The Cat Returns
by Hiroyuki Morita
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DVD details
Actor: Aki Maeda, Chizuru Ikewaki, Hitomi Sat?, Takayuki Yamada, Yoshihiko HakamadaDirector: Hiroyuki Morita
Brand: BUENA VISTA HOME VIDEO
Producer: Hayao Miyazaki
Producer: Hideyuki Takai
Producer: Hironori Aihara
Writer: Aoi H?ragi
Writer: Cindy Davis Hewitt
Writer: Donald H. Hewitt
Writer: Reiko Yoshida
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.1; French (Original Language), Unknown; Japanese (Original Language), Unknown; English (Subtitled)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 75 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-02-22
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
DVD Reviews of The Cat Returns
DVD Review: Movie's great, shipping not so much
Summary: 3 Stars
I love the movie, it's funny and sweet, when it arrived however the case was cracked and now the edge of one of the corners has fallen off, it was shipped in one of those small paper envelopes with the bubble wrap glued inside of it. Also i'd bought it from one of Amazon's vendor's not Amazon itself, i've never had issues when i get something from Amazon directly, however i have run into some shipping problems with other vendor's before.DVD Review: The Cat Returns
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a very cute story, like the director. I do prefer the Japanese voices though. DVD Review: I like the film, but the special features could've been better
Summary: 3 Stars
The Cat Returns is a film produced by Studio Ghibli and directed by Hiroyuki Morita. When The Cat Returns was released on DVD in the United States, it was released as a two-disc set. The first disc contains the film and some special features.
The first bonus feature on the disc is a roughly nine minute long documentary titled, "Behind the Microphone." During the documentary, you see some of the voice actors recording the English dialogue for the dub version of the film. There are also interviews with some of the English dub actors (Anne Hathaway, Cary Elwes, Peter Boyle, Elliott Gould, Andy Richter, and Tim Curry). It's a decent documentary for what it is.
Next is a thirty-four minute feature titled, "The Making of The Cat Returns." This was originally produced for a Japanese audience. However, instead of putting English subtitles onto the piece, English voices are dubbed over the entire production. Over the course of the piece, you learn about how The Cat Returns came to be, there are interviews with the director and some of the crew, and you learn about the voice acting and the music for the film. Personally, I think this feature would have been stronger if the Japanese audio had not been dubbed over and having English subtitles on the feature instead.
The next feature on the disc are the Japanese trailers and television spots for The Cat Returns. There is Japanese audio, but no English subtitles. This extra runs for four and a half minutes, and includes six promotional spots. The spots are in one continuous piece; there is no way to select which ones you want to see. The final menu option in the special features menu allows you to register the DVD.
All that is on the second disc of The Cat Returns is a storyboard version of the film; basically, it's the movie, expect it only utilizes storyboards and none of the actual animation. To be honest, I don't understand the point or the appeal of seeing the complete film with storyboards instead of animation. I think the DVD release would have been stronger if it had just been one disc, and had only had perhaps some brief storyboard-to-animation comparisons for some of the scenes. I think that putting in the second DVD is a waste.
The animation and storytelling in The Cat Returns makes the film a very enjoyable viewing experience. While this film shares some similar ideas with Catnapped!, I felt that The Cat Returns was the stronger of the two films. The writing and storytelling were much stronger in The Cat Returns, and the concepts were executed much better in this film. The Cat Returns is also a good film for a family viewing experience.
If you are a fan of Studio Ghibli's films, then you should see The Cat Returns. Even with the unnecessary second disc, and the few minor complaints about the bonus features on disc one, this is a DVD that should be in the collection of any anime fan.
DVD Review: Top DVD
Summary: 5 Stars
Lovely, beautifully rendered movie. See them all-- also Porco Rosso if you like this look.DVD Review: Masterful Wit
Summary: 5 Stars
The Cat Returns / B0006J28BO
Miyazaki movies, in my experience, tend either to be very serious and thoughtful (
Nausicaa and Princess Mononoke) or somewhat sleepy and whimsical (Porco Rosso and Kiki's Delivery Service), but "The Cat Returns" manages to superbly combine a serious message (knowing oneself) with wonderful wit, charm, and fast-paced laughs.
When an unlucky young girl selflessly saves a small cat from being run over in the streets, her life takes a decided turn for the worse as all the cats in the city start "repaying" her for her efforts with gifts of mice, catnip, and an offer of marriage to the cat prince that the cats just won't let her turn down. When she turns to the head of the local "Cat Bureau", a small group of helpful misfits, for aid, the elegant Baron (voiced beautifully by Cary Elwes in the English version) reminds her to, above all else, know herself, and then she can never truly go wrong.
"The Cat Returns" stands out among the many "trust yourself" movies in two important respects. First, it is a masterful piece of work, not another cash in on this all too common theme, and the comedic elements in particular stand out. The insane Cat King (voice by Tim Curry) missteps frequently and amusingly - and always without shame or guilt, even when his golf practice knocks out his own guards, rather than the fleeing party of misfits he is aiming for. All the cats are superbly rendered, with the "Fat Cat" Mufa in particular adding a wonderful comic element. Beyond the comedy, I was deeply impressed with the dialogue, pacing, and direction of the script - this film truly showcases why Miyazaki is such a respected figure in his field.
The second unique feature of this "trust yourself" theme is that the movie actually takes its own advice seriously in a way that most movies will not. Once our heroine truly learns to know herself, trust her instincts, and become her own person (not dependent upon others to 'complete' her), she never wavers from that, not even when it would be tempting to abandon the premise at the last moment for a sugary, stereotypical "happy" ending. I am also deeply pleased with the character of her mother - it's so nice and refreshing to have a parent figure in movies that isn't stupid, cruel, or otherwise loathsome in order to further the plot.
I would recommend "The Cat Returns" to anyone, young or old, but especially to cat lovers and quilters! This movie provides English closed captions for the hearing impaired.
Description of The Cat Returns
From the creators of the Academy Award(R) winning SPIRITED AWAY (Best Animated Feature Film, 2002) comes the visually stunning THE CAT RETURNS, a spectacular animated journey to a world of magic and adventure. Haru, a schoolgirl bored by her ordinary routine, saves the life of an unusual cat, and suddenly her world is transformed beyond anything she ever imagined. The Cat King rewards her good deed with a flurry of presents, including a very shocking proposal of marriage to his son! Haru embarks on an unexpected journey to the Kingdom of Cats where her eyes are opened to a whole other world and her destiny is uncertain. To change her fate, she'll need to learn to believe in herself and appreciate her everyday life. Featuring the sensational voice talents of Anne Hathaway, Cary Elwes, Tim Curry, and Elliot Gould, THE CAT RETURNS is a magical animated adventure that will delight and inspire everyone.The Cat Returns (2002) brings back Muta, the cranky fat cat, and Baron von Gikkingen, the elegant statue, from the feature Whisper of the Heart (1995). On her way home from school, Haru, a confused 17-year-old, prevents an elegant gray cat from being hit by a truck. She's inadvertently saved the life of Lune, Prince of the Cat Kingdom, and his royal father decides to thank her. He fills her locker with gift-wrapped mice and decides she should come to his kingdom and marry Lune. Haru seeks help from the Cat Bureau, and eventually returns to relatively normal life, with the assistance of Muta and the Baron.
The Cat Returns recalls Whisper of the Heart and Takashi Nakamura's Catnapped, but it offers neither the wistful charm of the former nor the bold visual imagination of the latter. Hayao Miyazaki has been seeking young directors for Studio Ghibli for several years. After preparing the script and storyboards for Whisper, he turned the film over to Yoshifumi Kondo, who died tragically shortly after the film's release. The Cat Returns was directed by Hiroyuki Morita, who shows promise, but lacks Kondo's elegant sensibility. The DVD extras include a fulsome making-of documentary, Morita's voluminous storyboards, and mini-interviews with the vocal cast that includes Tim Curry, Cary Elwes, Peter Boyle, and Elliott Gould. (Rated G: minor scary imagery and cartoon violence) --Charles Solomon
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