Spirited Away Set for 800 Theatre Rerelease 296
Robotech_Master writes "According to the website of Jerry Beck, a 20-year-animation industry veteran and one of the co-founders of Streamline Animation, when Spirited Away won the Oscar, it also "won the right to be re-released to 800 theatres this Friday. Disney will be announcing plans to re-release the Japanese masterpiece in theatres later today." When I emailed Beck to ask him his source, he said it was someone within the Disney publicity department and it would be made public sometime today. According to Spirited Away's numbers page at Rotten Tomatoes, it peaked during its first run at 151 screens. Wonder how it'll do this time around?"
Hmm.. (Score:2)
Perhaps they should have waited for Star Trek Nemesis to win something BEFORE releasing it to theaters...
or in a broader sense (Score:3, Redundant)
more by Miyazaki (Score:5, Informative)
Re:more by Miyazaki (Score:2)
huh? (Score:2)
Are they saying that it would been illegal for the movie to show in any theatres if it hadn't won an Oscar? Or is this just a deal they had with the 800 theatres? Or an internal Disney thing?
If it's the former, then that industry is more red-taped than I had thought.
Re:huh? (Score:2)
It was just a little poetic license on the part of the submitter.
Re:huh? (Score:5, Insightful)
Disney has typically treated its Miyazaki/Ghibli licenses just like every other kind non-in-house animation they acquire (Many DIC titles. First season Sailor Moon is a notable example). They'll sell it, but they will not spend adequate resources on it or promote it in any way that will compete with their own films.
They spent considerable effort creating excellent dubbs on Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away, but simply will not promote those films in any way like they will their own releases. (I have yet to get a Kiki action figure at Burger King.)
'Spirited Away/Sen to Chihiro' is a true work of art. Disney knows it. Miyazaki knows it. The people who've seen it know it. It *deserved* to win BAP. By winning, however, it takes away from 'Lilo and Stitch'. By rereleasing 'Spirited Away', Disney is effectively submarining a possible 'Lilo and Stitch' rerelease. They're also forced to tacitly admit that Miyazaki and Studio Ghibi produces better stuff than they do.
By not re-releasing 'Spirited Away', Disney is in the even more awkward position of trying to explain why they're submarining a film that's won BAP simply because it's not their own work.
Congratulations Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli! I will be taking everyone I know and can get to go to the rerelease.
Re:huh? (Score:5, Insightful)
I was lucky enough to get a private showing during the first run. Well, not really private, but there was no one else in the theatre. No one in town knew the movie was there. The print was so clean I think they had not even been turning the projector on. No, it wasn't an 'art house' theatre, but a real multiplex. Off course, there were no lobby cards, newspaper ads, or any other type of promotion.
Strangely here in Toronto, Canada... (Score:2)
Re:Strangely here in Toronto, Canada... (Score:2)
Sorry to hear that... (Score:2)
Re:huh? (Score:2)
Why Disney? (Score:2)
Re:Why Disney? (Score:2)
Miyazaki's artistic integrity and lack of greed is, in general, awe-inspiring, as are the values that inform his work. He's one of a dying breed.
Re:huh? (Score:2)
I'd rather have a Gigi action figure, anyway. Okay, so I'd also like a Kiki one, as long as she's on her broom...
I wonder, though, if the lack of merchandising efforts by Disney on such films reflects who would get the profits from said merchandising? It might be a contractual issue. Though I wouldn't count on it.
Re:huh? (Score:2)
The DVD... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:The DVD... (Score:5, Funny)
Sure, but you can't go out to the movies, buy hot movie popcorn with artificial butter and a bucket of soda and have your ticket torn. You can't sit in the dark in those movie seats playing "guess the number of trailers" with your friends. You don't get that thrill of anticipation when the lights go down, you don't get the surprise of which movies are coming up, and you don't get to see it on the Big Screen, your bladder screaming as you try to last that last fifteen minutes with a gallon of Coke cut with Sprees sloshing around your system.
Sorry, I really love going to the movies. The DVD is never the same.
the movie-going experience (Score:5, Funny)
I love that.
Re:the movie-going experience (Score:2)
Re:the movie-going experience (Score:5, Funny)
Re:The DVD... (Score:2)
Re:The DVD... (Score:2)
Unfortunately all that popcorn makes me want to drink soda, the soda makes me want to goto the bathroom. Thus, I usually loose at least 5 minutes per movie for a health break.
Re:The DVD... (Score:2)
Add the heavily overpriced popcorn and sugar water with bubbles and you easily get a better deal by buying it.
Re:The DVD... (Score:2)
Re:The DVD... (Score:2)
Did they ever fix that "red tint" problem?
Re:The DVD... (Score:3, Informative)
The R1 DVDs have no red tint.
Re:The DVD... (Score:2)
After all, they used their bad profits from Princess Mononoke as the reason for not initially releasing any further films. Why should this be any different?
Take a friend, go twice if you can, etc., do everything to make sure that this time around it's well worth it for Disney, so it will be well worth it for future Miyazaki releases. Well, some of
Re:The DVD... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Boycotting amazon? (Score:2)
Will DVD sales hurt theater proceeds? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Will DVD sales hurt theater proceeds? (Score:2)
(Unless you happen to run a theatre...
Should be more like 3000 (Score:5, Insightful)
The mouse has a love hate relationship with the movie. They want the money it will make, but they don't want it to overshadow the in house animation.
Re:Should be more like 3000 (Score:2)
Also, I've been s
IMAX? (Score:2)
Here's the confirmation (Score:5, Informative)
Which version though (Score:2)
How is the dubbing? (Score:2)
If there are good voice actors, it could be great I suppose. I would welcome comments!
Re:How is the dubbing? (Score:2)
I can't wait for the DVD so I can get the Japanese audio track.
International Release? (Score:2)
Rus
Re:International Release? (Score:2)
Forget this... (Score:3, Funny)
Further down the page was news that made my day! A live-action Jetsons! Whoopie!
Ugh.
Re:Forget this... (Score:2)
Of course, "The Flintstones" had a sequel, so what do I know? What's left of my childhood to rape?
I think advertising is more important than screens (Score:5, Interesting)
But the more important problem is the audience. Who is this for? Under 13? Teenagers? Adults? Are they going to show commercials during Saturday mornings between Pokemon and Digimon? Or is this after-school fare?
I still think the biggest problem is that Disney doesn't know what to do with these films. They don't fit into their standard G rating pipeline so the films end up showing on 100 screens and getting attended to by the film heads only. Too bad.
Re:I think advertising is more important than scre (Score:2)
Does that answer your question?
Re:I think advertising is more important than scre (Score:2)
Bugs Bunny is the most popular cartoon in the world, watched by all ages. "Growed ups" have no problem with watching cartoons.
Come on Disney (Score:2)
What the fuck, Eisner? Do you need me to draw you a diagram?
Re:Come on Disney (Score:2)
How about the time it takes to CREATE all those prints and distribute them to the theaters.
Give it time. The run will expand based upon the success of the 800, and those 800 WILL be succesful.
Officially Announced (Score:2)
The Japan Times
How did Mononoke do? (Score:2, Interesting)
I know Mononoke's theatrical release was lackluster, but that's largely because there were only 8 prints of the movie, and so it slowly wound its way through the country instead of having a real "release" per se. But how were the sales/rentals on the Mononoke DVD?
Re:How did Mononoke do? (Score:2)
Plot Synopsis... (Score:2)
As sent via IM from one of my friends:
SPUNKYMORT: the movies plot is that all the japanese god's go to this hidden island for vacations
SPUNKYMORT: and this girl winds up there
SPUNKYMORT: but this horrid big headed woman takes your name and you're her slave
SPUNKYMORT: and now the girl has to work there
SPUNKYMORT: but there's this black ghost thing that follows her around'
SPUNKYMORT: and he seems friendly at first
SPUNKYMORT: but then he starts eating everybody
SPUNKYMORT: the girls parents eat this foo
Re:Plot Synopsis... (Score:2)
Not that that's a bad thing.
dub vs. sub (Score:2, Interesting)
The first is that there are very often small details in the image that I miss if I'm distracted by subtitles. This is especially true with Miyazaki, I think.
The second is that it's much harder to follow a language like Japanese if you don't have a background in it. I grew up speaking English and studied some French. So it's easy to follow films in French, Spanish and I
Re:dub vs. sub (Score:2, Insightful)
I disagree... (Score:2)
Having seen Spirited Away in the theatres in both subtitled and dubbed versions, I have to say that I first of all find the voice acting better in original vocal track, and second, find the voices "fit" the characters and their expressions much better.
Of course, this isn't always true - I actua
Re:I disagree... (Score:2)
movietickets.com (Score:4, Informative)
Re:movietickets.com (Score:2)
I really doubt it will still be out when I get back...too bad, 800 theatres is just not enough.
Anyone else not such a fan? (my own repost) (Score:3, Insightful)
First of all, the main character seemed to be a whiny little girl for far too long, and seemed fairly well-adapted to being enslaved as a bath wench. The main goal she had was to free her parents, but she doesn't actually embark on doing so until at least 2/3 of the way through the film. The bulk of the movie seemed to be clever and well-directed bits that didn't really relate to each other or the main storyline enough to warrant their length or involvement.
Admittedly, I'm usually more drawn to the more action-oriented but intelligent anime (Bebop, NGE, etc) or goofy stuff (FLCL, Excel Saga, w00t!), but I dig the brainy bits of Eva too, as well as Lain, Akira, and even Mononoke, although I hated the way that ended. Am I still just too Western? The only people I know that really enjoyed Spirited Away were either the die-hard anime fans that
Re:Anyone else not such a fan? (my own repost) (Score:2)
I think you are not alone, however. . . (Score:3, Interesting)
Interestingly, children seemed to respond very well to the film, despite its length. I think this might be because the film was effective on a level kids could understand, and because young children have not yet been fully programme
Re:Anyone else not such a fan? (my own repost) (Score:3, Interesting)
First of all, the main character seemed to be a whiny little girl for far too long, and seemed fairly well-adapted to being enslaved as a bath wench. The main goal she had was to free her parents, but she doesn't actually embark on doing so until at least 2/3 of the way through the film.
Well, if you're going to criticize it based on logic and plot holes, you're going to miss the entire point. In that case, let's talk about gun battles on the outside hull of a spacehip with projectile weapons in Cowboy
Re:Anyone else not such a fan? (my own repost) (Score:4, Interesting)
People seem to confuse anime as a genre when it is really nothing more then a medium. I think that catches a few people off guard, in this movie and in other movies. As for this one, its not an "intelligent" anime, nor is it "goofy" anime. Its a cartoon (made in Japan so people call it an anime) made for children. Its supposed to be a magical fantasy, not a mind blowing epic.
If you went into this movie expecting to watch an anime (as a genre) then you wholly missed the point and I'm not suprised that you didn't like it. The film is animated and from Japan, but that in no way means you should lump it with such pieces as Akira, Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion, etc.
Hmmm. Veddy interrresting.... (Score:2, Interesting)
Silly, but true; I love the illusions created by well-done blobs of ink and paint (or well-done CGI.) Spirited Away was a beautifully made film, and I shuddered when I found out that Disney was handling the US distribution, because I knew that there was no way in hell that they would give it the marketing that it deserved.
Fast-forward past Oscar night: Spirited Away walks away with the gold. I find it absolutely hilarious that Disney in general (and Eisn
Maybe they'll fix the red glare this time! (Score:2)
I encourage everybody to go watch it, simply because by showing Disney that anime can be profitable, you could increase the amount sent over here.
All according to plan... (Score:2, Informative)
Is there a list of theaters yet anywhere? (Score:2)
Incidentally, if anyone knows a theater in Denver or Boulder showing it, Please tell me!
Help me with Anime (Score:2)
That being said, I just don't understand anime. Admittedly, I haven't watched much. Mononoke is th
Re:Help me with Anime (Score:2)
Some of the best anime movies and series develop characters, tell a compelling story, provide a fantastic or realistic setting, have terrific artwork, entice so many feelings... Many of the best anime out there provide all of these.
Anime isn't, to me, a "genre," per se. It's almost like a microcosm of the whole film and television industries, but done entirely in semi-traditional animation instead of live-action. There are action an
Re:Help me with Anime (Score:2)
Well, there is your problem. Anime is not a genre, its a medium.
I agree that most people are too enamored with anything if its animated and from Japan, but thats why we have a dimunitive term for them (otaku, or my favorite 'wasians' -- kinda like wiggers, but
Anime as a medium, though, can
I've spent years pondering that question. . . (Score:2)
I'll try to sum this up quickly.
See, in the West, people program their brains from an early age in the art of drawing. Everybody does this in primary school, learning how to push a pencil through all the 26 letters of the alphabet. And that's where it ends. Once we learn the basic alpha-numeric symbols, we never need learn how to draw another new picture again.
By contrast, in Japan and other Asian nations, (as I am sure you are awar
Not much advertising, really... (Score:2)
Re:Disney (Score:5, Informative)
If you don't mind a show that isn't crammed with nonstop action, you might just like it. The pacing can be slow at times compared to the latest hollywood Blow Em Up, but there are still a number of action and suspense sequences.
Re:Disney (Score:2)
The odd thing is they call him the "Disney of Japan", which I think is a little insulting, considering he surpassed Walt Disney a long time ago.
Re:Disney (Score:2)
Okay then, forget it. I'm not much into artsy movies. Take Princes Mononoke for example. It was, technically, a great cinematic acheivement, but it bored the hell outta me. Half the time I was just asking myself, WHO IS ON THE MOST CRACK? Not to offend anyone who likes the mov
Re:Disney (Score:2)
Thats why I try to be as objective as possible when talking about anime. It lets people make their own decisions, instead of me deciding for them.
Re:Disney (Score:2)
Re:Disney (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Disney (Score:2)
However, ignoring the region code on the DVD is not breaking the DMCA (not by the letter of the law anyway... just remember, you can be sued for anything at all, and then guilt must be proven in court) since the region code fails to meet the standards in the definition of an access control method by the DMCA.
Many Studio Ghibli DVDs have both subs and d
Re:Disney (Score:2)
I don't know where to go about importing these DVDs though.
This bootleg page [austarmetro.com.au] lists an "IVL Hong Kong" as one the distributer of an official licensed Region 3 DVD with english subs. This may be a branch of BV with a different name though. This review [cinespot.com] confirms that the Hong Kong release also suffered
Re:Disney (Score:3, Insightful)
While it tickles me pink that this wonderful movie is getting another big-screen release, I doubt it will do any better this time than it did last time.
Spirited Away is just too Japanese/Asian for middle-Americans to get.
I could do three pages of Way Important Stuff which Every Japanese Kid Over Five Already Knows But Gets Glossed Over.
I dragged a bunch of friends to see this during the first release. They left the movie shaking th
Re:Disney (Score:4, Interesting)
While it tickles me pink that this wonderful movie is getting another big-screen release, I doubt it will do any better this time than it did last time.
Spirited Away is just too Japanese/Asian for middle-Americans to get.
Oh, I hope not. I'd really like to think that The Rest Of Us could appreciate it. True, it's full of Japanese cultural references, but the story is still the classic kid-and-friends-on-a-quest-to-get-home story. Think of it as a Japanese "Wizard of Oz".
There's always hope. After all, no one expected "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" to do anything, and it stuck around the theaters for a year or so. Then again, my rational self doubts it. I'm afraid you're right.
Re:Disney (Score:2)
Re:Disney (Score:2)
Timely, relevant and ontopic. not just a little f'ing scary! oh no!!
Re:If it failed the first time.... (Score:5, Insightful)
You know where I got to watch it? I watched it in a nearby university's 100 seat theater. This is the kind of coverage Disney gave the film: very little advertisement, very few showings. Is there even a "box office" for universities for it to fail at?
Even 800 theatres is nothing compared to what the real box office bombs open at.
Re:If it failed the first time.... (Score:2, Interesting)
If Disney actually pushes "Spirited Away" it'll do just fine at the box office.
I had to travel 45 minutes away from my home to find a theatre showing it back in October. More theatres and a bit of publicity can do wonders.
Re:If it failed the first time.... (Score:2)
That logic has merit, after all. I know I've watched The Oscars several times and said "What movie is that??" And when I saw it at the video store I picked it up.
The guys from The Bob and Tom radio show were pretty unimpressed by it, calling it boring and unfunny. I consider those guys to be a good
Re:If it failed the first time.... (Score:5, Insightful)
Disney really doesn't want the U.S. to suddenly get an uncontrollable craving for non-Disney-produced animation features. The only reason Ghibli has any ties to Disney at all is because Disney doesn't want anime to steamroll over them without them at least having a hand on the pressure-release valve.
No matter how good the anime feature is, if Disney releases it in the U.S., it's popularity will be governed and reduced by the hand of Eisner.
Re:If it failed the first time.... (Score:2)
Treasure Planet was meant to be a light, action-oriented kids movie. And it was. And as such, it was entertaining. I thought the animation was better than in most Disney films, the voice acting was very good, and as Disney kids' fare goes, it was decently inventive (compare this to, say, "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron," which was just plain awful in every respect).
The general problem with this thread is that everyone is fawning all over Spirited Awa
Re:If it failed the first time.... (Score:2)
Actually, It's been playing for the last few weeks at the Arclight Cinema [arclightcinemas.com] near Sunset and Vine. They have much larger screens, and it may be a closer drive for you.
Re:General Rule of Thumb on Dubbing (Score:2)
Kiki's Delivery Service had excellent dubbing - including Phil Hartman, who did a bang-up job as a disgruntled cat.
Cowboy Bebop - I personally love the dubbed versions of those... while the subbed versions are pretty good, I thought the voice actors, particularly the ones for Spike, Jet, and Faye, were excellent and really made that film come alive for me. No offense to the subbed one, but the dubbed one rocks.
-T
Re:General Rule of Thumb on Dubbing (Score:2)
Re:General Rule of Thumb on Dubbing (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:General Rule of Thumb on Dubbing (Score:2)
In fact, it's exactly that. And sometimes the original cast is so perfect that it can never be equalled. Still, there are many cases where a new group of actors and actresses can pull off something even better than the first, and claiming that the original is always superior is just asinine.
Re:General Rule of Thumb on Dubbing (Score:2)
Specifically, look at the one I mentioned, Cowboy Bebop - the original version is excellent... But the dubbed version is pretty freakin' incredible, too, with voice actors that are some of th
Re:General Rule of Thumb on Dubbing (Score:2)
Perhaps... but, wasn't it still good? Wasn't it not only good, but accessible to Western audiences, particularly children, who would never have gotten into the subbed version? And didn't you laugh at some of Hartman's lines?
My point is that while the original version might be exc
Re:*yawn* I will be impressed when Gangs of New Yo (Score:2)
Disney and DRM (Score:2)
Good to see someone has some sense here. Mod parent up!
A question for all those people who think I should see the movie: Why should I go see this movie (even if it is the greatest one ever made) and pay money to help a company take away my freedom? Disney is a big supporter of digital "rights" managment--the ultimate censorship system. They were one of the companies who brib^Wcontributed to Fritz Hollings--the guy who created the CBDTPA/SSSCA.