Princess Mononoke

Theatrical Release Date: 1999 10 29 (USA)

UPC: 717951007414

Studio: Walt Disney

MPAA Rating: PG13   Contains:[Mild Violence, Questionable for Children, Suitable for Teens]

Summary: This $20 million animated adventure/fantasy quickly became the highest grossing Japanese film in Japanese film history (making $150 million in Japan during its first seven months). Set in the 14th century, the ecology-themed epic was directed by Hayao Miyazaki whose previous films were acquired by Disney for U.S. distribution plus other territories. Princess Mononoke depicts a mystical battle between Animal Gods of the forest and humans during Japan's Muromachi Period. Young Ashitaka receives a fatal infection after a demonic wild boar attacks his northern village. Seeking a cure, he sets out to locate the deer-like god Shishigami. Along the way, he sees the rape of the Earth by a mining village. The constant plundering by the village has brought the wrath of the Wolf God, Moro, who attacks the village along with San, a human who was raised by the wolf god. She communicates with the nature spirits -- which is why she is called Princess Mononoke ("spirits of things"). Ashitaka wants these opposing forces to co-exist, and he hopes to bring peace between San and the ironworks owner, Lady Eboshi. However, he is thwarted as higher powers, intent on killing the Shishigama, intrude, and a battle erupts over the future of all nature. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Category: Fantasy

Awards: Film Presented – Telluride Film Festival

Features: Featurette
Theatrical trailer
French-language track
5.1 Surround
Widescreen [1.85:1] enhanced for 16x9 televisions

Princess Mononoke

Format: DVD

Release Date: 12/19/2000

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 134 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French

Subtitles: English

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Side #1
0. chapter selection
1. Opening Credits [:13]
2. Prince Ashitaka's Fate [:54]
3. The Arm Of A Demon [:54]
4. A New Friend [:14]
5. The Wolf Gods Attack [:08]
6. First Sight Of Princess Mononoke [:08]
7. The Tree Spirits [6:12]
8. A Magical Place [:46]
9. Returning Home To Iron Town [4:09]
10. The Story Of The Demon Boar [1:44]
11. The Inner Workings Of Iron Town [1:34]
12. San Invades Iron Town [3:01]
13. The Ape Tribe [2:24]
14. The Great Spirit [2:01]
15. The Boars Want A Battle [:31]
16. Fighting For Iron [1:51]
17. A Warning From The Wolf God [3:12]
18. A Trap Is Set [3:00]
19. Iron Town Is Under Attack [1:05]
20. Many Lives Lost [3:29]
21. Becoming A Demon [3:25]
22. A God, A Demon, And A Spirit [4:27]
23. The Great Spirit's Head [7:41]
24. Rejuvenating The Forest [2:11]
25. End Credits [3:48]

Andrea LeVasseur

The epic film effort of director Hayao Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli, Princess Mononoke preserves the director's spirit of humanism while succeeding as a daring action-adventure. Though it contains more violence than his earlier works, it expands on his frequent ecological themes without falling into the black-and-white polarity of good guys versus the bad guys. Humans, animals, and gods have reached a point where they cannot live in harmony, and each faction -- be it lepers, wild boars, or forest spirits -- is warranted some dignity. Based on drawings of ancient forests, the scenery is breathtaking, being the first of Miyazaki's films to utilize computer-generated animation, although the bulk is still, thankfully, drawn by hand. Once the highest grossing film in Japan (before being surpassed by Titanic and later Miyazaki's own Spirited Away), Princess Mononoke was dubbed into English and distributed by Miramax. Fortunately, the raging forest battle does not get a sentimentalized treatment from the U.S. company. Rather than stock Disney-anthropomorphized animals, the forest creatures are represented with a variety of sincerity, compassion, and ferocity. The plight of the animals and forest gods rarely resorts to a simple moral explanation, and the central romance is not written off with a happily ever after. What Princess Mononoke does have is a beautifully rendered mythical forest inhabited by inventive creatures, while evoking as much rousing adventure as a sense of wonder. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Bob Weinstein  Executive Producer 
Harvey Weinstein  Executive Producer 
Hayao Miyazaki  Director 
Hayao Miyazaki  Screenwriter 
Joe Hisaishi  Composer (Music Score) 
Toshio Suzuki  Producer 
Yasuyoshi Tokuma  Executive Producer 
Scott Martin  Executive Producer 
Neil Gaiman  Screenwriter 
Yoji Matsuda  Actor 
Yuriko Ishida  Actor 
Yuko Tanaka  Actor 
Kaoru Kobayashi  Actor 
Masahiko Nishimura  Actor 
Tsunehiko Kamijyo  Actor 
Sumi Shimamoto  Actor 
Akihiro Miwa  Actor 
Hitsuko Mori  Actor 
Hisaya Morishige  Actor 
Billy Crudup  Actor 
Claire Danes  Actor 
Billy Bob Thornton  Actor 
Minnie Driver  Actor 
Gillian Anderson  Actor 
Jada Pinkett Smith  Actor 
John DiMaggio  Actor 

Country: Japan