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My Neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki
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DVD detailsActor: Chika Sakamoto, Hitoshi Takagi, Noriko Hidaka, Shigesato Itoi, Sumi Shimamoto Director: Hayao Miyazaki Cinematographer: Mark Henley Writer: Hayao Miyazaki Editor: Takeshi Seyama Producer: Ned Lott Producer: Rick Dempsey Producer: Tohru Hara Producer: Yasuyoshi Tokuma DVD: Region Code 1 Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; Japanese (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Subtitled); English (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; Japanese (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Format: Animated, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, NTSC, THX, Widescreen Picture Format: 1.85:1 Running Time: 86 minutes DVD Release Date: 2006-03-07 Audience Rating: G (General Audience) Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
DVD Reviews of My Neighbor TotoroDVD Review: I love this movie! Summary: 5 StarsI am studying Japanese for work so we got this movie and several of the other Ghibli movies as well. Totoro is one of my favorites. Just to give you an understanding of my perspective, I generally don't like Anime but I like Ghibli.
In Totoro, I don't like the English voice overs very much but I think that is probably largely because I got used to hearing the Japanese version. It seems like they have a lot of uneccesary dialogue in the English version. Our small kids (1.5 and 3 yrs old) watch this movie all the time. Compared to a normal movie there actually isn't all that much going on in terms of storyline but it is so pleasant that I don't mind at all.
I think that another big selling point is how effectively they conveyed the feelings of the kids. I can see my own 2 girls in them. Another high point for me is that the music fits the movie perfectly. Our daughter is in a Japanese preschool right now and they play the theme song all the time (the kids march around the room while they are playing it since the song is about going for a walk). As a parent who finds many other children's movies agonizing I give this movie 3 thumbs up!
As for the other Ghibli movies, Totoro is definitely the #1 instant classic of them all but I also really like Porco Rosso (kids like it), Pom Poko (warning - very weird movie - but fun, our kids aren't interested in it at all), Howl's moving Castle (kids neutral on it), Cat's Return (kids like it), Kiki (kids LOVE it, maybe even more than Totoro), and Spirited Away (kids neutral on it). Laputa and Nausica were decent. I didn't like Grave of the Fireflies - it is just too much of a downer sad story for me, I like the happier stuff better.
DVD Review: Great movie! Summary: 5 StarsOur whole family loves this movie! The characters faces are so animated and they make my kids (ages 4 1/2 and 7) laugh! The movie talks about ghosts and magical creatures, but they don't scare my kids who are commonly scared of little things. I think they do a great job with the voices also! The family cares so much about each other and is a great model for kids. I'd definitely recommend this movie! Another great movie to check out like this one is "Kiki's Delivery Service." We love that one too!
DVD Review: BEST CHILDRENS MOVIE EVER!!!!!!!! Summary: 5 StarsA BEAUTIFUL SIMPLE STORY,FULL OF LOVE , MAGIC AND FAMILY..AND NO CHEESE!!!YOU WILL BE SING THE OPENING SONG WTH YOU'RE KIDS FOR THE NEXT TWENTY YEARS ,LIKE I HAVE .NOW I AM SINGING IT TO MY GRANDSON.BEWARE OF THE NEW VERSION WITH THE NEW VOICES,JUST NOT THE SAME AT ALL!!WE LOVE TOTORO!!!
DVD Review: O.K. but not the best translation Summary: 2 StarsWe'd rented a different version of this movie at the library and had enjoyed the translation of the movie and the voices and language used. My kids and I were disappointed by the "disney-fication" of the version we purchased. A lot of the dialogue had been substantially changed, or dumbed down, and the movie lost a lot of its original charm.
DVD Review: Buyer Beware - NOT the same video as original! Summary: 3 StarsThis is one of our all-time favorite movies. My kids grew up with the original VHS version. The three stars were given because this is NOT the same version that we remembered and although we love the movie, we hate this version. This version has different voices, some different music and even different spoken lines in some places. We were very disappointed with these changes. After doing some research, we realized our mistake. This DVD version is different because it was put out by Disney whereas the original was put out by Fox. Apparently, there are two versions of this movie and we prefer the Fox version much better. Even though the Disney version has the celebrity voices of Tim Daly and Dakota Fanning, it lacks the quirky joy of Hayao Miyazaki's original version. If you are a fan of the original english VHS version, be sure to look for the Fox version! Now we have to purchase the Fox version and find a way to sell the Disney version - Bummer.
Description of My Neighbor TotoroCritically acclaimed as one of the most delightful and charming family films ever, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is a stunning animated treat full of magical adventure from Hayao Miyazaki. Follow the adventures of Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei when they move into a new home in the countryside. To their delight, they discover that their new neighbor is a mysterious forest spirit called Totoro, who can be seen only through the eyes of a child. Totoro introduces them to extraordinary characters -- including a cat that doubles as a bus! -- and takes them on an incredible journey. Full of wonder and heart, this spectacular 2-disc set features the voice talents of Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning. MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is a magical experience for the whole family! ? 1988 Nibariki . G My Neighbor Totoro is that rare delight, a family film that appeals to children and adults alike. While their mother is in the hospital, 10-year-old Satsuki and 4-year-old Mei move into an old-fashioned house in the country with their professor father. At the foot of an enormous camphor tree, Mei discovers the nest of King Totoro, a giant forest spirit who resembles an enormous bunny rabbit. Mei and Satsuki learn that Totoro makes the trees grow, and when he flies over the countryside or roars in his thunderous voice, the winds blow. Totoro becomes the protector of the two sisters, watching over them when they wait for their father, and carrying them over the forests on an enchanted journey. When the children worry about their mother, Totoro sends them to visit her via a Catbus, a magical, multilegged creature with a grin the Cheshire Cat might envy. Unlike many cartoon children, Satsuki and Mei are neither smart-alecky nor cloyingly saccharine. They are credible kids: bright, energetic, silly, helpful, and occasionally impatient. Filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki makes the viewer believe the two sisters love each other in a way no American feature has ever achieved. My Neighbor Totoro is enormously popular in Japan, and some of the character merchandise has begun to appear in America. The film has also inspired a Japanese environmental group to buy a Totoro Forest preserve in the Saitama Prefecture, where Miyazaki's film is set. --Charles Solomon
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