![]() ![]() But this is Miyazaki's purest tale (at least until Ponyo) and there is no bizarre imagery or large-scale conflict to prolong or muddy this taut piece of storytelling.įor some reason, Disney waited a long time to record a new dub for Totoro, one of Miyazaki's most popular films. It wouldn't be a Miyazaki film without inspiring some questions and you might wonder about this Catbus that comes to the rescue and his anatomy (FYI, 36 people on Facebook "like" the page "Catbus' Balls"). ![]() There's a little bit of a Winnie the Pooh vibe to the relationship of the girls and their friends unseen by adults, which plays out with understatement. Fitting together with that in a seamless and complimentary way are the fantasy elements, which are simple and easily attributed to children's imagination. The simple drama involving a small family is Miyazaki's most human creation and the idyllic portrait subtly set in the 1950s incorporates aspects of Miyazaki's own childhood, as spinal tuberculosis kept his mother away for large portions of his upbringing. In some ways, Totoro is two films in one. The lovable nonverbal creature has limited but unforgettable screentime, as he lets Mei sit on his chest, sheepishly accepts an umbrella in the rain, and then re-emerges as a final act hero, when a hospital telegram breeds fear in the girls and inspires Mei to go missing. Totoro doesn't show up until 30 minutes in and thereafter is put to scarce but great use. Here, the fantasy is a small but integral part of a coming-of-age story. Totoro may seem quaint compared to them, but I think it's probably his finest film. Miyazaki's best-known films are complex fantasies full of imaginative imagery and social commentary. But the big guy resurfaces one rainy night at a bus stop, where the girls await their father. The creatures are nowhere to be found when Mei tries to show them to Satsuki and father. One afternoon while playing in the tunnels formed by trees, young Mei discovers three forest creatures: the big gray, whiskered gentle giant of a monster she dubs a Totoro and his two tiny translucent tagalongs. As their mother lays sick but slowly recovering in the hospital from an undisclosed illness, the sisters are excited by the idea that their house is haunted. The two girls are excited by what they find there: acorn seeds and scampering little black things their Dad calls "dustbunnies" (their Nanny later identifies them as "soot spreaders"). Pre-teen Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei move with their father to a new home in the countryside. Previously released as 2-Disc Disney DVD (March 7, 2006) and 1-Disc Fullscreen Fox DVD (December 3, 2002)īuy My Neighbor Totoro from : Blu-ray + DVD Īt first glance, My Neighbor Totoro seems light and childish,īut this 1988 film winds up being one of Hayao Miyazaki's most touching, meaningful, and personal works. Still available as 2-Disc DVD ($29.99 SRP March 2, 2010) Two single-sided, dual-layered discs (BD-50 & DVD-9) / Blue Side-Snapped Keepcase in Embossed Cardboard Slipcover Release Date: (DVD originally released March 2, 2010) / Suggested Retail Price: $39.99 Subtitles: English, English for Hearing Impaired, French Extras Subtitled DVD Closed Captioned Japanese Voice Cast: Noriko Hidaka (Satsuki Kusakabe), Chika Sakamoto (Mei Kusakabe), Shigesato Itoi (Tatsuo Kusakabe), Sumi Shimamoto (Yasuko Kusakabe), Tanie Kitabayashi (Kanta no obâsan), Hitoshi Takagi (Totoro), Yûko Maruyama (Kanta no okâsan), Machiko Washio (Teacher), Reiko Suzuki (Furoi on'na no hito), Masashi Hirose (Kanta no otôsan), Toshiyuki Amagasa (Kanta), Shigeru Chiba (Kusakari-Otoko)īlu-ray: 2.0 DTS-HD MA (English, French, Japanese) / DVD: Dolby Digital 2.0 (English, Japanese, French) US Theatrical Release: / Running Time: 87-89 Minutes / Rating: GĮnglish Voice Cast: Dakota Fanning (Satsuki), Elle Fanning (Mei), Tim Daly (Father), Pat Carroll (Granny), Lea Salonga (Mother), Frank Welker (Totoro, Catbus), Paul Butcher (Kanta), Matt Adler, Newell Alexander, David Midthunder, J.P.
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