31 parts ([info]31parts) wrote,
@ 2009-11-06 16:55:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend  Next Entry
Current location:United Kingdom, Cambridge
Current mood: excited
Entry tags:film

Favourite Movies
Laputa: Castle in the Sky is my favourite movie. It's one of the lesser known Ghibli Studio films that I saw when I was very little (maybe ten or eleven) and fell in love it. It was released in 1986 with a Japanese and English dub (I watched the English as a child), but was re-released several years later with a new English cast because of the connotations of the word "Laputa" in Spanish (meaning "whore"). The new dub was done by Disney and is terrible; not only because of the cast (although I do approve of Mark Hamill for the role of Muska) but Disney felt it necessary to add extra pieces of dialogue in silent moments of the film (which are, in the Ghibli fashion, reserved for contemplation) as well as take out important references to modern literature (such as the references to Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island and Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels).

I recommend that anyone with a young heart and a taste for the fantastic watch this film (in Japanese or the original English dub)... and here's the official trailer with some of Mr. Hisaishi's beautiful and dramatic music on top! No giggling at the leading lady's name... Sheeta is a lovely name!!



Please post your favourite movie too! I'd love to see the one film you love above all others!

(6 comments) - (Post a new comment)


[info]advented
2009-11-06 05:52 pm UTC (link)
Aw man dude, that sucks that Disney did that. :/ and I don't find the word "laputa" familiar, let alone know it meant whore. I know "puta/puto" means asshole/fucker/bitch in spanish (or at least that's how it's used around here lol) but anyway, I don't know if I'd be able to find the original one ): I think only the disney/ghibli is out to be bought.



That is one of my favorite movies - OF ALL TIME!! - alongside Treasure Planet, The Lion King, Tarzan, and Brother Bear. :)

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]31parts
2009-11-06 08:51 pm UTC (link)
I've been recommended The Departed by a few people actually! I'll have to look into it!

As for your others? I love those... Especially the hugely unappreciated Treasure Planet!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]laheie
2009-11-06 06:15 pm UTC (link)
As you know, my favorite film is Hercules. It's not just because of Hades; I love Greek mythology, and although they really messed around with it, I remember loving how interesting their different takes were on it. I loved the angular style as well; it wasn't like the other films, and it made everything look sleek and stylised. I actually find the designs in the earlier films (especially Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast - ohh, blasphemy! XD) a bit clunky and messy in comparison. There was also the fact that they decided to use Gospel music. Completely random, as it had almost nothing to do with the subject matter, but somehow it really fit and the songs were awesome!! :D

I love Laputa too. I got it on DVD when I was in the UK, before I left, and I watched it again - it really is magical, quite literally. However it is the new Disney version. I didn't realise they added so much dialogue, though. I hate that too. I really, really hate it. It's like they worship the group Miyazaki walks on and yet they have no comprehension of the cinematic style that he uses. It's like the scene in Totoro when they're waiting for a bus - that's 7 minutes of no dialogue. It would be awful if they decided to dub over that! What, are American/Western audiences that stupid and attention-deficit that they're going to lose interest after 10 seconds of silence?

Saying that, Wall-E has very little dialogue in it and I absolutely adore that film! It's so entertaining because of the acting in the animation on robots that have only very subtle human features.

Did you see Ponyo yet? I got my Mum to see it with me, we both loved it! Little Ponyo is so cute~~~ x3

ANYWAY... sorry. I rambled ALL over your entry - what a mess I made!! Once I get started on any topic to do with animation I can't help myself... XD

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]31parts
2009-11-06 09:00 pm UTC (link)
Hercules...!

I was so happy that I managed to get that in HMV for £7! Such a bargain! There's something really fluid about the animation, I totally agree with you!

What Disney do to the Ghibli films upsets me as a hardcore Ghibli fan. They may be easier for kids to understand and that's why they do it, but I think they're perfect the way they are ;-;

Ponyo is lovely! The little Ponyo critter herself is very cute!

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]laheie
2009-11-06 10:22 pm UTC (link)
WHAT?!???@?!?!?!?#43JKFLDF :O £7??? HOMG you lucky dog, I waited for ages to get that for cheap even though I literally have 4 copies of it, lal

My cousins Naomi and Sophie were brought up on Miyazaki films - my aunt Teresa used to live in Japan and she loves them, so she's got loads of them! When I drove back from Yorkshire with them the girls were playing a game of "how many Miyazaki characters can you name" <3! They LOVE Totoro (lol I keep mistyping it as Toronto?! XD) and all the rest of the films. There's no need to explain it to them, or have talking during quiet bits - kids deserve more credit than that!

Ponyo is the sweetest child - he animates children so well, and so accurately. Like the part where she's getting tired (she needed a nap!) and is falling asleep while walking - it's just the sort of thing that would happen! :D

Oh I also LOVE Persepolis, it's an amazing story that makes you cry, laugh, think and learn about Iranian culture and history, and makes you realise that things are the same no matter where you go, and yet they're not.



I could go on and on, seriously XD

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]melodies_demise
2009-11-07 12:56 am UTC (link)
Ever since I saw this:


I have loved the movie since. :)

I saw Laputa once and really liked it. I'm not sure if it was the older or newer dub though, I think I should watch it again sometime. :)

(Reply to this)

(6 comments) - (Post a new comment)

Create an Account
Forgot your login or password?
Login w/ OpenID
English • Español • Deutsch • Русский…