DVDizzy Forum

The Wrap is reporting that Disney will be handling the North American distribution of Studio Ghibli's The Wind Rises. There is no release date set yet but it has been revealed that the film will be released under the Touchstone banner.

Trailer (with English subtitles):

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhHoCnRg1Yw[/youtube]

Thumbs up! Disney and Ghibli together again!

Why?? "Spirited Away" was the only decent film in the past 20 years. I take that back, "Akira" is also in my collection. Don't understand what all the hoopla is over a these films.

Not very excited for this one. I really really love a handful of Ghibli films, especially the ones that lean more heavily towards fantasy, but these realistic fiction films are not my cup of tea. Visuals look great though, as always.

I'm glad Ghibli's coming home for this one. Can't get a hold of their previous one, "From Up on Poppy Hill," because of it being released by GKIDS and distributed by Cinedigm, a company that isn't stocked by stores in my town. Guess I gotta order it online, it seems...

NeoSuperBlissey wrote:I'm glad Ghibli's coming home for this one. Can't get a hold of their previous one, "From Up on Poppy Hill," because of it being released by GKIDS and distributed by Cinedigm, a company that isn't stocked by stores in my town. Guess I gotta order it online, it seems...

Or it could have something to do with the release date being September 3rd

http://www.amazon.com/From-Poppy-Hill-B ... 485&sr=1-1

dvdjunkie wrote:Why?? "Spirited Away" was the only decent film in the past 20 years. I take that back, "Akira" is also in my collection.

Howl's Moving Castle, Ponyo and The Cat Returns says hi.

I haven't seen Arrietty yet so can't judge that.

dvdjunkie wrote:Why?? "Spirited Away" was the only decent film in the past 20 years. I take that back, "Akira" is also in my collection. Don't understand what all the hoopla is over a these films.

Almost all of their films are more profound, witty and intelligent than anything Disney have released after Sleeping Beauty. And Akira, while brilliant, isn't even a Ghibli movie. Ignorance is a bless, I guess.

Well, nice to know this will be somewhat easily abailable.

Scamander wrote:

dvdjunkie wrote:Why?? "Spirited Away" was the only decent film in the past 20 years. I take that back, "Akira" is also in my collection. Don't understand what all the hoopla is over a these films.

Almost all of their films are more profound, witty and intelligent than anything Disney have released after Sleeping Beauty. And Akira, while brilliant, isn't even a Ghibli movie. Ignorance is a bless, I guess.

Scamander, how dare you? A majority of Disney's films after Sleeping Beauty were profound, witty and intelligent, thank you very much.

Scamander wrote:
Almost all of their films are more profound, witty and intelligent than anything Disney have released after Sleeping Beauty.

This thread is dropping my IQ

DisneyJedi wrote:
Scamander, how dare you? A majority of Disney's films after Sleeping Beauty were profound, witty and intelligent, thank you very much.

Somebody sane ! Hallelujah !

I think I kind of agree with Scamander, but I do love the Disney films, promise.

DisneyJedi and thelittleursula: The Ghibli films may feel more profound because they are not made to necessarily appeal to kids. Most of the WDAS films were made to be family-friendly, and as result the film-makers were limited as to the maturity and breadth of emotions and story ideas they could portray. I'm pretty sure there's tremendous talent at WDAS, and I think there's mutual respect between the two studios, but I think the Japanese artists are luckier because they are allowed to tackle subject matter that Disney management would never allow the WDAS artists to touch with a ten foot pole.

That's why Ghibli make films like Grave of the Fireflies, Ocean Waves, From Up On Poppy Hill, or The Wind Rises. Don't get me wrong, there's probably nothing in these films that is inappropriate for children (an adult film need not be necessarily full of cursing, blood and sex ...), but Disney executives would greatly discourage any director at WDAS (or Pixar) at attempting to tell such stories. They probably reason that children will be bored with an animated drama.

I still am hopeful for a profound and artistic film from WDAS, however. Though I don't think it will happen while Lasseter is chief creative officer.

disneyboy20022 wrote:

NeoSuperBlissey wrote:I'm glad Ghibli's coming home for this one. Can't get a hold of their previous one, "From Up on Poppy Hill," because of it being released by GKIDS and distributed by Cinedigm, a company that isn't stocked by stores in my town. Guess I gotta order it online, it seems...

Or it could have something to do with the release date being September 3rd

http://www.amazon.com/From-Poppy-Hill-B ... 485&sr=1-1

Didn't know. Sorry....

Hey, Jules? Hunchback of Notre Dame says hello.

DisneyJedi wrote:Hey, Jules? Hunchback of Notre Dame says hello.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a beautiful exception, and proof of what the talent pool at WDAS circa 1996 could do when given some degree of freedom. Of course we all know it got bogged down with the gargoyles, so even then I suppose there was still some executive meddling ("We need to make it bright and colourful for the kids! Find a way to insert a "cut the cheese" joke somewhere or you're dead meat!")

Years ago, I left a comment on Cartoon Brew saying that Hunchback is a though-provoking film. A terse reply told me that if I found the film thought-provoking then my taste in film was lousy and I had a screw loose.

Jules wrote:Though I don't think it will happen while Lasseter is chief creative officer.

I think so too. Of course, this depends on whether you like the films produced under Lasseter so I'm just speaking for myself here. I find most films under Lasseter's supervision very formulaic and calculated, designed to reach a bottom line. I find the product from all the studios he oversees very similar whether it's Pixar, WDAS, or DisneyToon Studios. He doesn't allow any risks neither storytelling ones nor stylistic ones. Everything needs to look the same generic CG. WDAS took much more risks with their projects during the 90s and '00s than it does now even if they weren't always successful. Lasseter seems to have a distaste for themes or ideas that he deems too mature and sophisticated. How many times have we heard Lasseter finding that story "too dark" or that style "too distracting"?

The filmmakers who don't share Lasseter's views and artistic sensibilities never get their chance to direct or are removed. He refuses to allow plurality of voices and of storytelling approaches. Pixar's brain trust and now WDAS' story trust are nothing but cliques made out people who share and reproduce the same beliefs and attitudes. Everything needs to abide by their strict set of rules and thus we end up having the same type of films over and over again only thinly disguised as different.

Gee, Sotiris. It's no wonder people at Disney either quit or end up going to work for Dreamworks instead.

WDAS took much more risks with their projects during the 90s and '00s than it does now even if they weren't always successful. Lasseter seems to have a distaste for themes or ideas that he deems too mature and sophisticated. How many times have we heard Lasseter finding that story "too dark" or that style "too distracting"?

quoted for truth. The concepts were so much riskier back then...
Can you imagine going up to Lassater today & saying, "how about we make...

a historical romance with a bittersweet ending...

an adaption of a tragic Victor Hugo novel...

a Chinese saga about a female warrior...

science fiction adventure films with steam punkish aspects..."

theyd get fired on the spot!

unprincess wrote:

WDAS took much more risks with their projects during the 90s and '00s than it does now even if they weren't always successful. Lasseter seems to have a distaste for themes or ideas that he deems too mature and sophisticated. How many times have we heard Lasseter finding that story "too dark" or that style "too distracting"?

quoted for truth. The concepts were so much riskier back then...
Can you imagine going up to Lassater today & saying, "how about we make...

a historical romance with a bittersweet ending...

an adaption of a tragic Victor Hugo novel...

a Chinese saga about a female warrior...

science fiction adventure films with steam punkish aspects..."

theyd get fired on the spot!

I think the nostalgia glasses are being put on.

Jules wrote: I think I kind of agree with Scamander, but I do love the Disney films, promise.

DisneyJedi and thelittleursula: The Ghibli films may feel more profound because they are not made to necessarily appeal to kids. Most of the WDAS films were made to be family-friendly, and as result the film-makers were limited as to the maturity and breadth of emotions and story ideas they could portray. I'm pretty sure there's tremendous talent at WDAS, and I think there's mutual respect between the two studios, but I think the Japanese artists are luckier because they are allowed to tackle subject matter that Disney management would never allow the WDAS artists to touch with a ten foot pole.

That's why Ghibli make films like Grave of the Fireflies, Ocean Waves, From Up On Poppy Hill, or The Wind Rises. Don't get me wrong, there's probably nothing in these films that is inappropriate for children (an adult film need not be necessarily full of cursing, blood and sex ...), but Disney executives would greatly discourage any director at WDAS (or Pixar) at attempting to tell such stories. They probably reason that children will be bored with an animated drama.

I still am hopeful for a profound and artistic film from WDAS, however. Though I don't think it will happen while Lasseter is chief creative officer.

The Ghibli movies are amazing and they are a beautiful masterpieces of art and pure imagination and even has strong female mains and characters which I adore but down right insulting movies like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, HOND, Tarzan, Stitch, Mulan, Tangled, Ralph, Mermaid and Hercules. Sorry not going to cut it.

Because those are really good animated movies too.

I don't really blame Disney though they should be taking more risks like they did during the 90's and early 00's but I think it's more the American/ Western PC attitude that most Baby Boomers and Gen X Parents have today. " Oh no can't let little Sammy see Mufasa getting killed " ! " He isn't going to learn about death till his 13th birthday till then a magical fairy did it " !

And the whole " Animation is for kids " poison society tries to drill into people's minds these days too.