DVD Corner

My Neighbor Totoro and Howl’s Moving Castle Blu-ray Reviews

“My Neighbor Totoro” is a classic.

“Howl’s Moving Castle” is a flawed, but admirable Miyazaki film.

My Neighbor Totoro:

The plot: After Professor Kusukabe and his two daughters (Mei and Satsuki) move into a weird and creepy new house in order to be near their sick wife/mother, the two children soon discover that magical creatures (such as Soot Sprites and various Totoros) exist around them.

It’s no secret that “My Neighbor Totoro” is one of Hayao Miyazaki’s many masterpieces (and arguably his most beloved film). It’s a magical and imaginative piece about childhood, exploration, family, discovery, friendship, innocence and nature. What the film lacks in plot it more than makes up in rich themes, sweet and funny humor, and delightfully strange characters (See Cat Bus and the big, cute, smiley fluffball Totoro).

It’s a rare film that appeals equally to both kids and adults. Essentially, it’s become a generational film that has been passed down from parents to their children (and deservedly so). Judging by the abundance of merchandise and frequent discussions of ‘Totoro,’ it may seem hard to believe that the film was actually released way back in 1988. And yet, it was. In this day and age where films come and go at a blinding speed, it’s so refreshing to see a more modern film make a lasting impression. Hopefully, ‘Totoro’ will continue to find new audiences (and even inspire them) for decades to come.

Video/Audio:

The animated film, which is presented in 1.85:1 1080p, has at long last been released in hi-def and it was certainly worth the wait. The film is as gorgeous and colorful as you would hope it would be. Yes, the image is a tad wavy in spots, but it’s a minor quibble.

The audio department is a little disappointing. Viewers only have the option of playing a mere English or Japanese DTS-HD MA 2.0 track. While I’m sure it could never happen due to rights issue, the original English track released by Fox is sadly not included here which is a shame to fans who grew up on that track. Instead, there’s a newer English dub featuring Dakota and Elle Fanning. The new track is decent enough, but the previous one was stronger I felt. Naturally, the Japanese track is the real stand-out here.

“My Neighbor Totoro” Extras:
* DVD copy.
* Disney trailers and a Japanese “My Neighbor Totoro” trailer.
* Original Japanese Storyboards for the entire feature length.
* “Scoring Miyazaki”- A featurette on composer Joe Hisaishi (who does all of Miyazaki’s films).
* “Behind The Microphone”- A 6 minute piece of the English dub cast at work.
* “The Locations Of Totoro”- A 29 minute featurette that explores the real picturesque locations that inspired the setting for ‘Totoro.’
* “The Totoro Experience” and “Producer’s Experience: Creating Ghibli”- Producer Toshio Suzuki chats about the road to success for “My Neighbor Totoro” and Studio Ghibli’s formation.
* “Creating The Characters”- An extra about the characters and character designs. Comments from Hayao Miyazaki are included.
* “Creating My Neighbor Totoro”- Miyazaki chats about how ‘Totoro’ came about as well as the production of the legendary animated classic.

Howl’s Moving Castle

The plot: A young hatmaker named Sophie encounters a wizard named Howl who is on the run from the grotesque Witch of the Waste. Before Sophie can even process her awe inspiring meeting with the wizard, the nasty Witch enters the hat shop and places a curse on Sophie that causes her to become an old woman. Wanting to rid herself of this curse, Sophie sets out on a quest that just so happens to lead her to Howl’s moving castle. From there on out, Sophie becomes drawn into Howl’s complex world which is full of magic, curses, oddball characters, and wars.

From his most family friendly work with “My Neighbor Totoro” to one of his more adult works, the steampunk influenced “Howl’s Moving Castle” (which is based on a book by Diana Wynne Jones) is far from one of Miyazaki’s best films. While characters like Turnip Head, Calcifer, and Suliman’s dog Heen are vintage Miyazaki, the story itself leaves a lot to be desired. The first hour proves to be an exciting trip down the rabbit hole (so to speak) as Sophie discovers the magic world that Howl inhabits, but once the hour mark is past, the story trips up. The subplots involving Howl’s past, the Witch, and the wars are simply too frustratingly vague and uneven which makes it hard to fully connect with the world Miyazaki is trying to create. Sure, it’s easy to admire the ambition, action sequences, the characters, and the visually stunning animation (especially the detailed castle itself), but the film lacks the coherent story and heartfelt messages that the majority of his work is noted for.  

Video/Audio:

Presented in 1.85:1 1080p, “Howl’s Moving Castle” is a hand drawn visual feast film that looks better than ever on Blu-ray. Viewers will really get to see the amount of detail and work that goes into every frame.

This disc includes English and Japanese DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio tracks. From Christian Bale to Billy Crystal, the English dub is actually one of the strongest Miyazaki film dubs out there. Of course, purists will undoubtedly choose the original language Japanese track which is just about always preferable since that is the way the film was intended to be heard.

“Howl’s Moving Castle” Extras:
* Japanese T.V. spots and trailers for “Howl’s Moving Castle.”
* Disney trailers.
* DVD copy.
* “Interview With Pete Docter”- Pixar director Pete Docter talks about doing the English translation version of “Howl’s Moving Castle.”
* “Behind The Microphone”- A behind-the-scenes look at the English cast dub recording.
* “Hello Mr. Lasseter: Hayao Miyazaki Visits Pixar”- Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki visit Pixar studios and chat with John Lasseter. There is also some gift giving. This is a very fun extra.
* Original Japanese storyboards for the entire film.

June 3, 2013 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Disney, Hayao Miyazaki, Howl's Moving Castle Blu-ray Review, My Neighbor Totoro and Howl's Moving Castle Blu-ray Reviews, My Neighbor Totoro Blu-ray Review, Totoro