Spirited Away

[Gold Trumpet]

Spirited Away was not only one of the best movies of last year, but one of the most mysterious and magical films in recent years. I just got back from seeing the English dubbed version in theatres and realized that if everyone saw this version, they wouldn't realize this at all. I first saw the movie off a legimate bootleg dvd that only had the japanese version. The result of the movie was an accomplished fairy tale along side an art house film that was slyly imbedded in curiosities and ambiguilties that could not be explained and gave one me one of the most amazing feelings after a film. Even after seeing the movie 4 times, I still had many questions that could not nor should not be answered at all. The movie followed a known fairy tale story but went on narratives that were never explained and only gave more mystery to the story. It was truly a moving experience because it was like being introduced to a world that was so colored in various ways that no one could be identified as one thing or another-but the movie still felt like a realized fairy tale with a beginning and end. The more I watched it, the more curious I became to all the purposeful loose ends it had, or not purposeful, due to something about the making of the film I will say later, but either way, it was an accomplished film that was so mysterious and beautiful because the experience is what mattered the most.

The English language dubbing, is to put it mildy, a travesty that destroys all the magic and power in ambiguilty the original Japanese version had. This version does not allow the scenes to play out in the silence of the characters doing what they are doing as in some scenes, but jams itself with dialogue that tries to push the jokes and meanings of what everything in the world is. It has no understanding that under the layer of fairy tale, Miyazaki has made an art film that is the only kind that can best complement the world he is showing through the great experience it is to show it. All mystery is lost in this version and everything explained so audiences will "get" it because Disney has absolutely no faith in audiences being able to appreciate a world of visual wonder that only becomes more engrossing and enchanting with each viewing. The effect for this viewing is to get all that can be attained on that one viewing. The English language version is a mere ok film, as the Japanese version is nothing but a masterpiece that shows a master filmmaker at command with his medium in such a way that has not been seen since Fellini with the drama or the best movie in the world now, City of God. Miyazaki is the best animator and one of the best filmmakers now. No one even watch the english version because it only intrudes. I won't be watching it ever again, nor will likely for any other Miyazaki film. After watching Princess Mononoke, I realized how thought out the movie was in tidiness to summing up meanings and such in what seemed to be a complex film. The result was masterful, even if what I am sensing is an inferior film to its original. I've never watched the original Japanese version, but now am going to with great excitement to what I can discover in what may seem like a different film because if you were in my position for Spirited Away, the English language version was exactly that in every single bad way it could have been.

Also, the thing I noted to look for earlier in my writing in that the movie may not be purposeful in having loose ends is because the movie originally is 3 and half hours long. Miyazaki cut an hour of it for commercial reasons purely and admits that to this day. Curious to what the director's cut of this film in its original language and purpose could be like.

~rougerum

[Ghostboy]

I'm glad to hear this. There are very few anime films that I like, but Myazaki's films do manage to work their spell over me, and with a second viewing I can always say that I love them. But especially with Spirited Away, I could tell that the English track was butchering the feel of the movie. It felt wrong, hearing those voices (some of them recognizable) coming from those characters.

[Duck Sauce]

Im not too drawn to the anime thing, in fact Im sort of put off by it, but after hearing such great reviews and I saw a commercial that looked pretty cool, Im going to check this out. Whats with the re-release shit?

[Ghostboy]

It only was re-released because it (very deservingly) won the Best Animated Film Oscar. It most likely won't be around past this week, though, because it hasn't really been doing well, plus it'll be released on DVD next Tuesday.

[Pubrick]

spirited away is the greatest animated children's film ever. the characters, story, ending.. damn. every kid should see it.

nuff said.

[Redlum]

Im looking forward to seeing  it. And forunately its out region 1 dvd very soon.

The last time I watched a dubbed film was Crouching Tiger Hideen Dragon DVD, and that will be the last time.

[Ravi]

Spirited Away was amazing.  I didn't think the dubbing was horrible, but I thought Daveigh Chase's voice was too cartoony and the woman who played Lin had the wrong accent for the film.  Since Disney wanted this film to appeal to kids as well as adults, I don't blame them for theatrically releasing a dubbed version since many kids don't know how to read.

[RegularKarate]

Definatly looking forward to the subtitled version, but the english dub was still fascinating.  So very creative and just had an incredible feel.  This beat out Iron Giant as best animated children's film for me.

[Ravi]

Definatly looking forward to the subtitled version, but the english dub was still fascinating.  So very creative and just had an incredible feel.  This beat out Iron Giant as best animated children's film for me.

But is it better than Jungle Book 2?

[jmj]

Shit yeah...Spirited Away is amazing on many different levels.  I've only seen the dubbed version so I can't wait to see the the subtitled one.  I know that watching Princess Mononoke subtitled was a million times better than the dub.

[Raikus]

Luckily the DVD will feature dual language audio and the original English subtitles (that match the Japanese version).

[Ghostboy]

I know its not as good as Miyazaki's stuff, but for me, 'Iron Giant' is still tops.

[Gold Trumpet]

I just watched the subtitled version of Princess Mononoke and didn't notice really any signficant difference. Yea, some lines were changed, or rearranged, or shortened/added but the meanings were really there and for the most part, pretty similiar. I wish Spirited Away dubbing was as good as this one and just tried to show the film it already had in maybe more clear english than just not understanding the point of the movie and adding so much dialogue that the greatness of the movie was taken away. In the dubbed version, it is just a love story and identified as one early on. In the Japanese version, it is a movie about buried truths and the ideas that this girl going into this new land may have more connections to it than just the love story, that within her, she may also poccess powers like any being there. By the end of the movie, you get hints of that within an accomplished fairy tale. And it deals so much more with the direct emotion of the experience to going to this world that it becomes transcending. I actually prefer the dubbed version to Princess Mononoke because I thought the dialogue was more focused, but still understanding of the power of the movie and the actors doing the speaking roles were a lot better, especially Billy Crudup for Ashitaka and Minnie Driver for Lady Toboshi.

~rougerum

[blu]

i am excited for the dvd.  the imagination displayed in this movie is unparrelled.  after seeing this, i rented princess mononoke and loved it.  we need such visual stories in our lives to keep an understanding that there is so much more that can and could be.  so many things were left open to either confusion or acceptance.

[MacGuffin]

I know its not as good as Miyazaki's stuff, but for me, 'Iron Giant' is still tops.

The Iron Giant: Special Edition disc is set to street on 8/26 (SRP $19.98 ), with anamorphic widescreen video, English and French Dolby Digital 5.1 audio and all-new special edition materials.