and the voice acting in both versions is absolutely top notch . This may not be Miyazaki's best movie , but it is still lightyears better than many movies in release today .
Tune out your expectations and give this movie a try , and if you find yourself intrigued , consider reading the original book .
065 4 I came to this movie extremely excited , with high hopes , because Howl's Moving Castle is one of my favorite books of all time . This movie , though well animated , has only a passing resemblance to the original novel . They merged some important characters and they show almost nothing of the relations Sophie has with her sisters and her family which is important to the strength of Sophie's character as well as some of the realizations she has about people and herself . Even the themes of the book have changed . Instead of a coming of age novel of a young , insecure female growing in her own powers through her adventures , the movie takes on the themes of some of Miazaki's other works : anti-war , anti-technology , and pro-nature . Also the movie puts Howl on more of a pedestal as the tortured hero . In the book , Sophie often describes his flaws , such as selfishness and vainity , partly in a subconscious attempt to deny her feelings for him . Therefore , the love story changes too . Instead of Sophie and Howl loving each other despite / because of their quirks and character flaws , Sophie becomes a weaker female character , self-sacrificing and Cinderella-like to Howl's tortured man . For a person who knows the original book , the movie was almost nonsensical , and it moved so fast that the friend I went with , who had never read the book , had trouble following the story . I have another friend who LOVES the movie , and bought it , but she never read the original book . I'm glad that the movie is out to give the book more exposure , but I am sad they made such a mess of it .
If you read and like the book , then do not watch this . If you did not , and liked Miyazaki's other work , then you may enjoy it .
066 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
This wonderful movie is full of unexpected images , plots , and characters . The Japanese culture's hatred of war and respect for the elderly play important roles in the movie . It's fun to watch the film with the English subtitles that reflect a more literal translation of the original Japanese dialogue . This movie is definitely appropriate for families . I'm not sure how preschoolers would take the scary parts , but they didn't seem too frightening .
Also recommended : Hoodwinked
067 4 This wonderful movie is full of unexpected images , plots , and characters . The Japanese culture's hatred of war and respect for the elderly play important roles in the movie . It's fun to watch the film with the English subtitles that reflect a more literal translation of the original Japanese dialogue . This movie is definitely appropriate for families . I'm not sure how preschoolers would take the scary parts , but they didn't seem too frightening .
Also recommended : Hoodwinked
068 4 I love this movie . This in my top favorites collection . Hayao Miyazaki is the best animator I have seen in years . If you want a movie with a great story that has a good meaning . This is one of my favorites . One of the others I would suggest is Spirited Away .
069 4 I can remember a long time ago seeing a preview for Kiki's Delivery Service on a Disney sing along video , unaware that it was a Japanese film made almost 10 years before in the year I was born by whom I now consider to be a legend , Hayao Miyazaki . It intrigued my 8 year old self , but I never got around to watching it . Then , about a month ago , on the recommendations of my already acquainted friends and having already having had some experience in watching anime , I started to watch some of the Studio Ghibli productions . They became like potato chips , I couldn't watch just one one time .
As of now , I have seen in this order Spirited Away , Howl's Moving Castle , Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind , Kiki's Delivery Service ( finally ! ) , Princess Mononoke , and Laputa Castle in the Sky
I have to say that Howl's Moving Castle is my favorite one right now , with Castle in the Sky and Spirited Away close behind . Part of that may be the fact that the character of Howl has captured my heart in a way that no other animated character has ever done before . You girls thought Aladdin was cute when you were kids ? Uh-uh , Howl is someone worth crushing on , at least for me ; )
All that aside , the animation is much better than Disney has ever done , and Disney has done a lot . I think this is on par in terms of plot and animation with The Prince of Egypt and The Road to El Dorado , two of my favorite Dreamworks movies . In fact , Miyazaki-san has perhaps made me come to love animation in any country much more at 19 than at 9 . I look at classics like Pinocchio and Sword in the Stone with new eyes .
As for the voice casting , I am quite pleased with who they have . I always like to hear larger name voices in a Japanese movie dub than the people who are only known for dubbing anime . Christian Bale's voiceover of Howl is one of the main reasons that I am fawning so much over him right now . That quiet , smooth voice of his makes me become giddy whenever he talks . Also , I did not realize that Jean Simmons , the woman who voiced the old Sophie , who was also very memorable , was the same person who was Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls over 50 years ago . It was one of those movies I had grown up with , so knowing that made me admire her even more . Also , Billy Crystal had managed to play a comedic fire demon , but he also had some more serious moments as well , such as when he was a blue flame in Sophie's hands about to be freed from the spell . This was definitely not a copy of Mike Wizowsky here .
All and all , this is an absolute must see for any lovers of anime , or animation in general . Miyazaki's other movies must be seen too . Do it !
070 4 i wonder how miyazaki comes up with such flawless ideas that just blow your mind away . I love all his films and won't ever get sick of them . I don't know why , it may sound crazy but when i watch his films i feel at a state of peace . The characters are mysterious and dark yet others liven the mood by being funny and bubbly to keep your eyes drawn to the screen . Anyways i know everyone likes different types of genre's so this is only my opinion that not all may agree with . These aren't for 5 year olds to see . Not like it sexual or weird but it would be confusing for them . This ain't no tilly tubbies people ) If you like anime BUY IT lol . I seriously watched this with my mother ( and know doubt she falls asleep watching cartoons ) but she actually stayed awake the entire time and loved the movie ! lol so i believe anyone would enjoy this . Yes even your grandmother = ]
071 4 I absolutely loved this movie . I'm not really into anime and don't even know why I decided to watch this . . . . but I'm really glad I did . This is now one of my favorite movies . It's so magical and fantastical and romantic . I love Sophie's attitude . I love that she is such a positive person , even if she doesn't think she's beautiful on the outside . I love her reaction to being cursed into an old lady . . . she didn't panic , or get hysterical . . . i love how she decided to look at the positive , commenting on how her dress suites her better now . I love that ! Its as if the curse was a reflection of how she felt on the inside so she accepted it because she always felt ugly anyway . And the prince , who is so vain , the opposite of her , sees her beauty . Awwww . . . . how can you not love that ?
073 4 The film Howl's Moving Castle , is truely a triumph of Hayao Miyazaki . Using his gift of incredible stroy telling , the real magic of this film comes to life in a tale of magical secrets and marvelous adventures .
Follow Sophie as she accidently enters a world of wiches and wizards , & curses and creatures , changing her life forever in a way never thought possible ! This film is possitively beautiful and filled to the brim with excitement and wonder !
The film features the voices of renowned actors such as Lauren Bacall , Billy Crystal , and Christian Bale ; giving a powerful voice to match the film's already immaculate score .
074 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
My boys love this movie ! ! - - Because they are young , 3 & 6 , I was a little concerned that the blob men ( black , gooey , tar-like bad guys ) might be a little scary for them . But they were so captivated by the actual moving castle ( which is kind of robot-like on the outside & normal house on the inside ) , Calcifer ( the talking fire ) & Turnip-Head ( the scarecrow ) they didn't pay much mind to the rest . - - The graphics and music are absolutely beautiful ! Something the whole family can enjoy !
075 4 My boys love this movie ! ! - - Because they are young , 3 & 6 , I was a little concerned that the blob men ( black , gooey , tar-like bad guys ) might be a little scary for them . But they were so captivated by the actual moving castle ( which is kind of robot-like on the outside & normal house on the inside ) , Calcifer ( the talking fire ) & Turnip-Head ( the scarecrow ) they didn't pay much mind to the rest . - - The graphics and music are absolutely beautiful ! Something the whole family can enjoy !
076 4 This is my favorite movie of all times . I have seen it more times than can be imagined . Miyazaki did great things to a wonderful book . You have got to love a happy ending . As a grandmother to be I can't wait to watch it with them . I can't say enough good things about this movie . Young or old , it is a must see for all .
077 4 This video lists at #662 in Amazon sales - This should tell you how popular it is , and how wide the audience is .
The hero is a girl who becomes enchanted . The characters are wonderful , the animation rich and varied , and Miyazaki is a genius of film making .
If you're not sure , rent it first , it's everywhere , but you have to watch it !
078 4 The movie was great ! There were behind the scenes of the actors for the characters that added to my curiosity of who they were . Both the Japanese version and the English versions were practically the same , with mouthing of the words matching the timing of the actual words spoken . This a great movie with a great ending that makes you want to watch it again and again .
079 4 I cannot rate this film high enough ; it is my absolute favorite move of all time ! The story of Howl and Sophie is magical , delightful , and inspiring in every sense of the word . Sophie is my particular favorite ; her unfailing cheerfulness and determination never ceases to warm my heart . She faces like with a spunk that is only more clearly seen after she is given the curse , aka the freedom , of old age . Her tongue is sharp , and her intelligence sharper as she somehow manages to bully fire demons , take charge of a magic castle , and make a whiny wizard become the truly great man that he is destined to be . That's a woman , my friends .
As for Howl , Christan Bayle does an absolutely phenomenal job giving him a voice , and despite all of Howl's imperfections , makes you love him anyway . You cheer as you watch Howl progress from a timid and lethargic wizard who is unable to see past the outside of people into a man taht doens't care just how old Sophie looks or just how much trouble he'll get into to enter a war ; he does it anyway , because it's simply the right thing to do . A true masterpiece , in every sense of the word .
080 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
Howl's Moving Castle is a tale full of action , adventure and of corse romantic . The best films always have all these elements and Howl's Moving Castle is no exception . From begining to end it's a playground for the eyes and it is a tale that will warm your heart . Mr . Miazaki does it again , two thumbs way up for this fantastic film . Don't miss it .
081 4 Howl's Moving Castle is a tale full of action , adventure and of corse romantic . The best films always have all these elements and Howl's Moving Castle is no exception . From begining to end it's a playground for the eyes and it is a tale that will warm your heart . Mr . Miazaki does it again , two thumbs way up for this fantastic film . Don't miss it .
083 4 Howl's Moving Castle , directed by Hayao Miyazaki , is a thoroughly delightful movie that young children will love , and adults enjoy . You don't believe that both children and adults can appreciate the same film ? Well , some of Miyazaki's cartoons are simply magic , and Howl's Moving Castle is one of them . And who can resist real magic ?
The main character is Sophie , a 19 - year-old girl that leads a very boring life until the unbelievable happens : she is cursed by a spiteful witch , and turned into a very old woman . The only person who can break the spell is a wizard , so Sophie decides to leave the city and search for him . Sophie will find the wizard she was searching for , but also some unlikely friends , a moving castle and love . Things will not be easy , though , as Sophie is unable to tell her friends she is under a curse , and their country is in the middle of a war . What will happen ? Well , watch this movie and you will see : )
All in all , I can tell you that I loved Howl's Moving Castle , and that I highly recommend it to you .
Belen Alcat
084 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
I cannot think of an animation company in our time who has more imagination and talent than Studio Ghibli . Miyazaki's works are simply the best .
My favorite stories by Studio Ghibli have been Tenku no Shiro Laputa for its quality science fiction / fantasy tale , and Tonari no Totoro for its look at childhood .
While this one is quite different in what it explores and the way it does it , I really like Howl's Moving Castle as well . I think Studio Ghibli films create likable characters and interesting stories and Howl's Moving Castle is no exception .
Also , as a Japanese speaker , I am thankful to have the original Japanese version included on the DVD .
This is an excellent story put out by the premier animators of our day .
085 4 I cannot think of an animation company in our time who has more imagination and talent than Studio Ghibli . Miyazaki's works are simply the best .
My favorite stories by Studio Ghibli have been Tenku no Shiro Laputa for its quality science fiction / fantasy tale , and Tonari no Totoro for its look at childhood .
While this one is quite different in what it explores and the way it does it , I really like Howl's Moving Castle as well . I think Studio Ghibli films create likable characters and interesting stories and Howl's Moving Castle is no exception .
Also , as a Japanese speaker , I am thankful to have the original Japanese version included on the DVD .
This is an excellent story put out by the premier animators of our day .
086 4 I've enjoyed exploring several Miyazaki animated films with my daughter , and this is one of the best of the best although it's not based on an original story by Miyazaki . We've seen Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind , Laputa : Castle in the Sky , My Neighbor Totoro ( Totoro and the cat bus are delightful ) , Kiki's Delivery Service , Spirited Away , and now Howl's Moving Castle . I've also screened Princess Mononoke , which contains a few scenes that are too violent for my seven-year-old . Our top two are Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle , with Nausicaa , Laputa and Totoro a small step down ( although better than most everything else out there ) .
087 4 After seeing this in Japanese with subtitles , I was nervous about an English version . However , the choice of actors for the voices was superb ! The english verion of this anime movie is just as riveting and entertaining as the original . Our entire family ( from 7 to 62 ) all enjoyed this fantasy tale immensely . You come to love all the characters even if they do no more than snuffle . This is a movie to be enjoyed on many levels depending on the mood you are in . A definite recommend !
088 4 The action of Hayao Miyazaki's latest animated effort takes place in an undetermined country and age , though it looks like the late 19th century ( allowing for a number of anachronistic details ) in a Central European kingdom ( the Austro Hungarian empire of the time seems the country where the action takes place , and the book happens in a place called Ingary , though this empire has a large port by the sea , which the Austro Hungarian empire didn't ) . The storyline starts with a young woman called Sophie working in a hat factory turned into a 90 year woman through a curse by some witch . She then tries to meet the wizard Howl , to see if he can helped her . As it would be later clear in the movie , Howl faces some curses of its own . The story soon becomes very convoluted , almost impossible to follow it wholly in just one sighting . After a while , you give up on understanding everything that is going on , and concentrate on enjoying its vivid details ( Howl's melting of sadness is probably my favorite scene ) . What I found most engaging about the movie , rather than certain aspects of the plot , is its background details , which betrays Miyazaki's love for victorian fantasy . I haven't read the original book , I know some people who had has taken issue with Miyazaki's liberties with the plot , but as it is , this is a very enjoyable movie to watch , even if the ending is a bit heavy handed in its endorsement of pacifism and environmentalism .
089 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
The film is a mixture of magic and science , with a touch of Russian myth ( as in a walking building ) , French images of the future ( the slim aircraft with the humming bird wings ) and European landscape . Steam engines are all over the place , flying machines crowd the skies and a walking castle roams about like a living junk pile .
Sophie runs her father's hat shop . She does it out of some sense of duty as she seems slightly bored with her work . Her life changes after running into the wizard Howl and becoming cursed by the Witch of the Waste . She learns to stand up for herself , to go after her goals and to find happiness . Mostly a story about following one's heart it also has messages against the horrors of war and also how a lonely , empty , life is generated by allowing fear and selfishness to rule you .
Sophie's younger self is voiced by Emily Martimer and her older self by Jean Simmons . Howl is played by Christian Bale . Billy Crystal , Lauren Bacall and Crispin Freeman also add their voices to the caste . Yes , that's right , Crispin Freeman is the voice of Turnip ! And don't forget the inside joke - Pazu from Castle in the Sky can be seen running in front of the Wizard Jenkins door !
Tons of extras and well worth any price .
090 4 The film is a mixture of magic and science , with a touch of Russian myth ( as in a walking building ) , French images of the future ( the slim aircraft with the humming bird wings ) and European landscape . Steam engines are all over the place , flying machines crowd the skies and a walking castle roams about like a living junk pile .
Sophie runs her father's hat shop . She does it out of some sense of duty as she seems slightly bored with her work . Her life changes after running into the wizard Howl and becoming cursed by the Witch of the Waste . She learns to stand up for herself , to go after her goals and to find happiness . Mostly a story about following one's heart it also has messages against the horrors of war and also how a lonely , empty , life is generated by allowing fear and selfishness to rule you .
Sophie's younger self is voiced by Emily Martimer and her older self by Jean Simmons . Howl is played by Christian Bale . Billy Crystal , Lauren Bacall and Crispin Freeman also add their voices to the caste . Yes , that's right , Crispin Freeman is the voice of Turnip ! And don't forget the inside joke - Pazu from Castle in the Sky can be seen running in front of the Wizard Jenkins door !
Tons of extras and well worth any price .
091 4 One thing I never expected Howl's Moving Castle to be was a love story , and yet that is exactly what it turned out to be . The first time I saw the promotional images , I mistook the old lady for Spirited Away's Yubaba . I thought Howls ' Moving Castle was some sort of sequel to Spirited Away but the two are totally unrelated .
Based on the novel by Diana Wynne Jones , Howl's Moving Castle is mainly about a girl named Sophie . She's the usual Miyazaki heroine - - an average-looking girl with boundless inner strength and goodness to whom everything out-of-the-ordinary happens . Sophie meets a dashing young man at the start of the film , not knowing that it is actually the legendary wizard Howl who is rumored to devour the hearts of beautiful young women . She is smitten , and that same night the Witch of the Waste pays her a visit . Sophie is incredibly unperturbed even as she is turned into a homely 90 - year old woman by the witch . Instead of wallowing in self-pity as most people probably would have done , Sophie packs her things and sets out to find a solution to her problem .
Sophie eventually ends up at Howl's Moving Castle , the home of the attractive young man she met earlier on . She instantly becomes friends with Howl's companions : Calcifer , the fire demon who keeps the castle whole and mobile ; and Markl , Howl's child-like assistant . Sophie volunteers to be the castle's cleaning lady , and little by little she becomes better acquainted with Howl and company .
Howl's Moving Castle is not a straightforward quest to break the witch's spell . Shortly after Sophie moves in the castle , she discovers a multitude of other problems which need to be addressed - - Howl's impending recruitment to the various kingdoms ' armies , the outbreak of war between the lands , and the fact that Howl sacrificed his heart to Calcifer in exchange for greater powers . Sophie's own plight takes a backseat as she , Howl , and the other characters find themselves in one delicate situation after the other . The film veers away from the traditional plot progression of having the protagonist advance towards her goal , instead many events conspire to indirectly contribute to the end result . It is never really explained how Sophie goes back to being her 19 - year old self , the spell just seems to evaporate bit by bit as she goes about doing what needs to be done .
The art and animation are comprised of an incredible mix of hand-drawn , hand-painted , and computer-generated artwork . The combination of vibrant colors and rich textures achieve a level of detail that is simply astounding . From the castle's constantly moving gears and mechanisms to the wooden finish of the tabletops , no expense was spared in animating Howl's Moving Castle . Character designs follow the usual Miyazaki formula of plain-looking people and strange-looking magical creatures , with one exception : Howl . Howl is Miyazaki's most handsome and attractive hero yet , and he is so smoothly animated that I just could not stop looking at him . The English dubbing is generally well-done , I just found the young Sophie and Howl's voices a tad too old-sounding for their characters .
Magical , romantic , and exceptionally presented , Howl's Moving Castle is undeniably a superior piece of work . While there are some tiny little loops and holes in the plot , it was all too easy to just shove them aside and lose myself in the magic of it all .
092 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
I enjoyed Howl's Moving Castle a lot . Billy Crystal did a nice job in the English version as Calcifer . Christian Bale's Howl seemed to move the story along . What I think I enjoyed most was the magic of the story , how his ragtag castle was able to have different portal doors that would open out on a different environment . I think that'd be so cool to have a house that you can set to be in France or out in the mountains or in a beautiful countryside . Of course , then we'd probably start hearing about house crashes as moving houses start colliding . I enjoyed the European aristocracy with the quaint castles and kings . Sophie seemed a bit too simple to gain much of Howl's attention , but I was amazed at how much cleaner she made the castle . All in all , the time did move quickly . The brilliant colors and imaginative blob servants of the Witch of the Waste caught my eye . It was a great evening's entertainment . Enjoy !
093 4 I enjoyed Howl's Moving Castle a lot . Billy Crystal did a nice job in the English version as Calcifer . Christian Bale's Howl seemed to move the story along . What I think I enjoyed most was the magic of the story , how his ragtag castle was able to have different portal doors that would open out on a different environment . I think that'd be so cool to have a house that you can set to be in France or out in the mountains or in a beautiful countryside . Of course , then we'd probably start hearing about house crashes as moving houses start colliding . I enjoyed the European aristocracy with the quaint castles and kings . Sophie seemed a bit too simple to gain much of Howl's attention , but I was amazed at how much cleaner she made the castle . All in all , the time did move quickly . The brilliant colors and imaginative blob servants of the Witch of the Waste caught my eye . It was a great evening's entertainment . Enjoy !
094 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
This movie is one of the most beautiful and fascinating animation that I've ever seen not like anything else . Just the first scene , where a dashing charming wizard grabs Sophie and fly away , sweeps you off your feet as an audience and takes your breath away . The scene puts a spell on you to continue watching with strong feelings .
The work of Art is magnificently portrayed as well as for the characters and actions . Hayao Miyazaki is a great master film maker and this movie is a great masterpiece of his . His vision of it was far too wonderful than the novel . It is like he adapted the original story and transferred it to a better plot and image . He arranged and invented some actions in the Novel , which is not quite charming as the movie , and made it perfect .
However , there are few takes on the movie . I couldn't understand some parts until I read the novel , like why did Howl make a contract with the demon , how did Sophie break off her spell and why there was war and between whom . Also , I'd have loved to see Howl kills the witch of the waste like the original story but I guess Miyazaki wanted to explain the theme of goodness wins over evil . I also loved the war theme and how Howl handled it .
Over all : A fascinating masterpiece .
095 4 This movie is one of the most beautiful and fascinating animation that I've ever seen not like anything else . Just the first scene , where a dashing charming wizard grabs Sophie and fly away , sweeps you off your feet as an audience and takes your breath away . The scene puts a spell on you to continue watching with strong feelings .
The work of Art is magnificently portrayed as well as for the characters and actions . Hayao Miyazaki is a great master film maker and this movie is a great masterpiece of his . His vision of it was far too wonderful than the novel . It is like he adapted the original story and transferred it to a better plot and image . He arranged and invented some actions in the Novel , which is not quite charming as the movie , and made it perfect .
However , there are few takes on the movie . I couldn't understand some parts until I read the novel , like why did Howl make a contract with the demon , how did Sophie break off her spell and why there was war and between whom . Also , I'd have loved to see Howl kills the witch of the waste like the original story but I guess Miyazaki wanted to explain the theme of goodness wins over evil . I also loved the war theme and how Howl handled it .
Over all : A fascinating masterpiece .
096 4 Any movie buff who values excellent animation and a compelling story will enjoy this movie . This is a must buy because each time it is viewed new aspects of the animation and the story come to light . We first saw it in the theater and have watched it at home and will do so again just because of the pleasure of the experience . Knowing how it ends has nothing to do with the pleasure of the film .
097 4 This is a reasonable adaptation in spirit , if not literally , of Diana Wynne Joan's novel of the same name . The war was added as a nod to our times and politics .
I went in warily , having heard of the additions and worried what might come of it . Once in the theater , I was captivated by the story and , oh , yes , the animation . It is now one of our favorite movies , as well as one of our favorite books .
098 4 I did not like anime at all , truly from Japan or falsely made in the U.S . under the title of Anime until I watched this movie . I was skeptical about it , and then it was borrowed from the movie rental , and while my family was watching it , I got caught in the story , and it is now one of my favorite movies . The animation is gorgeous , the characters are amazing , and the music is moving . Though a little longer than what a 4 - year old or younger is to be expected to sit through , ( about 2 hours long ) it is a wonderful plot that you can sit and melt into . Upon watching it several times , you hear little things that characters say that make the story more understandable . It is a great introduction to Hayao Miyazaki's works , and is a must for every family collection .
099 4 The detailed background in this movie never ceased to amaze . Don't get me wrong , the story was good , and I really dug the characters . But what really did it was the details in the animation . I heartily recommend this movie to anyone who appreciates artistic beauty .
100 4 My sons , ages 6 and 8 , love this movie - - especially the 6 - year-old . I like it , too . The animation is gorgeous and the story is compelling . As other reviewers have commented / whined , it's not top-notch Ghibli , but Miyazaki on a bad day still outpaces what passes for children's entertainment in the States . BTW , I read the book after seeing the movie , and found both quite enjoyable .
101 4 The story involves a girl named Sophie who happens to run into the handsome wizard Howl . The Witch of the Waste gets furious and puts a spell on Sophie . Sophie goes on a quest to break the spell and chases after Howl .
I loved it . Pretty easy to follow , very clever and thought-through . Makes you think about it . I got pretty emotional over it .
102 4 I wasn't quite sure of this one at first . I rented it and watched it . I was blown away . Right when the movie started I was absorbed in the storyline of Sophie and Howl . This is one of the most amazing pieces of film I have ever seen . The animation is beautifully breathtaking . The characters are all so dynamic and creative . After watching it , I went straight to the store to find a copy of my own . If there's anything left to say , I say you must see this movie . It is an incredbile addition to MIyazaki's growing collection , I think it's even the best of them all .
103 4 Spirited away was the first Miyazaki film I ever witnessed . It was amazing , and left me craving for more and more of Miyazaki's films . So , I rented ' Howl's Moving Castle ' . I have but one word for you :
AMAZING .
Miyazaki has the gift of being able to create lovable characters that we can not only relate to , but can believe their story so much that their emotions start to blend with our own . We suddenly feel their pain , happyness , and love .
Howl's Moving Castle is a story of what it means to be beautiful not only on the outside , but on the inside . The message is as strong as it is in any of Miyazaki's films , but takes a strong mind to seed through the information and figure it out . Japanese films are like a brain teaser , with metaphors that take a strong mind . But when you realize that you've found a hidden meaning , and understand , the feeling is amazing .
The main character , Sophie , is a young girl working in a hat shop . She's not particularly attractive , contrary to the other pretty girls working in the shop , but then again , she's not repulsive . It's so real , because every young girl , at some time , feels this emotion-that they'll never be pretty enough , no matter what .
There's a HUGE war going on , with soldiers all over the streets . So , as Sophie is walking through the streets one day to meet someone , she starts to get teased by a couple of soldiers . All of the sudden , a man appears behind her , and with a flick of his finger , sends the soldiers away . He then leads Sophie into the sky , and together , they ' fly ' , which really looks like walking in the sky . Sophie immidiately knows that she was saved by the heart-stealing wizard , named Howl .
And because of the intense jelousy and magical powers of a triple-chinned witch , called ' The Witch of the Wastes ' , Sophie is turned into a wrinkly , grey-haired old woman . Immidiately , Sophie sends out to find Howl , so that she may break the curse . Sophie is taken into the ' castle ' , which really looks like a walking dump , and works as the cleaning lady .
As the story goes on , we find out that Howl is a narcisistic wizard , obsessed with his looks , and thinks he is nothing without them . Both Sophie and Howl learn an important lesson , and as their understanding grows , so does their love for each other .
This movie is truly , truly amazing . I have to admit , at the end of this movie , I was absolutely DROWNING in happy tears . This movie had possibly the best ending out of all Miyazaki's films , and it warms your heart to the point of tears . I reccomend this movie strongly . The voice acting is great , the music is great , ( though nothing tops spirited away with this ) , the story is great , and the morals are great . There's really no words left other than that this movie is a jewel .
104 4 It is march 22 and i have just bought this dvd . I have been waiting for it to come out since last summer when my friend saw it in theaters . Of course it wasn't in theaters were i live but she said it rocked and she was absolutely going to by it . My other freiends aunty bought it for her in cali . and she got it a few days ago she said she loves it better then her other anime movies . After a buntch of great reviews like those i decided to buy it and i have to say i have nothing bad to report .
I would like to say i enjoyed it alot and would suggest that any other anime lovers buy it Immediately .
105 4 A 18 year old girl named Sophie has been cursed by the Witch of the Waste into a old woman and she goes on a journey to get rid of the curse . She seeks shelter in the mysterious walking mechanical castle of the wizard Howl who is assisted by a young boy Markl and a friendly fire demon named Calcifer whom she makes a deal with so she can regain her youth . She also befriends a magical turnip headed scarecrow , and a weezing dog and finds love on the way with Howl on a adventure for a lifetime .
A magical and unique animated fantasy adventure from Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki and a adaptation of the novel by Diana Wynne Jones . This is a beautifully animated and written motion picture that has now became a new anime classic with the other Hayao Miyzaki productions , Akira , and Ghost in The Shell ! the dubbed version is quite enjoyable with the voices of Christian Bale , Lauren Bacall , Billy Crystal and Emily Mortimer . But the Japanese language with English subtitles version which the DVD has makes the movie better for those who want to learn Japanese the easy way .
This 2 - Disc DVD set includes both the dubbed and Subbed-Japanese language versions with cool extras like a Behind The Microphone featurette with the dub voice actors , a featurette on the Pixar studios premiere of the U.S . dubbed version with John Lassester and Hayao Miyazaki , Trailers & TV Spots , and full length movie shown with storyboards with either English soundtrack or Japanese soundtrack with subtitles .
A must own movie for lovers of animation everywhere , one of my most highest recommended animated movies .
Also recommended : My Neighbor Totoro , Spirited Away , Nausicca : Valley of the Wind , Akira , The Wizard of Oz , Ghost in The Shell 1 & 2 , Princess Mononoke , Ninja Scroll , Castle in The Sky , The Professional : Golgo 13 , Castle of Cogliostro , The Last Unicorn , The Flight of Dragons , Kiki's Delivery Service , Yellow Submarine , Whisper of the Heart , The Cat Returns , Porco Russo , City of Lost Children , Edward Scissorhands , The Corpse Bride , Wallace and Gromit : Curse of the Were-Rabbit , Chicken Run , The Secret of NIMH , Wizards and Watership Down .
106 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
I watched this movie last night , and it stole my heart . Spirited Away was amazing , and Mononoke awoke something special within me , but Howl's just blew me away . I fell in love with Howl the second I laid eyes on him and heard his voice . He rocks my world now . And the voice acting is spectacular ! It's not cheesy or overdone , and the voices match wonderfully . And if you are a fan of Hayao Miyazaki , then I don't have to tell you about the quality of the animation . ^ _ ^
I recommend this movie with all of my heart . Even if you have never seen an anime film before , even if you have never heard of Hayao Miyazaki , I still want you to get it . This movie belongs in everyone's collection .
107 4 I watched this movie last night , and it stole my heart . Spirited Away was amazing , and Mononoke awoke something special within me , but Howl's just blew me away . I fell in love with Howl the second I laid eyes on him and heard his voice . He rocks my world now . And the voice acting is spectacular ! It's not cheesy or overdone , and the voices match wonderfully . And if you are a fan of Hayao Miyazaki , then I don't have to tell you about the quality of the animation . ^ _ ^
I recommend this movie with all of my heart . Even if you have never seen an anime film before , even if you have never heard of Hayao Miyazaki , I still want you to get it . This movie belongs in everyone's collection .
108 4 The latest film from Hayao Miyazaki , Howl's Moving Castle , creates another enchanting adventure filled with breathtaking settings , magical moments , and beloved characters .
As a fan of Hayao Miyazaki's Films , I have to say that this film is definitely on par with Spirited Away . I believe that Howl's Moving Castle is just as good ( if not better ) in some ways . Spirited Away is Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece ( as anyone who could tell you ) , but for me that stands only because Spirited Away's plot was created solely by him and not based of a book already written .
In Howl's Moving Castle you are transported back to olden English Times , and a small hat shop where a plain , young girl named Sophie quietly works . She has told herself that as the oldest she should continue her father's work in the hat shop that was his pride and joy and has resigned herself to her fate . Until one day she journeys out of her shop to visit her sister and is rescued from a bunch of soldiers by a mysterious wizard named Howl who is rumored to steal the hearts of young , pretty girls . But after a heartwarming and magical walk through the air , Howl departs and Sophie can't figure out what to think of the encounter . After seeing that her sister is well , she dutifully returns to her shop and locks up for the night . Unfortunately the Witch of the Waste pays a visit and curses Sophie , transforming her into a 90 year old woman ; and the new Sophie heads out on a new adventure .
The following magical , moving castle , a fire demon , an apprentice , a magic door , a war . . . and of course Howl will be changed forever . Throughout the movie , we seem to feel and relate so closely to Sophie and Howl , as their relationship is key in the movie . Sophie's love for Howl seems improbable in her new guise . But Miyazaki weaves and creates such feeling that Sophie's young spirit and love shine through and that's what makes Howl's Moving Castle a Classic that everyone should own .
109 4 Master filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki has long been famous for his beautiful animated films ( including My Neighbour Totoro , Kiki's Delivery Service , and Spirited Away ) , and Howl's Moving Castle is no exception . Based on the book of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones , Howl's Moving castle follows Sophie on a quest to break the curse that's turned her into a 90 - year-old woman . Miyazaki's heroines are always brave , resourceful , and intelligent , and Sophie , a quiet hatmaker who lives a drab existence working in her late father's shop , is no exception . When Sophie is involved with the mysterious wizard Howl , her life as she knows it changes forever as she struggles to break the curse that binds her , Howl , and the fire demon Calcifer .
Miyazaki once again paints an idealized Europe of grand castles , stirring military parades , and and elegant Victorian fashions , but unlike his earlier , peaceful European-influenced town of Koriko in Kiki's Delivery Service , war is an all-too-real reality in Howl .
The story is slow to develop , but ultimately captivating , although there were a few subplots that left me confused . Beautiful visuals , a European-influenced soundtrack ( which , sadly , will not be distributed in North America ) , and a masterful story by legendary author Diana Wynne Jones makes Howl a crowd-pleaser that anime fans will enjoy .
110 4 This is definitely my favorite Miyazaki film , just slightly ahead of Spirited Away . The characters in this movie are lovable , charming and beautifully animated . = 0 )
111 4 Hayao Miyazaki is a master anime artist . There are few in the world today who can rival him . While perhaps this story isn't as good as some of his others , nevertheless his productions grow more impressive with each release . I have every Miyazaki film dubbed in English and this is one of my favorites .
112 4 Admitingly . . . you might not get the full story unless you read the book , since the movie is only loosely based off of it . Not everything is explained away . But it has to be one of the most beautiful animes I've ever seen . It has a way of drawing you in and wishing you were there . The emotional depths the characters go through , keep your interest . It's Japanese to English dubbing is purposely well done . You hardly notice .
113 4 For the most part you already know the story from reading the rest of the reviews and summaries .
Someone referred to this as commercial animation and not your traditional animation you would get from Miyazaki and Co .
I disagree . Since when has life been simple to just show us or lead us to believe that if you are in love nothing else goes on in the world ?
To those that are in love I'm sure nothing else would matter . The war itself in this film is almost synonymous with Howl's irresponsibility . The fact that they have chosen to fight without chance of talks and without regard of life from either side is highly irresponsible .
In the end Howl learns to not run away and to stand forth . Such is when he is vulnerable but willing to take a chance at giving his heart to someone else . To Sophie . And in the end give chance to make the rest of the world right .
I can't think of any other films that really make me feel as much as I do when I watch Miyazaki's films .
Howl is no exception . The amazing visuals , the colours , the vibrance , the characters are always memorable , and you fall in love with them always even the bad ones . And the music ! You feel as though you are indeed a part of this world and trying hard not to fall out of your seat .
Though the english cast is all star , I myself prefer the Japanese voice actors as they're voices sound great , regardless if you can't understand them . I do believe Billy Crystal was miscast as Calcifer . Watch it with subs first then turn on the dubs . You'll know what I mean . But for the rest , Sophie has a soft , sweet , and beautiful voice , Lauren Bacall plays a wonderfully malicious Witch of the Waste , and Christian Bale plays a decent Howl , though for the mannerisms and dialogue I would expect someone younger to voice him .
All in all , it's definitely one of his top films , and possibly my favourite . I still love Chihiro just as much , same with Mononoke , but this will always be sitting right next them in terms of beauty , artistry , and story . Howl's Moving Castle is indeed , quite moving .
114 4 I watched it both in English and French . I prefer the English version because the voices for Calcifer and Howl are better . The music fits the cultural setting . The triple time waltz suits Howl's character and Sophie's youth . Like most Japanese animes , the art work is flawless . Being a 2 hour movie , the themes are not as deep as Japanese animes / mangas with hundreds of episodes . Given just 2 hours , the adaptation of the book could not be better .
However , I feel that more focus should have been put on explaining complicated part of the story where Howl swallows a falling star ( Calcifer , a fire demon ) and gave Calcifer his heart to save Calcifer's life . Consequently , Calcifer is bound to Howl . I think many viewers won't understand this fully unless they watch it a second time . The movie does not explicitly explain how Sophie broke free from the spell .
Bottom line : The pretty fire stole my heart . This is the magic of Japanese animation , winning hearts without reasons ! So simple , even a child understands ! : )
116 4 Howl's Moving Castle seemed so much in keeping with Miyazaki's previous work that I was surprised to discover at the end that it is an adaptation of a novel by Diana Wynne Jones , a prolific British author of young adult fantasies . So many of the classic Miyazaki themes are present : transformation , whimsy , villains who turn out to be not so bad once you understand them , and of course a plucky young woman . Except that she isn't young through most of the film , and I applaud Miyazaki for having an elderly woman as a protagonist ( even if she is really a young woman under a curse ) .
I haven't read the novel , but I suspect that it develops more fully some of the plot threads given short shrift in the movie . I imagine that Japanese audiences are more comfortable with this than many Western viewers . We are left to speculate about the motivations of the King's wizard , Sulliman . Was Sulliman responsible for turnip-head's curse ? Did Sulliman foment the war to consolidate her power and enslave the other wizards ? None of these questions are answered , and Miyazaki is clearly not very interested in answering them - - indeed , I believe that he intends for the war to seem arbitrary and obscure .
As has been the case for Disney versions of other Miyazaki films , the English voice talent is very fine . Still , I look forward to hearing the Japanese version . In particular , I can't help wondering if Calcifer the fire demon Calcifer is played quite so broadly in the Japanese version as it is by Billy Crystal in the dub . Authenticity aside , Crystal's version works .
Of course , being a Miyazaki film , the animation is just beautiful , putting to sham all but the best classic Disney . In the past , Disney has supported Miyazaki's films with good voice talent , but given them little promotion . At least Howl is actually showing up in theaters . The wonderful Nausicaa and Porco Rosso did not even get theatrical showing , being released direct to DVD .
117 4 * * * SPOILER ALERT * * * I WILL DISCLOSE SOME THOUGHTS YOU MAY NOT WANT TO READ PRIOR TO WATCHING THE MOVIE * * * I generally love Miyazaki's work , but after Princess Mononoke ( read : I did NOT enjoy ) , I wasn't keen to see Howl's Moving Castle . However , I did see it recently and found it wonderful , and I've watched it a number of times to try to figure things out .
First , it seems to be making a loose nod towards The Wizard of Oz . Sophie is like Dorothy , a young woman who has a run-in with a wicked witch that leaves her searching for a home . Ok , so she's cursed by the Wicked Witch of the Waste ( sound sorta familiar ? ) and now looks like an old hag . So that's different . She meets a scarecrow on the way who helps her find a place to live - with the Wizard Howl . Howl seems to be a composite of the Wizard of Oz and the Cowardly Lion and the Tinman - he's a Wizard , he's afraid to commit to anything and he doesn't have a heart . There's even a little dog , Heen , who attaches himself to Sophie . There are plenty of flying baddies - other wizards who have transformed into demon-like beings , sorta like the flying monkey boys , attacking Howl . Towards the end the Witch of the Waste is on fire and Sophie douses the witch with water , which has an adverse effect that I won't reveal here .
But of course it's not a complete parallel , just the characters are reminiscent . But it's an interesting and fun story , full of magic and mayhem , and a sweet love story . And there seems to be a time-travel loop .
Sophie is a young woman who is in a rut . She doesn't believe she is pretty , probably comparing herself to her sister and mother who seem to mesmerize men with their blonde ( but ditzy ) beauty . Sophie has mired herself in duty to her father's milinary shop . On her way to visit her sister in a nearby town , she encounters Howl , who saves her from some soldiers . But he himself is being pursued by minions of the Wicked Witch of the Waste , and he puts Sophie in a far worse danger - bringing her to the notice of the Witch .
Later that day the Witch curses Sophie with old-age as ( presumably ) a means to make the girl less desirable to Howl . But what it does is make Sophie leave her home to find her place elsewhere , and she inadvertantly makes her way straight to Howl . Insert a wizard's apprenctice - Markl - and a fire-demon - Calcifer - and an interesting castle that wanders around the wastes ( sort of dreary no-man's lands outside of the general towns ) makes for a fun story . Now for some spoilers and thoughts :
Another reviewer asks why doesn't Howl have a heart ? how / why did he lose it ? and I think the answer is this : When Howl was a chld studying magic alone in a cottage his uncle gave him , he met the demon Calcifer . Now , in most literature , the use of magic - especially strong magic - generally requires a sacrifice of something important . In this case , Howl gives his heart to Calcifer in exchange for powerful magic on tap . At the time he makes this deal with Calcifer , he sees a strange vision - a young woman with silvery hair yelling at him from across a river - that she knows how to help him and Calcifer , that her name is Sophie and he should find her in the future . A black hole opens up and swallows her . He goes on to live his life until one day he saves a young brown-haired woman named Sophie from some soldiers . It's obvious to the viewer that he somehow knows Sophie , but she does not know him , she doesn't even realize he is Howl , who is a terrifying figure as he is reputed to eat the souls of beautiful young women ( although she believes she is safe because she's not pretty ) .
Throughout the story , Sophie goes from looking like a warty , fat old granny , to a young woman to a middle-aged woman and a range in between . She doesn't notice the changes , but something is changing inside of her , as she spends time living , she becomes younger . As an old lady , she can be funny , feisty , outrageous , she expresses herself with no regard to others , just says what she likes , which is freeing . She gives reign to anger and sorrow , but finds herself enjoying life . She also finds love , in a family with Markl , Calcifer , Heen , Howl , even the Wicked Witch of the Waste . When she spends time with Howl alone - in life or in her dreams - she completely changes to a lovely young woman . And Howl himself transforms a bit , he had had an affair with the Witch of the Waste because he thought she was beautiful , until he realizes she is not . With Sophie , as the old hag she is not beautiful , but becomes beautiful to him . I think it's both his seeing thru the curse and Sophie's acceptance that she is beautiful , especially in Howl's eyes that finally breaks her curse . I've heard the phrase youth is wasted on the young and in this case Sophie gets a chance to really appreciate her youth once the curse if lifted .
Overall I highly recommend this movie . There are a lot of things that are puzzling , including the war and the weird way it is being waged . The relationships between people are odd and hard to figure out , like Mrs . Suliman and how she strips the powers from witches and wizards . But how much can you do with a movie that's only a little over 2 hours long ? But it's enjoyable enough that I spent a bit of time trying to puzzle things out . Take a look , hope you enjoy !
118 4 First off . . . I have to admit that I have never really written a review , only read them . Good or bad , I just want to get people's opinions on things ( even if I already own them ^ _ ^ ) . My children love this movie for the fantastic animation and storytelling . They always want to watch The Sophie Movie . I love this movie for all that , but also for the deeper meanings . Someone commented that Sophie's age was inconsistent after she is turned into an old woman . While that is true , and Old Sophie has some not SO wrinkled and downright young appearances , you have to take into account what is going on at that particular time . As they say . . . age is all in your mind . So I shall leave the rest up to your imagination , but I think that everyone should see this movie . And pretty much all the other Miyazaki movies ( though Pom Poko should be screened before deciding on whether or not to show it to the youngsters . . . you'll see what I mean ) . Though if you look just beyond the stories for some hidden meanings I promise you won't be disappointed .
119 4 I enjoy many Japenese animation films , although I am not much a fan of Anime artwork .
I love the movie Spirited Away , which I had on tape when I was very young . It used to scare me to death but it was one of my favorite movies , and I used to watch it over and over again . Then when I found Kiki's Delivery Service , I would have my mom rent it from Blockbuster over and over again , too , because I absolutely loved it .
Then Howl's Moving Castle , which I absolutely love . It is very entertaining , and although it certainly doesn't follow Diana Wynne Jones ' plot of the story , and the characters in the movie are much more sweet ( you'll see what I mean when you read the book and the movie ) , I absolutely love it .
I am a big fantasy reader and when I watched this movie and heard that it was based on the book I told myself I had to get it . And after reading it I have decided I want to watch the movie again , so I am renting it again . I recommend not only the movie but also the book to any fantasy-lover out there . It is a great movie , and a great book , and I will be reading more of Diana Wynne Jones ' work . I hope you will too !
120 4 This is one of the best movies I've ever seen . Not only is the cast and artwork amazing , but the soundtrack is beautiful and so is the storyline . This is such a great feel-good movie . . . it's romantic , fun , and magical . Howl's Moving Castle is the type of movie that I can watch over and over again and never get tired of . It makes me laugh and brings tears to my eyes at the same time . In a word , it's brilliant . = )
121 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
yet , on the advice of one of my sons , I got this one and watched it . I have to admit I really loved it . The acting is top notch . Totally fell in love with the Lauren Becall character . We also had many more true talents like Jean Simmons , Christian Bale , Lauren Bacall , and Blythe Danner . ( Billy Crystals contribution I could have done without . Of course it could have been worse . He could have used his incredibly annoying character from PRINCESS BRIDE that drove me to distraction ! ) .
Miyazaki's artistry and imagination is just wonderfully over the top . I loved the castle and the characters within . It comes to a point one forgets we're not dealing with real people and really become involved in the action and storyline . There appeared to be a few gaps here and there , particularly when it came to the Kings Sorceress , still a totally engaging story .
Highly recommended .
122 4 yet , on the advice of one of my sons , I got this one and watched it . I have to admit I really loved it . The acting is top notch . Totally fell in love with the Lauren Becall character . We also had many more true talents like Jean Simmons , Christian Bale , Lauren Bacall , and Blythe Danner . ( Billy Crystals contribution I could have done without . Of course it could have been worse . He could have used his incredibly annoying character from PRINCESS BRIDE that drove me to distraction ! ) .
Miyazaki's artistry and imagination is just wonderfully over the top . I loved the castle and the characters within . It comes to a point one forgets we're not dealing with real people and really become involved in the action and storyline . There appeared to be a few gaps here and there , particularly when it came to the Kings Sorceress , still a totally engaging story .
Highly recommended .
123 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
Bought this movie for my daughter after seeing it on television . A nice alternative to the Sponge Bob cartoons , this one actually has a story line about loving yourself and caring for others , the effects of war and of peace . Pleasantly surprised , I've watched the whole thing a dozen times already .
125 4 Still hard for me to believe that the man who , while on the set for Terminator Salvation , dropped enough F-Bombs to defeat the Germans in World War II is the same man doing the voice of Howl . But such is the nature of voice-over , I suppose . Part of my disillusionment is that I really liked Howl's Moving Castle , and for that matter , the character Howl . Howl has the reputation of a playboy , stealing the hearts of women . It gets a little scary when we learn that the reputation also includes eating their hearts . So maybe Christian Bale knew what he was doing when he took on this role . Actually , he probably knew exactly what he was doing . One of the most engaging parts about Howl is that he fits the celebrity persona to a T . I'm serious . He's flashy , cocky , self-absorbed and cowardly . And worse , he has the good looks to get away with all of it ! However , like some celebrities , he actually turns out to be a likable narcissist .
Howl meets Sophie , who is diametrically different than himself . She's plain in appearance and without an ounce of pretense ; and somehow this garners a genuine interest from Howl . Sophie pays the price though when a jealous witch retaliates by turning her into an old woman . From here the story begins . And what a story it is . After all , it's not often that you get to see a child-friendly story about a loving attraction between a Magician Playboy and a 90 year old woman . Sure , underneath the elderly spell Sophie is really only 18 years old ( qualifying her as the ideal celebrity obsessed groupie ) . But until she can break the witch's spell she'll have to wrestle with her achy breaky heart and her achy breaky bones . Howl may be a magician , but he has no magic to help her arthritis , and Celebrex hasn't yet hit the market .
The magic of this magical tale comes part from the source book of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones ; but also because of the storytelling flair of director Hayao Miyazaki . Unlike Disney films that have a predictable story structure , Miyazaki's films usually indulge in a playful circuitous 2nd act that gives no indication of when it will ever get back on track and head for the end of the story . In this case , the visuals are so lush that this is exactly what you want : to forget that you are watching a movie and get lost in Miyazaki's meandering imagination .
The other thing about Miyazaki is that his characters walk right up to the line of cliché and then make a sharp detour . For instance , the witch that casts her spell on Sophie turns out to be , well , not quite a bad woman after all . In fact , she's an endearing old lady herself with a bit of sass . And as I pointed out before , Howl is not the perfectly mannered male that we're used to in most kid-cozy animations . He's a brat , but a very likable one . These character twists keep the story from being a typical tale of good and evil . Instead , everybody is delightfully idiosyncratic - especially the fire demon Calcifer , who is voiced by Billy Crystal .
And then , of course , there's the castle itself , which I'd triple what I currently pay in rent to turn into my new abode . But until the castle comes a-walkin ' in my ' hood , I'll settle for repeat viewings of this excellent DVD , which I've done more times than I'll ever admit .
126 4 This is probably my most favorite animated movie ever ! The animation is absolutely breathtaking , the main characters are lovable , and the soundtrack is gorgeous and peaceful . But those who have read the book first be warned : This movie is almost completely different from the book , but it is absolutely worth the watch . ~ A . Brown
127 4 I have to say that out of all of the movies , this is my favorite ( rivaled by My Neighbor Totoro ) The characters , the plot , and the animation are all BEAUTIFUL , and this movie has been a treat to watch , from the very beginning to the end . I only wish that I was as smart and talented as its creator , because all the movies that have come from Mr . Miyazaki / Studio Ghibli have been wonderful , and Hollywood could take a lesson from them .
128 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
_ Howl's Moving Castle _ is another classic of Japanese film by Hayao Miyazaki . Sophie , a young girl who works in a hat shop , believes she is plain and will never marry . To teach her a lesson a witch turns her into a 90 - year old crone . Attempting to undo the spell put on her , Sophie inadvertently stumbles into a moving shack owned by Howl , a wizard , and becomes witness and participant to the adventerous life of Howl and his moving castle .
Artistically it is quite a bit different from _ Princess Mononoke _ and _ Spririted Away _ . The setting and scenery are incredibly rich ( as one would expect from Miyazaki ) , but it is an amalgam of Jules Verne science fiction with turn-of-the-century European overtones , as opposed to the Japanese look and feel of his other work . The story , too , is atypical - here , the strong anti-war message overshadows the pacific , reflective mood of the other Miyazaki films I have seen .
Nonetheless , it is a charming story with the wonderful characterization , detail and artistic mastery that I have come to associate with his films . Recommended .
129 4 _ Howl's Moving Castle _ is another classic of Japanese film by Hayao Miyazaki . Sophie , a young girl who works in a hat shop , believes she is plain and will never marry . To teach her a lesson a witch turns her into a 90 - year old crone . Attempting to undo the spell put on her , Sophie inadvertently stumbles into a moving shack owned by Howl , a wizard , and becomes witness and participant to the adventerous life of Howl and his moving castle .
Artistically it is quite a bit different from _ Princess Mononoke _ and _ Spririted Away _ . The setting and scenery are incredibly rich ( as one would expect from Miyazaki ) , but it is an amalgam of Jules Verne science fiction with turn-of-the-century European overtones , as opposed to the Japanese look and feel of his other work . The story , too , is atypical - here , the strong anti-war message overshadows the pacific , reflective mood of the other Miyazaki films I have seen .
Nonetheless , it is a charming story with the wonderful characterization , detail and artistic mastery that I have come to associate with his films . Recommended .
130 4 After renting this movie , we had to buy it .
Our entire family enjoyed this movie , and keeps enjoying it . It's pretty odd for Dad to watch a Cartoon but he even sits down and watches it with the children and myself when we watch it . The kids put it in , and in no time I find myself drawn in , sitting down to watch too .
I even purchased copies for our friends with small children as holiday gifts . So far they all really like it too .
It's a great story , great direction , great animation . Love , witches , wizards , kings , demons , and even beauty in the mist of war .
131 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
This is the finest example of creative genius I have seen in years ! ! ! ! Destined to be an example which all fantasy wtiters will hold their work up to and see if they have come close . Just buy it and get ready to be dazzled by innovative , fresh , imaginative story telling !
133 4 I loved this movie . Yes , I've read the book , and yes , it is far different from the movie , but I loved them both independently . I read Diana Wynne Jones's book because of this movie . I so loved the film , that I wanted to read the book . Actually , I understood the movie a bit more after reading the book , but I still enjoyed them both immensely on their own - - despite the differences .
My kids watch this movie over and over again . They love it just as much as Totoro , Castle in the Sky , Spirited Away , and Nausicaa . This is a great Hayao Miyazaki film - - and probably one of our favorites . Don't let the negative reviews scare you away . Even if it doesn't stay true to the book , it is still a great film .
134 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
I'm surprised there are some people on here complaining about the book to movie adaptation . Studio Ghibli rarely follows the few novels they've based movies on . . . Tales Of Earthsea was totally different than any book in the series !
Anyway , this is the movie that got me into Miyazaki / Ghibli a few years back . It's beyond words how good the storyline and animation are . The only Miyazaki movie I think is better is Princess Mononoke .
BUY NOW ! ! !
135 4 I'm surprised there are some people on here complaining about the book to movie adaptation . Studio Ghibli rarely follows the few novels they've based movies on . . . Tales Of Earthsea was totally different than any book in the series !
Anyway , this is the movie that got me into Miyazaki / Ghibli a few years back . It's beyond words how good the storyline and animation are . The only Miyazaki movie I think is better is Princess Mononoke .
BUY NOW ! ! !
136 4 It a strong film of magic and how things are not what they seem it delivers a breath taken story that fill your heart and make you realize that if we just try we can all succeed and be filled with happiness and be friendship is at times all ones has it carry you thru a world were to survive you must learn the way of the magic so it can work with you in the end its a simple as love that make things all well and how it portrait will leave a tear in your eye and a smile on your face
137 4 I prefer the voices of the Korean version better than the English , but other than that , the movie excels in the movie department . In each of Miyazaki's movies , a beautiful score is written , but Howl's Moving Castle's score is especially excellent . While listening to the music , watch the scenery : clouds , lush pastures , a day in a fantastical European city . . . The story also , though quite different from the book , is pure with a wonderful love . Miyazaki again produces a wonder , and give meaning to cinematographic animation .
138 4 While this is Anime it contains Manga moments but is for children and adults alike will love it too . The animation is sublime and the visuals are like a dream come to life . You have never seen anything like this before . It is hard to describe the story because the fantasy really is thick and at least ninety percent of the film takes places in a dreamlike vision , yet it still manages to gel together and you know that you are witnessing something not quite like anything you have ever experienced before .
A young Sophie finds herself under an old age curse by the Witch of the Waste , leaves town and accidentally finds Howl's moving castle in the country where she befriends the magician Howl and the fire demon Calcifer along with other interesting creatures and people that lead her on a journey through magical worlds .
Essentially it's a love story and it is love that pulls all the pieces together . Even the wicked get loved . It works on so many levels and is all about life . Its like watching Titanic for the first time . Just get this at all costs and let yourself go with the majesty of Howl's moving castle .
139 4 This is a great movie for kids of all ages - it really is not for everyone , as great works often are . For those who appreciate artwork gifted with great imagination and a poetic , wild sense of emotion , this movie is an instant classic .
140 4 I discovered this movie by accident one day and have been trying to get it for months . If you like anime , you should give this movie a chance .
141 4 This review is from :
Howl's Moving Castle ( DVD )
Easily one of my favorite movies . Great for all ages . Good character development and great animation . In my opinion it just doesn't get much better than this movie !
142 4 Easily one of my favorite movies . Great for all ages . Good character development and great animation . In my opinion it just doesn't get much better than this movie !
145 4 i thought this movie was an awesome movie ! It was one of my favorites out of all the myuzaki movies . Well almost . And what a spectacular ending . Usually the characters wouldn't kiss at the end but in this one it shocked me . I'm fourteen and do not think kissing was disgusting .
146 4 We went to the movie theater to see this premier , and it was even more mind blowing then . This is not a simple story , like Disney . The story gets very complicated , but in the end it's all worth it . Billy Cristal as a fire was genius ! We fell in love with this movie .
148 4 What do you get when you combine the master Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki ( My Neighbor Totoro , Spirited Away ) with the British sci-fi novelist Diana Wynne Jones ? The answer is Howl's Moving Castle , an enchanting ( if not altogether understandable ) animated feature , filled with beauty , imagination and magic .
Sophie is a shy young girl , working in her family ` s hat shop , who falls under the spell of a witch who turns her into a decrepit old woman . At a loss as to what to do , Sophie decides to leave home and try to find a cure for her condition in the mysterious land of wizards and witches that lies just outside her city . Not long after she arrives , she encounters the mysterious moving castle , owned by the enigmatic wizard known as Howl , that not only roams freely around the countryside but seems to exist in any number of different dimensions at the same time . It's when she passes through the castle door and discovers what awaits her inside that the really surreal adventure begins .
There's little point in trying to figure out all the fine details of the story , which often feels as if it is being made up as it goes along - and not always in a way that is completely satisfying to those of us who are trying desperately to understand it . Yet , there is a certain fascination in the way the film chooses to defy all the rules of time and space and feels no real compunction to explain how all of it is supposed to work . The movie asks us to merely accept what we are seeing at face value and to go along wherever it is it wants to take us . This is an easy thing to do , primarily because the film's incredible beauty seduces us into accepting the slightly weird alternate reality the movie has set up for us . Although the animators are all Japanese , the characters themselves are Occidental and the film appears to be set sometime in the late Victorian or early Edwardian era of a century ago . The visuals are so exquisite in every detail that it is virtually impossible for us to turn our eyes from the screen even for a split second . Like the best animated films , it transports us to a world that is both utterly fantastic and strangely familiar at the same time .
In bringing the characters to life , the English-language version employs an impressive cast of voices , including veterans Jean Simmons , Lauren Bacall and Blythe Danner , along with Billy Crystal , Emily Mortimer and Christian Bale .
With its occasionally incoherent storyline and deliberate pacing , Howl's Moving Castle may disappoint and frustrate those accustomed to the more simple , hectic and frenetic animated films churned out regularly by Hollywood . But if you're in the mood for a calmer , more relaxing trip to a world not your own , Howl's Moving Castle provides just the right vehicle to take you there .
149 4 Some studios or directors sometimes takes awhile before they perfect the formula . Knowing what works and what doesn't , they eventually will start to settle into that comfort zone where the films are really great , although they may not be as innovative . With Miyazaki you'll always find great animation and a really imaginative world but certain flaws that existed before still exist now . While it probably won't beat Totoro or Spirited Away as the better film , it's certainly an enjoyable film to watch .
Young Sophie works at a hat shop and feels like she isn't beautiful . She has a chance encounter with a likable man with some magical powers . Later on , she has an unfortunate meeting with the Witch of the Waste ( wish I wasn't kidding about the name ) which turns her into an old woman . Looking for a way to break the spell , she runs into a big castle with legs , run by a kid named Markl and a fire demon that runs the castle . The master of the place is the man she met earlier , a wizard named Howl . Will Sophie break the spell ?
Like I said about certain things getting perfected , this film is probably some of the best animation that Studio Ghibli has done . The colors are so vivid , sharp and colorful and one scene involving a flower garden late in the film was quite striking . And unlike other releases , the CG never becomes obvious where you can easily tell where it took over . It's of course got the weird characters and neat concepts and what more would you want ?
Well , maybe a better written plot ? The premise is great , it's just the execution falls apart slightly . Certain elements are never explained and we seem to jump from one thing to the next . The other problem is what plagued other Miyazaki films : it's a bit too long . Now one of my favorite films is JFK , 3 hour 15 at least in the Director's Cut and I didn't even minded however Howl clocks in at a few minutes shy of 2 hours and it feels like certain things could've been chopped off ( one weird subplot involving Howl's hair just seems completely out of place and unnecessary ) .
If you've had Miyazaki films before , you know how skimpy they are on extras ( then again , what anime film isn't ? ) It's disappointing but at the same time the film does speak for itself but considering the guys at Pixar are huge Miyazaki fans , you would maybe thought they'd record a commentary on his film , making comments about the story and animation etc .
It's certainly a recommendable film but if this is your first , well go for Totoro or Spirited Away but if you're already a fan , must give this a go .
150 4 The latest offering from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli ( Kiki's Delivery Service , My Neighbor Tortoro ) is a lush , enchanting animation wonderland . At almost two hours , it's a dazzling , spellbinding trip and a thoughtful flight of fancy .
The backgrounds are lavish , beautiful paintings with the characters done in computerized cel-like animation . This makes the characters stand out and is a bit jarring until one falls under the picture's spell . But it is far preferable to the other CGI technique in wide use of shadowing and graying out characters to lend depth and dimension , but losing the bright , lively color and look of cel animation . This latter technique is often used in transitions of cartoons to movies such as Jetsons : The Movie , the Felix the Cat movie , the Rugrats movie and the film of Curious George .
Another standout in this film is the English voice acting . Emily Mortimer plays the young Sophie to perfection . Christian Bale is calm and reassuring as the wizard Howl . Was he also Spike in Cowboy Bebop ? Billy Crystal is comically understated as the Fire Demon , providing comedy relief as Eddie Murphy did ( also well-played ) as the dragon in Mulan .
These two disc sets are undeniably pricey , but if ever a film deserved this treatment it's this one . The extras include an interview with Pixar about Studio Ghibli and Miyasaki , and animation buffs will find it interesting to hear one studio talk about another . One of the previews on my disc was for Pixar's upcoming Cars , the principals of which resemble the Chevron cars which , interestingly were designed from a partnership between AArdman Animation in Britain ( Wallace and Gromit ) and Will Vinton Studios in Portland , Oregon .
Like Kiki's Delivery Service , which it somewhat resembles , this is an all-family anime that expands the boundaries of the art form without sacrificing traditional strengths of character and story . Some parts may be too intense for younger children , but that's a call parents will have to make . It's certainly a film to grow into , and an unforgettable experience that holds up to repeated viewings .
