June 27, 2005 French Release Schedule
Theatrical Release:
June 22, 2005 Cambridge Film Festival
The 25th Cambridge Film Festival (July 7 - 17) will show several Studio Ghibli films with one highlight being a screening of Howl's Moving Castle on July 16 with an introduction by Dianne Wynne Jones.
Thanks to Isabelle McNeill, Mark Stickley, and John Burnham for the news.
June 20, 2005 June 17-19 Box Office Results
BoxOfficeMojo.com reports that Howl's Moving Castle pulled in $802,000 at 202 theaters for an average of $3,970.
June 20, 2005 Collection of Ghibli Goods
Ghibli World contains photos and descriptions of the various goodies packed with video releases around the world (though mostly in Japan).
Thanks to Wushu-4-Ever for the info.
June 17, 2005 "Howl" June 17-19 Theater Count
Howl's Moving Castle moves into 166 additional theaters this weekend according to BoxOfficeMojo for a total count of 202.
For theater times check your local newspaper, movietickets.com, or fandango.com.
June 17, 2005 10th Anniversary of "Whisper of the Heart" Celebration
Mainichi is reporting that the area of Tokyo (Tama New Town) that the film was based upon is holding a "location tour" as well as a free screening of the film.
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The location tour will begin at 10 a.m. on July 10, open to the first 1,000 people to arrive, covering six spots over a distance of about two kilometers. On July 17, free screenings of the movie will be held. In addition, Honna, who sang a version of the movie's theme song, "Country Roads," will hold a concert in the area in December.
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Thanks to Robert Nagel for the news.
June 13, 2005 Initial "Howl" Box Office Results
BoxOfficeMojo.com is reporting:
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Even Howl's Moving Castle, the latest animated feature from Spirited Away director Hayao Miyazaki, was unimpressive in its limited launch, delivering $427,987 from 36 venues. By comparison, Spirited Away bowed to $449,839 from 26 theaters in 2002, and, boosted by a wide release to capitalize on its Academy Award win for Best Animated Feature, closed with $10.1 million. Similar to Spirited Away, though, Howl's Moving Castle has grossed about $220 million overseas and was one of the top blockbusters in its native Japan. Distributor Buena Vista will roll the picture out to around 200 locations on June 17.
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BoxOfficeGuru.com has a bit more positive take:
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Howl's Moving Castle, a blockbuster smash from Japan, bowed in 36 theaters this weekend in select cities and grossed an estimated $401,000 for a powerful $11,139 average. The Buena Vista release was dubbed into English and featured the voices of Christian Bale, Emily Mortimer, and Billy Crystal. Howl gobbled up over $175M just from Japan last winter where director Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away) is a megastar, and opens wider across the domestic market on Friday. Reviews were very favorable.
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Thanks to Mark Barbour, PY Kong, and Juan F. Lara for the news.
June 12, 2005 El Capitan Theatre "Howl" Q and A / Miyazaki in NY Notes
The screening in Hollywood on June 10 at the El Capitan Theatre started with a question and answer session moderated by writer Charles Solomon. On the panel were Cindy and Don Hewitt, voice actresses Jean Simmons and Emily Mortimer, and other Pixar/Disney employees.
A summary of the session is available at Hollywood Gothiqued.
Thanks to Karen Black for the news.
William Ansley attended the screening in New York and reported:
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I got into the ticket holders' line at shortly before 7 pm and there were a few dozen people ahead of me. By the time they started letting us go in at about 8:20 pm, the line went all the way down the block from the museum. People with TV cameras came out and filmed the line several times. I noticed one camera had the Fuji TV logo on it. The screening for ordinary people was supposed to start at 8:30 pm, but didn't actually get going until after 9 pm because they screened us all for cameras. None were allowed, either video or still. As I was waiting to be screened, I saw a roped off area where the press had apparently been waiting earlier. There were signs for Nippon TV, Tokyo Broadcasting, Studio Ghibli (documentary footage, I guess), BVPM Disney (ditto), BBC, Entertainment Tonight and CBS Lightpath, as well as others I missed.
Once everyone was finally seated, much to my suprise and delight, in came Miyazaki and Suziki, along with a young woman I took to be a translator, all three preceded by another woman who represented the museum, I think. Every applauded loudly as they entered. The museum representative spoke briefly, praising Miyazaki's films in general and Howl in particular. She also mentioned Suzuki as an important contributor. There was more loud applause repeatedly throughout her speech. Then they all left without Miyazaki or Suzuki speaking at all. That was disappointing, but it was very nice of Miyazaki and Suzuki to take the time to visit us non-celebrities.
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June 11, 2005 "Howl's Moving Castle" Reviews
Many reviews of the English dub are filtering around the web. We recommend using one of the review sites on the Impressions page.
Quick links:
Roger Ebert
Kenneth Turan
Entertainment Weekly
Thanks to the many people who wrote in with links.
June 9, 2005 Showtimes for "Howl's Moving Castle" - 10 June to 16 June
San Francisco, CA
AMC Kabuki 8 - 1:15pm | 4:15 | 7:20 | 10:10
Hollywood, CA
Pacific El Capitan - 10:00am | 1:00pm | 4:00 | 7:00 | 9:45
San Diego, CA
Hillcrest Cinemas - 1:50pm | 4:25 | 7:00 | 9:35
La Jolla, CA
AMC La Jolla Village 12 - 1:10pm | 4:00 | 7:15 | 10:00
San Diego, CA
Edwards Mira Mesa Stadium 18 - 10:30am | 1:10pm | 3:50 | 6:45 | 9:45
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Highlands Ranch, CO
AMC Highlands Ranch 24 - 10:50am | 1:50pm | 4:50 | 7:50 | 10:50
Denver, CO
Mayan Theatre - 4:15pm | 7:00 | 9:35
Westminster, CO
AMC Westminster Promenade 24 - 11:10am | 2:00pm | 4:40 | 7:30 | 10:25
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Alpharetta, GA
AMC Mansell Crossing 14 - 11:05am | 1:40pm | 4:30 | 7:20 | 10:00
Atlanta, GA
United Artists Tara Cinemas-Atlanta - 1:25pm | 4:05 | 7:00 | 9:40
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Evanston, IL
Century CineArts 6 - 11:00am | 1:30pm | 4:15 | 7:15 | 10:00
Chicago, IL
Pipers Alley 4 - 4:15pm | 7:15 | 10:10
AMC River East 21 - 1:15pm | 4:00 | 7:10 | 10:00
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Olathe, KS
AMC Studio 30 - 1:10pm | 4:05 | 7:05 | 10:05
Leawood, KS
AMC Town Center 20 - 11:10am | 1:55pm | 4:35 | 7:20 | 10:20
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Cambridge, MA
Kendall Square Cinema - 2:15pm | 5:00 | 8:00
Boston, MA
Loews Theatres Boston Common - 11:50am | 2:50pm | 6:10 | 8:50 | 11:50
Brookline, MA
Coolidge Corner Theatre - 12:00 am, 12:00 pm, 2:15 pm, 4:45 pm, 7:15 pm, 9:45 pm, 12:00 am
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Bethesda, MD
Bethesda Row Cinema - 1:30pm | 2:05 | 4:00 | 4:45 | 7:00 | 7:45 | 9:30
Hanover, MD
Muvico Egyptian 24 - 11:05am | 1:50pm | 4:35 | 7:25 | 10:10
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Minneapolis, MN
Uptown Theatre - 1:40pm | 4:15 | 7:00 | 9:45
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New York, NY
Loews Lincoln Square 12 - 11:10am | 2:00pm | 4:45 | 7:40 | 10:40
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Portland, OR
Regal Fox Tower Stadium 10 - 12:45pm | 2:10 | 4:15 | 5:10 | 7:00 | 7:50 |
9:40 | 10:30
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Philadelphia, PA
Ritz East - 11:45am | 2:20pm | 4:55 | 7:30 | 10:05
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Arlington, VA
Shirlington 7 - 12:30pm | 3:00 | 5:20 | 7:50 | 10:10
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Washington, DC
Dupont Circle 5 - 12:00pm | 1:00 | 2:40 | 3:40 | 5:20 | 6:20 | 7:50 | 9:00 |
10:20
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Lynnwood, WA
Loews At Alderwood - 11:00am | 1:50pm | 5:00 | 7:50 | 10:50
Seattle, WA
Metro Cinemas - 1:00pm | 4:00 | 7:00 | 9:45
Uptown Cinemas - 1:00pm | 4:00 | 7:00 | 9:45
Redmond, WA
Regal Bella Bottega Stadium 11 - 12:55pm | 4:10 | 7:35 | 10:35
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Vancouver, BC
Cinemark Tinseltown - 1:50 4:30 7:10 9:55
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Toronto, ON
Paramount Toronto - 12:20 3:10 6:20 9:30
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Scarborough, ON
AMC Kennedy Commons 20 - 1:35 4:25 7:05 10:05
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Oakville, ON
AMC Winston Churchill 24 - 1:35 4:35 7:20 10:00
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West Montréal, QC
AMC Forum 22 - 1:15 4:05 7:00 9:45
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Thanks to Aidan Mowat for compiling the list.
According to BoxOfficeMojo the film is opening in 36 theaters this weekend.
We're not planning on keeping track of every theater in the US and Canada due to time restraints. If you're handy with web services and can create a timely and accurate listing please let us know.
June 9, 2005 Pacific Film Archive Article
An SFGate.com article by Jeff Yang covers the on-going Studio Ghibli film festival in Berkeley and gives a general overview of the relationships and dynamics between Disney, Pixar, and Studio Ghibli.
June 9, 2005 DVD Details for Pom Poko" and "Yamadas"
Jagged Team spotted the official Disney Video pages for the two films. Both films are scheduled for release on August 16.
Thanks to Daniel Zelter for the news.
June 8, 2005 More "Howl" in Hollywood Details, "Totoro" @ IMDB.com
Additional details about the Howl's Moving Castle screening tomorrow (June 9) the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood have emerged:
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Special Guests will participate in a discussion moderated by animation critic Charles Solomon: Pete Docter (director, English language version); Rick Dempsey (producer); Ned Lott (producer/director); Cindy and Don Hewitt (Screenplay Adaptation); Jean Simmons (voice of Grandma Sophie).
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Another Miyazaki work was tagged as the IMDB Movie of the Day for 7 June 2005:
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A lighter, less ominous precursor to Spirited Away, Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro is a childhood tale that holds great appeal for adults, too. Drawn in a style favoring a pleasing mix of fantasy and gentle dreams, we are pulled persistently into the world of two little girls, Mei (Chika Sakamoto) and Satsuki (Noriko Hidaka), sisters who move to the countryside with their father Tatsuo (Shigesato Itoi) when their mother (Sumi Shimamoto) becomes very ill and is hospitalized nearby. The girls enjoy the adventure of exploring their spacious if decrepit home, soon discovering that it is inhabited by harmless ghosts called "soot sprites". In the vast forest next to their house, they meet more spirits called, totoros, lead by the giant Totoro (Hitoshi Takagi), not to mention the fantastically mobile Cat Bus ghost. Again, there is absolutely nothing scary or evil about these spirits, traits that seem to have become unavoidable ingredients in most children's films. The totoros seem more akin to the comforting invisible friends that many kids create, watching and accompanying the sisters in their play and day-to-day activities. The closest thing to a scary monster in the story is the serious illness that threatens the girls' mother throughout the film, but that sickness is construed as a part of the ebb and flow of life, as opposed to a pain-filled melodramatic plot point. The essence of tranquility and grace of this film seems to mirror what life could be, if only mankind could let fear recede and embrace the unknown. - Heather Campbell
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Thanks to Daniel Zelter for the news.
June 7, 2005 Calgary radio station holds "Howl" premiere contest
A local radio station in Calgary, Alberta, Canada is holding a contest to promote the Calgary premiere of Howl's Moving Castle.
More info...
Thanks to Kelty M. Cusack for sending us the contest information.
June 6, 2005 "Howl" Publicity Machine Slowly Churning to Life
Five clips from the English version of the film have been released on Yahoo! Movies.
Articles from the Los Angeles Times and TIME Magazine have been published as well as a spot on CBS News Sunday Morning and a newspaper ad in the New York Times.
If you spot an article not on the Impressions page please let us know.
Thanks to Paul Mayer, Linh Huynh, and Terry Dawson for the news.
June 5, 2005 Where/When Can I See "Howl's Moving Castle"?
Landmark Theaters has put up pages for theaters showing the English dub with some theaters also showing the Japanese dub with English subtitles.
The film opens in select cities on June 10 and in additional cities on June 17. We expect distribution to be slightly greater than the second Spirited Away rollout of 700-800 theaters. Theater showtime aggregation sites such as movietickets.com and fandango.com will hold the most up-to-date listings, also check your local newspaper's Friday issue as most reviews are published the day the film opens.
A clip from the English dub is available at CHUD and Coming Soon.
Free screenings (typically a drawing or other contest) are popping up including one in Austin on June 11 and in Baltimore on June 7. The film is also making an appearance at the Maui Film Festival on June 16.
Thanks to Juan Lara and Daniel Zelter for the information.
