HTF REVIEW: Miyazaki's "Spirited Away" (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) (with screenshots) (1 Viewer)

[andrew markworthy]

Once more an excellent review, Mr Epstein.

For those who can't wait and aren't desperate for the English lanugage track (and can make do with subtitles), then *please* consider getting the R3 version:

DTS 6.1
Good subtitles (I can't speak Japanese, but the subtitles are in good English and appear to match what's going on).
The second disc contains what appears to be the *full* movie (certainly far more than 10 minutes) in storyboard/sketchbook form.
There are a couple of extras in Japanese only (though bizarrely, there is an English menu page).

I'd advise a *little* bit of caution about letting easily-disturbed kids watch this movie. It isn't particularly violent or nasty, but some of the images are disturbing in an Alice in Wonderland (the original Lewis Carroll illustrated by Tenniel version, not the Disney abberation) kind of way. Having said that, my kids (aged 7 and 9) loved it and have already watched it again.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Ron, you GOTTA watch the film in the OSL of Japanese... Japanese voice actors are the BEST in the entire world at what they do. I'd like to see you review the Japanese 5.1 track ....

Yeah, I'm sorry -- perhaps I made a bad call here --
but once my review is done, I don't go back to it.
I just have too many discs here that I am obligated
to look through.

I'm sure that other reviews popping up over the next
few days will address the quality of the Japanese 5.1
track. I look forward to reading them.

Thanks for the responses thus far. Great film!

 

[Michael St. Clair]

For those who can't wait and aren't desperate for the English lanugage track (and can make do with subtitles), then *please* consider getting the R3 version:

Anyone considering buying the R3 version should be aware that the color was timed to a 'reddish' tint, and that this was corrected for the R1 version.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

You should consider cutting back on the reviews and enjoying film more.

If only!

Thanks for giving me the heads-up on the dubbing
problems, Michael.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Regardless of little things like whether the video quality was the best it could be or if every last extra was on the discs, the movie was still very good and worth the purchase. If you're really that upset they didn't include the other bonuses, chances are you're one of the people who has already imported it or will do so, which means you really don't have much to worry about.

The dub might not be the EXACT same thing as the subs, but it gives the same general idea. Is it the ideal way to watch the movie? No, but either way, Ron still loved this movie just as much as the others here who have seen it, and that's pretty much all that matters.

Thank you Ron for the review.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Sorry Ron, if I was stepping on your toes there

Unfortunately my review is delayed in going up due to Bill being at NAB

The only way you would know about these picture issues is if you do a careful compare/contrast with the Japanese disc. While the red tint may be gone, the method Disney went about it compromises the PQ. When a 15 year old film (Laputa) looks better than one made 2 years ago, there are problems

 

[Andy_Bu]

Thank you for the great review Ron!

My wife and I were both very interested in the dub for this movie and I am happy that you reviewed it.

The vast majority of the reviews of the dub have been very positive and I am glad to read another one.

Andy

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Jeff,

Not a problem.

I'm glad to read that unless I had seen the
import I would not have recognized the issues
with this R1 transfer. To me, the transfer looks
and sounds terrific.

Thanks, as always, for your input.

I'm debating watching one more Studio Ghibli film,
most likely Kiki's Delivery Service. This
time I'll listen to the original Japanese track.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Andy, please watch the 2 documentaries very carefully on this film. I know I'll never change your mind but look at all the people in the dub documentary sitting there with no direction and working in a medium most of them have never done (as they admit in the doc) compared to Miyazaki's careful direction and the actors' much more careful performances

 

[Joshua_Y]

Based on all the positive buzz...I will have to get this...best animated ever...I'm doubtful...Iron Giant and Toy Story 2 are my standards for animation...but I'm hopeful that it will be very good...I am not a fan of Japanese Animation at all...I've had Princess Mononoke for a year on DVD and still havent watched it...but nonetheless I will buy this...good review Ron!

 

[Lew Crippen]

There is something to be said for watching this film with dubbing rather than subtitles. Especially if watching it only once. I found the visuals to be so highly richly detailed and compelling, that I would have been jealous of spending any visual effort concentrating on subtitles. So far, I’ve only seen this in the U.S. theatre (dubbed) version. When the DVD is available, I’ll spend some time with the subtitles.

For this film, I really think that there is reason enough for a dubbed version.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Ron,

You're going to love Kiki, you'll see a lot of the problems with SA when you compare with Kiki, which is quite possibly the best film transfer of animation I have ever seen. Gorgeous!

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Lew,

I saw the film dubbed in the theater and have no regrets. The subtitled version did not come within 5 hours of here. In fact, I watch most of my anime both ways - dubbed and subbed.

I've also seen the R3 DVD and hated the tint. If I hadn't seen it in the theater with the right color balance I might have hated it less.

For whatever valid criticisms exist of the dub of Spirited Away, it is better (in my opinion) than 90% of the dubs out there.

Ron,

Definitely watch Kiki.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

To the poster who hasn't watched PM yet - hurry up - it's a good flick.

Really looking forward to seeing this one.

Thanks again Ron!

 

[Brent Hutto]

I wasn't disappointed that my local theater showed the American-dubbed version. Heck, I was just glad they showed it at all. However, we're going to watch the Japanese-language track when the DVD arrives. Lew Crippen's point is well taken about not wanting to miss out on the visual feasts that are provided but OTOH the images are so compelling that the movie will be a rich experience even if your eyes don't take in every word of the subtitles.

Some movies are so dialog-driven that the only way to fully experience them in a foreign language is to keep your eyes glued to the subtitles. I don't think Spirited Away is even close to that category. I remember the first time we watched Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon my wife said she hardly saw a word of the subtitles because the images were so amazing, yet it was (and is) one of her favorite movies ever.

I wonder how the subtitles will depict what No Face says, other than in the bath house when he's not himself...

 

[Richard Kim]

I'm debating watching one more Studio Ghibli film,
most likely Kiki's Delivery Service. This time I'll listen to the original Japanese track.

Well the English dub of Kiki features the voices of Kirsten Dunst and the late Phil Hartman.

I am eagerly awaiting the DVD of Spirited Away. I saw it theatrically in Japanese and would like to compare the English track with it, though I'm sure the dub track is inferior.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Yes, and I think most fans agree that Phil is horribly miscast as Jiji. He invents an entirely new character instead of playing Jiji.

(Jiji is a cultural injoke actually, it's a disrespectful way to refer to your elders, basically "Gramps", and the charachter acts as Kiki's concience, her Jiminy Cricket as it were, one that she doesn't always listen to of course)

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Kiki was AMAZING!

Preparing a review now to post later today or
early tomorrow.

I'm really surprised as to how much I am getting
into these films.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Well Ron, I know you're region free. If you can't wait there's a wealth of discs with gorgeous transfers out there

 

[Morgan Jolley]

We got Ron into anime. Cool.