Howl's Moving Castle

Theatrical Release Date: 2005 06 10 (USA - Limited)

UPC: 786936296662

Studio: Walt Disney Video

MPAA Rating: PG   Contains:[Suitable for Children, Scary Moments]

Summary: Hayao Miyazaki, the Japanese animation director who wowed audiences worldwide with his award-winning film Spirited Away, brings another visually spectacular tale of imagination to the screen. Sophie is an 18-year-old girl who toils in the hat shop opened years ago by her late father. Often harassed by local boys, one day Sophie is unexpectedly befriended by Howl, a strange but flamboyant wizard whose large home can travel under its own power. However, the Witch of the Waste is displeased with Sophie and Howl's budding friendship, and turns the pretty young woman into an ugly and aged hag. Sophie takes shelter in Howl's castle, and attempts to find a way to reverse the witch's spell with the help of Calcifer, a subdued but powerful demon who exists in the form of fire, and Markl, who protects the four-way door which can instantly take visitors to other lands and dimensions. Howl's Moving Castle was released in North America by Walt Disney Pictures, who distributed the film both in its original Japanese and in a dubbed English version; the English-speaking voice cast includes Christian Bale, Emily Mortimer, Jean Simmons, Lauren Bacall, and Billy Crystal. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Category: Fantasy

Awards: Osella Award for Technical Contribution – Venice International Film Festival Best Score – Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Animated Feature – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Animated Feature – San Diego Film Critics Association Best Animated Feature – Online Film Critics Association Best Animated Feature – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Animated Feature – New York Film Critics Circle

Features: Behind the microphone
Interview with Pixar Animation Studios director Pete Docter
Hayao Miyazaki visits Pixar Animation Studios
TV sports and trailers
Storyboards

Howl's Moving Castle

Format: DVD

Release Date: 03/07/2006

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 119 Minutes

Sides: 2

Number of Discs: 2

Language(s) English,French

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Disc #1 -- Howl's Moving Castle
1. Beginning Credits [:00]
2. A Moving Castle [:00]
3. Being Followed [:00]
4. An Old Curse [:00]
5. Staying at the Castle [:11]
6. Howl's Summons [:15]
7. Cooking Breakfast [:15]
8. Yesterday's Faith [1:05]
9. Night Fight [1:05]
10. Drama Queen [2:59]
11. Reporting to the Palace [7:58]
12. A Long Climb [5:15]
13. Looking For Suilman [5:15]
14. Instant Escape [4:25]
15. Loving the Best [5:53]
16. Is It Time To Move? [6:56]
17. The New Home [5:13]
18. Hiding the Love [3:38]
19. Bombing Raid [6:22]
20. Collapse [3:05]
21. Finding Howl [6:18]
22. Aftermath [6:02]
23. Young Prince [4:30]
24. End Credits [4:40]

Cammila Collar

Hayao Miyazaki's reputation as the creator of the most enchanting and inspiring animated films of the past 20 years is only strengthened with the fresh and complex fairy tale Howl's Moving Castle. Those looking for the beauty and magic of a Disney yarn but thirsting for more underlying meaning could convert based on this movie alone, while hardcore Miyazaki fans should find that this installment falls perfectly in line with the filmmaker's prolific and much-loved filmography. While the narrative is charming and accessible, much like Kiki's Delivery Service, it also remains true to an epic and purposeful subtext in a style that calls to mind Princess Mononoke. Both a coming-of-age tale and an essay on the human price of war, each character in Howl's Moving Castle -- especially Sofi, Miyazaki's trademark strong female protagonist -- is confronted with questions about self-image. Like many of us, Sofi struggles to discern whether her true self is defined through her own actions or through her relationships with others. The way Miyazaki employs this theme is particularly clever in that, rather than seeking to answer the question, he focuses his energy on illustrating how universal the issue is, as nearly every peripheral character in the story also wrestles with the same impasse in a different way. For instance, title character Howl, who is a charming and aloof conjurer, grapples with a curse that changes his physical form, warping his perception of what he is in the most literal terms. Even the villainess in this fairy tale eventually proves that the most wicked of deeds seldom reflect the actual wickedness of people. By the end of Howl's Moving Castle, Miyazaki has spun a delightful fable into an expressive examination of identity, and what it means for all of us as the struggle to grow up continues through old age. It's a theme that speaks to young and old alike, proving once again that there is still room for meaning in the world of charming, animated fantasy. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Hayao Miyazaki  Director 
Hayao Miyazaki  Screenwriter 
Joe Hisaishi  Composer (Music Score) 
Toshio Suzuki  Producer 
Emily Mortimer  Actor 
Chieko Baisho  Actor 
Christian Bale  Actor 
Takuya Kimura  Actor 
Lauren Bacall  Actor 
Akihiro Miwa  Actor 
Billy Crystal  Actor 
Tatsuya Gasyuin  Actor 
Josh Hutcherson  Actor 
Ryunosuke Kamiki  Actor 
Mitsunori Isaki  Actor 
Jean Simmons  Actor 
Yo Oizumi  Actor 
Akio �tsuka  Actor 
Daijiro Harada  Actor 
Haruko Kato  Actor 

Country: Japan