Kiki's Delivery Service? (1 Viewer)

[John Torrez]

Does anyone know if this wonderfully animated movie might eventually get a widescreen dvd release?
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"They're all gonna laugh at you!"

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Well, you can pick it up in anamorphic widescreen, with Japanese and English dub 2.0 tracks from Japan right now (Region 2). Unfortunately it's dubtitled
The US DVD release is (supposedly) planned for sometime in the late fall or early spring, along with Laputa: Castle in the Sky. Too bad it'll probably still have that ugly, ugly cover
Jeff Kleist

 

[SteveGon]

I wouldn't mind having KDS and L:CitS on dvd - I bought the KDS VHS for my nephews and they both loved it. I found it to be thoroughly enjoyable, too!
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"Death's at the bottom of everything, Martins - leave death to the professionals!"
"Mind if use that line in my next western?"

 

[Jaime m]

I found out some dissapointing news today,it looks like we might not see any of Miyazaki's films released in the US by Disney, Video or theatrical. Ain't cool news has a story about Disneys plans or non plans for his films.

 

[Edwin-S]

deleted

 

[Edwin-S]

I read that article about Disney being burned by the poor performance of "Princess Mononoke" and what a "risk" they took. All I can say is....what a bunch of crap! I don't know what the promotion in the States was like for this film but in Canada it was absolutely the shittiest promotion next to the "The Iron Giant". In fact it was, by far, worse than "The Iron Giant" promotion. I saw one..count em...one lousy television ad for "Princess Mononoke" on the Canadian cartoon network. It had an abysmal theatrical release. I had to take a five hundred mile bus trip to Edmonton to see it on a big screen because Disneys shitty release schedule meant it wasn't going to show in my hometown theatre until hell froze over.
Disney getting burned because they released the wrong film?!! What F'ing garbage! They burned themselves by not having enough faith in the flick to give it a proper release, thereby denying an entire group of animation fans the opportunity to ever see it in a theatre. The amount of money they spent prepping this film for release would have been substantial but compared to the outlay of money for a film like "ATLANTIS", the money spent on "MONONOKE" would have been miniscule. "ATLANTIS", a far inferior film, gets a massive release and "MONONOKE" gets what??!!......a few theatres, mostly near universities. Now these dorks say they got burned and may not even release Miyazaki's films on DVD...because they are "strategizing globally". What the hell is that supposed to mean?! If this turns out to be the case, then I am going to say something I thought I would never say.....
F... Y.. DISNEY!!
I also blame the film going public somewhat too! A lot of film goers constantly whine about the fact that animated films are too formulaic, with too many dancing, singing animals and "childish" themes. Someone comes along and attempts to make an animated film that is more serious, with more complex themes and what happens; all of a sudden it's.... where's the humour and what?!....no wisecracking sidekick!....dammit, this is boring! How dare these guys try to pretend that they are "real" filmmakers!
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[David Lambert]

A few words about Princess Mononoke (PM) first:
1) The Disney execs who was it and were uncomfortable were, IMHO, right. It *was* different that the other Miyazaki films my family has seen. It was fairly mature subject matter, pretty deep stuff, and VERY preachy in an environmental way. They shouldn't have cut it, either, and I'm glad that Miyazaki sent the sword over warning them "No Cut Mononoke"...it remained uncut and that's the way it ought to be. However...
2) No, we really didn't end up enjoying it as much as the other Ghibli fare we've seen. That doesn't mean we didn't enjoy it or want to own it (we have the DVD). It was just - different. I personally was a bit disappointed...much like I was when Prince became "The Artist" and stopped making "popular" entertainment and instead made stuff that he wanted to make. Hey...it's the creator's perogative, and there's an audience out there for it...but that audience might not include me and that's just the consequences.
3) So I kind of see why Disney did what they did by way of lack of promotion (Edwin-S' post was right-on). They were timid about it, with good reason in their minds. They probably could have made a bunch more with a more agressive campaign and distro schedule, but I guess they didn't want to take the risk for what they thought was limited opporunity. Wrong, but for the right reasons (if that makes any sense).
4) Looking back with 20/20 hindsight, that is indeed probably why they gave in to the delay of the DVD and put the Japanese on it. They already knew they had a limited audience for it, but they wanted to make sure they had AT LEAST the sales from the die-hard Miyazaki and Anime' fans by doing the disc right...a solid business decision.
5) BUT, having said all of that, the article was right. They chose the wrong property. The already had Laputa and could have put it out in theatres. They didn't. They could have gotten Nausicaa or others...and didn't. Instead they took Mononoke. Why? Well, you read the article. It was making gobs of money in Japan. They were greedy and wanted to make gobs of money here, too. Once they saw that it wasn't something they want to personally see, then they ought to have re-evaluated. Someone didn't have the guts to. So what happenned, happenned. The film was poorly marketed/distributed, and the self-fulfilling prophecy came true. The film failed at the US Box Office.
On to other Miyazaki now:
* Kiki should come out on OAR DVD ASAP. My family adores this film...our VHS is wearing out. I still try to find the WS VHS from time to time, but I'd much rather have a DVD of course!
* We are still waiting for Laputa (Castle In The Sky), Disney. You promised it 2 years ago! PLEASE...on OAR DVD. It *WILL* be a good return on your investment. At least better than you have now, which is almost zilch, right?
* Fox Family put on on VHS the film "My Neighbor Totoro". Do they have DVD rights, or is it at Disney? Either way, this one rivals Kiki as a highly magical film, and I wish one of the studios would put out an OAR DVD on this one, too.
* And I want everything else that I don't have yet from Nausicaa to Porco Rosso to Spirited Away. And Sherlock Hound to boot. *I'll* buy them all. Okay, Disney?

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DAVE/Memphis
Widescreen is Family Fun!

 

[Kong Chang]

Luckily for many of us die hard fans, Studio Ghibli is shelling out the R2 DVDs of their most adored movies in a 2-disc special editions, all with some sort of English subtitles (or dubtitles, for Kiki, Lupin CoC), for a good modest price of 4800 yen per movie (roughly $38). Grave of the Fireflies is out, along with Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle of Cagliostro, and soon in September, My Neighbor Totoro. Mononoke Hime will be available come November, 2001, on R2, and will also get the special edition treatment (2-disc set, methinks). Sherlock Holmes the movie and TV series are soon to be out as well as the Lupin TV series, all on R2 DVD.
Many of us can't wait forever for Disney to get off their arses and put the Ghibhli and Miyazaki films onto DVD.
BTW, I have the Disney's Kiki's LD, if you want to buy it.

 

[Matt_Stevens]

I just got the following e-mail and it is not good, if true...

In response to last week's news that the Disney Company has no intentions of releasing any further Studio Ghibli films in America, an internet petition and letter writing campaign has been formed by fans to urge Disney to reconsider its decision. A similar campaign to urge Disney to include a subtitled Japanese language track on the Princess Mononoke DVD gathered 10,000 signatures, national media attention, and ended successfully. This petition will need similar, if not more support to most likely be even partially effective. As devoted supporters of anime in general and the works of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli in particular, AnimeNation urges readers to take a moment to read and sign the petition and write letters to the Disney mailing address provided at http://www.petitiononline.com/3104/petition.html

Dos this mean NO MORE DVD's? If it does, Disney can eat my a** because I have two Region free players and will just import the Japanese editions, which are subtitled.
"F" YOU DISNEY. And "F" YOU for destroying all those Hong Kong classics (the latest being Iron Monkey).
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www.deceptions.net/superman

 

[Jeff Swindoll]

I'd love to see these movies out on DVD in their OAR. I watched some of Kiki on the Disney channel and was very impressed (until I found out its OAR was 2.35:1 and they P&Sed it

but that's Di$neys fault not the animators). I really dont know too much about the artist responsible for Kiki and Princess Monokone, but have been very impressed with what little of his work I've seen.
PS....Did he also do Grave of the Fireflies? That is one moving film. So sad, probly the only animated film that made me want to cry

.
Cheers.
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I didnt play Dungeons and Dragons all those years and not learn something about courage.
--Bernie Faulkner

 

[Kong Chang]

Miyazaki did not do Grave of the Fireflies. His studio did that movie.
The movies that pertain to Miyazaki, during Studio Ghibli era, are:
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Castle in the Sky: Laputa
Kiki's Delivery Service
My Neighbor Totoro
Porco Rosso
Princess Mononoke
Spirited Away (Jap: "sen to chihiro no kamikakushi")
Shorts Miyazaki did:
On Your Mark (a music video animated short for Jpop group, Chage & Aska, for their song "On Your Mark")
What is It?
The Sky-colored Seed
Movies pre-Ghibli era are:
Animal Treasure Island
Gulliver's Space Travels
Chie the Brat
Sherlock Hound
Puss in Boots
Panda, Kid Panda
Panda, Kid Panda: Rainy Day Circus
Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro
Goshu the Cellist
The Flying Ghost Ship
The Adventures of Horus, Prince of the Sun
The Tale of Yanagawa's Canals
TV anime series pre-Ghibli era are:
World Masterpiece Theater
Anne of Green Gables
Rascal the Racoon
Heidi, Girl of the Alps
3000 Miles in Search of Mother
Chie the Brat
Sherlock Hound
Future Boy Conan / Conan The Boy in the Future
Lupin III TV
The other movies pertaining to Studio Ghibli, directed by Miyazaki's friend, Takahata, are:
Grave of the Fireflies
Only Yesterday
I Can Hear the Sea (TV movie)
Pom Poko
Whisper of the Heart
My Neighbors the Yamadas
[Edited last by Kong Chang on August 30, 2001 at 10:12 PM]

 

[Raphael]

Kiki's Delivery Service is one of my most beloved movies on VHS, and sorely needs a DVD release, particularly as Disney _discontinued_ the Widescreen subtitled version! I know they're just trying to make money and aren't specifically against me, but sometimes it just feels that the Mouse is out to thwart every animated film desire I have.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

According to my source, part of the deal they struck wit BVHE-Japan was a healthy buffer between R1 and 2, which means the timetable I put out for Laputa and Kiki
Jeff Kleist

 

[John Torrez]

Thanks Jeff, but do you know if it will be the dubbed version? Because I think the dubbed version was done very well, and with famous stars (Phil Hartman, Jeneane Garofolo, Debbie Reynolds, Kiersten Dunst, etc.).
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"They're all gonna laugh at you!"

 

[Chris Sypal]

Please people. Calm down. Get the facts right before you start shooting your head off.
The original article mentioned that further release of Ghibli titles theatrically is not that likely. Now people misread this information as first "Ghibli movies will NEVER come out theatrically", then it evolved into "Ghibli movies will NEVER come out theatrically OR ON DVD".
Sadly this last line has spread across the net like a wildfire.
This is the second bad anime rumor in the last month (the other being the false "Cowboy Bebop sequel").

 

[John Torrez]

^
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"They're all gonna laugh at you!"

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

quote: I think the dubbed version was done very well, and with famous stars (Phil Hartman, Jeneane Garofolo, Debbie Reynolds, Kiersten Dunst, etc.).[/quote]I did not care for the dubbed version, personally. I'm probably beginning to get spoiled by some recent releases, but compared to the effort that went into the recent dubs of Princess Mononoke, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, & Akira, the Kiki dub sounds like What's Up Tiger Lily. To be fair, there are a lot of dubs out there that are much worse than this one, though.
Regards,
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Ken McAlinden
Livonia, MI USA
[Edited last by Ken_McAlinden on August 31, 2001 at 12:47 PM]

 

[Chris Beveridge]

Chris,

Sadly this last line has spread across the net like a wildfire

Hence my ignoring it and all the various petitions that just got thrown up. Too many people misreading things and reading more into it than they should.
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Chris Beveridge
Webmaster, www.animeondvd.com
Animation and stories for those who like to think outside of the Disney box

 

[Dan Clark]

Agreed, people may be jumping the gun a bit. But in light of Disney's words, I don't think the petition is a bad idea in principal. It couldn't hurt to let Disney know how much interest there is in seeing these films on DVD sooner rather than later. I've been anxious to see the new dub of Castle... ever since I heard about it. I saw the subtitled version in Seattle a year or two back and it's a wonderful film. I would love to have it on DVD, along with Kiki, Totoro and Porco Rosso.
Unfortunately, I can't bring myself to put my name on that petition because it so poorly put together. While the intent was good, the petition's author is apparently unfamiliar with basic grammatical conventions of the English language. If he can't spell or form proper sentences, it would be nice if he had had someone edit the thing before he posted it.
Spelling and grammatical errors are forgivable in casual email and message boards such as this, but when you are creating a petition which you expect thousands of people to sign, a little extra effort goes a long way in giving your argument credibility. Regards, Dan
[Edited last by Dan Clark on August 31, 2001 at 03:08 PM]

 

[Artur Meinild]

Resurrection!!! Any news about Kiki's Delivery Service on DVD?
I want it bad!