LADYDRAGON.COM - Spirited Away

Spirited Away, a Studio Ghibli film is the most successful movie ever to play in Japan and is Hayao Miyazaki masterpiece.

Walt Disney Studios is the only company that was able to make a deal with Japan's most renowned filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki in order to bring his entire collection of film here in North America.

The story start with Chihiro a young girl of 10 years old who is not too please that her family is moving to a new town but on their way they come across to a Amusement Park that seams to be abandoned. Since they have been traveling for a while her father and mother decide to eat food that are already prepared and pay for it when the staff comes back.

Chihiro wants no part in it since she is afraid that they will get in trouble and starts waking away around the park and when she comes back she is horrified to find that her parents have been turned into pigs.

And that is where her extraordinary adventure will start and where she will be plunged into this absolutely fascinating and wonderful world where she is the only one that can safe her parents..

During the movie you will see how Hayao Miyazaki brought expressions and feeling to all his characters like when the wind scared Chihiro when she enter the amusement park.

Plus the drawing of every scene is beautifully done with care. In the making of Spirited Away you will learn how much attention Hayao Miyazaki was paying to details. Lets take for example the mouth of the Dragon he wanted to have the teeth and gums drawn like a dog, he asked his staff if they ever saw a dog's mouth to his surprise only one of his staff ever had a dog. So totally stunt Hayao Miyazaki decided to bring all his staff to the local vet to study and film the dog's mouth and that is why the Dragon's teeth and mouth look like a dog.

You will also learn many other information like the characters were based on real people and how and who recorded the theme song Always with Me.

The 2 Disc DVD include many Bonus Features like the original Japanese language track and an introduction by John Lasseter the director of Disney/Pixar's A Bug's Life, Toy Story 1 and 2. The voice talent include Daveigh Chase, the voice of Lilo in Lilo and Stitch, plays the role of Chihiro, Suzanne Pleshette -TV's The Bob Newhart Show and in the Lion King 2: Simba's Pride, Jason Marsden - An Extremely Goofy Movie, Susan Egan - Lady and the Tramp 2: Scamp's Adventure, offers many Look on the right column to see the complete list of Bonus feature.

Spirited Away not only will capture your attention through the entire movie but it is fun and it has the special positive cachet that you get after watching a Walt Disney movie.

Cast

Daveigh Chase
Chihiro - Sen

Suzanne Pleshette
Yubaba - Zeniba

Haku
Jason Marsden

Lin
Susan Egan

Akio Ogino Chihiro's Father
Micheal Chiklis

Yuko Ogino Chihiro's Father
Lauren Holly

Kamaji
David Ogden

Boh
Tara Strong

Assistant Manager
John Ratzenberger

Crew

Written and Directed
Hayao Miyazaki

Director
Kirk Wise

Producer
Donald W. Ernst

Executive Producer
John Lasseter

English Language Adaptation
Cindy Davis Hewitt
Donald H.Hewitt

Associate Producer
Lori Korngiebel

Voice Casting
Jamie Thomason
David Wright

Music Composition
Yumi Kimura

Notes
A+

Distributor
Buena Vista Home Entertainment

Street Date
April 15, 2003

Official Site
Disney's Spirited Away
Studio Ghibli

Category
Family - Animation

Rated
"G" General Audiences

Running Time
Approximately 125 minutes

Sound
5.1 Dolby Digital
English & Japanese tracks Only

DVD Aspect Ratio
Widescreen 2.0:1
Enhanced for 16x9 TV screens

Subtitles Languages
French and Spanish

Bonus Feature
- Introduction by John Lassetter
- The Art of Spirited Away
- The Making of Spirited Away in a Nippon TV Special
- Select Storyboard to Scene Comparaison
- Behind the Microphone with Suzanne Pleshette, Daveigh Chase and Jason Marsden
- Original Japanese trailers

Suggested Retail Price
$36.99 for DVD
$22.99 for VHS