New Studio Ghibli DVD/Blu-ray Packs from Disney on 5/22

[kpa]

Check out SFJ for a bunch of video clips from the upcoming Studio Ghibli DVD/Blu-ray Combo Packs from Disney...

http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2012 ... mbo-packs/

[g2kmaster]

Of course... still waiting for Spirited Away...

[kpa]

Of course... still waiting for Spirited Away...

Disney is releasing the Studio Ghibli films on Blu-ray in the same order Ghibli is releasing them in Japan, so you won't see SPIRITED AWAY here until after it comes out on Blu-ray there. Studio Ghibli has announced that their next two Blu-ray titles will by MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO and GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES (Section23 Films has US rights to the latter film).

[wataru]

Does the Disney BRD of Arrietty have the UK dub or just Disney's? Because I hear Disney's sucks.

[kpa]

Does the Disney BRD of Arrietty have the UK dub or just Disney's? Because I hear Disney's sucks.

Just Disney's English audio (plus the original Japanese and a French track). The Disney track doesn't suck, but knowing the voice talent used for the UK version I suspect it will be much better. I should be getting the Aussie DVD soon and look forward to hearing the difference.

[o.supreme]

Interestingly enough, I've only heard the international English dub for Arriety. I thought something was off when I heard all the VA's speaking with british accents. (Not the Hollywodd cast I'm used to). But I have the film coming from Amazon and should have it any day now.

kpa- I'm just curious, how far back do Studio Ghibli's films have international English dubs as opposed to the ones done specifically for American audiances? Also- I noticed most of Disney's BRD are licensed for World Wide distribution (regions ABC). So in this rare instance, couldn't Disney work a deal with Ghibli to release films simultaneously (instead of after?)- Also I am really anticipating Princess Mononoke. Because of its PG-13 rating however I dont know if Disney would release a BRD under their own label, or keep it subbed out to Miramax?

[kpa]

Interestingly enough, I've only heard the international English dub for Arriety. I thought something was off when I heard all the VA's speaking with british accents. (Not the Hollywodd cast I'm used to). But I have the film coming from Amazon and should have it any day now.

You'll probably have both dubs before I do so please post your opinion on which is better.

kpa- I'm just curious, how far back do Studio Ghibli's films have international English dubs as opposed to the ones done specifically for American audiances?

There are international dubs of LAPUTA: CASTLE IN THE SKY and PORCO ROSSO that Studio Ghibli commissioned for use as an in-flight movies by Japan Air Lines. Ghibli later licensed US rights to LAPUTA, KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE and MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO to Streamline Pictures. The deal was the Streamline boss Carl Macek would get the rights to all three films for a short time in exchange for producing English dubs of KIKI and TOTORO, which would become the property of Studio Ghibli when Streamline's rights expired. These dubs were included on the Japanese laserdiscs (I haven't seen the Japanese DVDs in ages and don't recall if the dubs were included) and Streamline's dub of TOTORO was used on the Fox VHS and DVD release in the US. Disney did new dubs for all of these films.

The non-Disney dub of ARRIETTY was done by Optimum Releasing (now called StudioCanal UK), the distributor who released the film theatrically and on video in Britain. The Australian label Madman used Optimium's dub for their theatrical and video release, but I'd still call it a UK dub rather than an international one since it wasn't commissioned by Ghibli for foreign sales.

Also- I noticed most of Disney's BRD are licensed for World Wide distribution (regions ABC). So in this rare instance, couldn't Disney work a deal with Ghibli to release films simultaneously (instead of after?)-

My guess is Ghibli doesn't want cheaper foreign Blu-rays available at the same time they release their more expensive domestic Blu-ray. And the Ghibli films aren't huge sellers in the US so I doubt Disney feels much need to push for a same-day release.

Also I am really anticipating Princess Mononoke. Because of its PG-13 rating however I dont know if Disney would release a BRD under their own label, or keep it subbed out to Miramax?

That would likely depend on whether the MONONOKE rights went with Miramax or were held back by Disney.

[o.supreme]

Thanks for the informaiton Keith. Wow I didn't know Disney commissioned new dubs for earlier released films as well. It makes me want to hunt down the Fox DVD of Totoro (the only one I've ever seen a few years back) and compare them as well.

I'll refer to the others as UK dubs moving forward, what you said make sense. I just used the term "international" borrowed from what we effectionately refer to english dubs commissioned by Toho for their sci-fi films. The UK Arriety english dub can be easily found on many streaming sites (not sure if they are being replaced with Disney's dub or not...) but it wasn't bad, just not what I was used to. As much as I dislike Disney in general, I beleieve their casting for most of their studio Ghibli releases have been well done, even if they often pull from their own young actor pool of the time (Shia LeBouf, Jonas and Cyrus siblings etc..). But they've had some top notch performances as well Patrick Stewart, Mark Hamill, and the great Frank Welker doing some bit parts come to mind off the top of my head. While Howl's Moving Castle is not my favorite Ghibli/Miyazaki film, I believe it has one of the best vocal performances with Christian Bale, Billy Crystal etc...

[kpa]

Thanks for the informaiton Keith.

You're welcome.

The UK Arriety english dub can be easily found on many streaming sites (not sure if they are being replaced with Disney's dub or not...)

Madman sends me DVDs so I should be getting their ARRIETTY disc before too long.

but it wasn't bad, just not what I was used to.

The UK voice cast looks good so I suspect the dub will be fine.

As much as I dislike Disney in general, I beleieve their casting for most of their studio Ghibli releases have been well done, even if they often pull from their own young actor pool of the time (Shia LeBouf, Jonas and Cyrus siblings etc..). But they've had some top notch performances as well Patrick Stewart, Mark Hamill, and the great Frank Welker doing some bit parts come to mind off the top of my head. While Howl's Moving Castle is not my favorite Ghibli/Miyazaki film, I believe it has one of the best vocal performances with Christian Bale, Billy Crystal etc...

I general, I think the Disney English tracks for the Studio Ghibli films have been well done. I liked the English version of SPIRITED AWAY a lot, and HOWL'S and most of the others have been good as well. I didn't find their ARRIETTY up to the level of some of the others, but my main issue isn't with the performances but with changes made to the story while adapting it to English.

SPOILER WARNING for anyone who hasn't seen the film...

The Disney Blu-ray has both the Japanese and English versions, and you can listen to the English dub while reading the subtitles for the Japanese audio. And when I did so, I was disappointed that the end of the film-- which is hopeful but uncertain in the Japanese version-- is wrapped up happily in the US version. There's a few instances of tinkering like that throughout the film, and each example weakens the story IMO. And the Disney pop song at the end is terrible and doesn't fit the tone of the movie in the slightest. It was clearly a marketing decision rather than an artistic one.

[o.supreme]

I've noticed this on a LOT of Anime especially with American collaberations, which is why I refrain from reading subtitles and listening to an Englih dub at the same time since it can be so jarring, almost like getting two different stories at the same time. I found this especially to be so with the Marvel Anime' such as Iron Man & X-Men. The English dub tells quite a different story than the original Japanese version.

Well I got by Arrietty in the mail yesterday, probably wont have time to watch it until Friday. Oh and we got Whisper of the Heart also at Target. I initially had no interest in this, but its more for my kids. When they found out it was "loosely" connected to The Cat Returns (one of their favorites), well they really wanted it then.