July 31, 2006 Updated: "Tales from Eathsea" News Flood
The release of "Gedo Senki" (Tales from Earthsea) in Japanese theaters produced a number of related news tidbits.
Proceeds from the first day at the box office beat "Pirates of the Caribbean 2" and Toho (the film's distributor) estimates a final tally of over 10 billion yen. "The Cat Returns" pulled in 6 billion yen while "Howl's Moving Castle" raked in 19 billion yen.
Last weekend's box office results (July 29, 30):
1st: Gedo Senki (435 screens, 672,696 people, 905,335,600 yen)
2nd: Pirates of the Caribbean 2 (750 screens)
3rd: Sinking of Japan
4th: Pokemon
5th: MI3
"Tales from Earthsea" will screen at the 2006 Venice Film Festival but not as part of the competition due to the film opening in Korea before the festival.
An English language interview with Goro Miyazaki is available from the Daily Yomiuri. The newspaper also carries one of the first published English reviews of the film.
A new production diary will begin in August. Translators needed!
Thanks to T. Ishikawa and Peter van der Lugt for the news.
July 27, 2006 "Pom Poko" Screening in Belgium
17th August 2006 at 8pm Pom Poko will be played at the local cinema Euroscoop - at C-Mine, Genk - Belgium.
This is an initiative of Projector, a collaboration between the culture-centre of the city of Genk and the non-profit organisation TOR. The admission is 5.50 euro (5 euro for students, childeren under the age of 12 can get a ticket for 4
euro). The cinema-complex is situated near the Dutch and German border (30 km). The movie will be shown with Japanese audio and Dutch subtitles.
Thanks to Reulens Kristof for the news.
July 25, 2006 NHK "Professional" Show Coming to DVD, Aoi Teshima Interview
Ghibli World notes that the "Professional" episode featuring Toshio Suzuki arrives on DVD September 22 for 3675 yen. The activities surrounding the NHK film crew are mentioned in Goro's Miyazaki blog.
English subtitles are unlikely.
A link to a Yamaha Channel interview with Aoi Teshima is also provided.
Thanks to Peter van der Lugt for the news.
July 24, 2006 Various UK Screenings
FilmFour is showing a slate of Miyazaki-directed films in August. The preliminary schedule is:
Fri 04 - 4:55 PM - The Castle of Cagliostro
Sat 05 - 4:45 PM - Kiki's Delivery Service
Sun 06 - 4:30 PM - Princess Mononoke
Mon 07 - 4:55 PM - Castle in the Sky
Tue 08 - 5:10 PM - My Neighbour Totoro
Wed 09 - 4:45 PM - Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
Thu 10 - 5:15 PM - Porco Rosso
Fri 11 - 4:45 PM - Princess Mononoke
Sat 12 - 5:05 PM - My Neighbour Totoro
Sun 13 - 4:55 PM - Castle in the Sky
Mon 14 - 5:05 PM - Kiki's Delivery Service
Tue 15 - 4:45 PM - Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
Wed 16 - 4:45 PM - Porco Rosso
Thu 17 - 5:10 PM - The Castle of Cagliostro
An open-air screening of Howl's Moving Castle takes place on August 16 at Somerset House, tickets are 12.50.
Thanks to Jordan Scott and David Bate for the news.
July 14, 2006 Next Miyazaki (Hayao) Film Preparations Begins
The TBS program R30 featured Toshio Suzuki on tonight's broadcast.
At the end of the show, after the discussion on Gedo Senki (Tales from Earthsea), the interviewer asked:
Q: Is Hayao-san thinking about his next film?
Suzuki: He is full of fight (about Goro). He believes that he cannot be defeated by his son. We have already begun preparations for the film, we started a bit earlier than usual. I cannot say anything about it yet, it's a secret.
Q: Is "no" (の) part of the title?
Suzuki: Yes.
Q: something "no" something?
Suzuki: The title contains two "no".
Q: Wow, it will surely be a big hit.
In Japan, Miyazaki's films are known for containing at least one "no" in the title. Something akin to the theory that only "Star Trek" films ending in an even number are good.
Rupan Sansei: Terebi to Kariosutoro no Shiro (Castle of Cagliostro)
Kaze no Tani no Naushika (Nausicaa)
Tenkuu no Shiro Rapyuta (Castle in the Sky)
Majo no Takkyuubin (Kiki's Delivery Service)
Kurenai no Buta (Porco Rosso)
Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro)
Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke)
Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away)
Hauru no Ugoku Shiro (Howl's Moving Castle)
Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.
July 9, 2006 "Tales from Earthsea" Featured at the Ghibli Museum
According to Studio Ghibli Museum website,
11 background paintings from Gedo Senki (Tales from Earthsea) are displayed on the 1st floor. 10 imageboards are displayed in the library while storyboards, character boards, and other assorted art resources are displayed on the 2nd floor.
Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.
July 7, 2006 Ghibli Channel Updates
CH1 of the Ghibli Channel uploaded a 4 minute movie clip of the event to announce completion of Gedo Senki (Tales from Earthsea). It was held on yesterday at Roppongi Hills, Tokyo.
Aoi Teshima sang "Therru's song" at the preview, the first ever live performance.
CH4 of Ghibli Channel uploaded a 5 minute movie clip of an interview with John Lasseter.
How to register for the Ghibli Channel.
Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.
July 6, 2006 Updated: "Tales from Earthsea" Coming to a Theater Near You (Hopefully)
Ghibil World has video clips from the press conference.
A press conference announcing the completion of "Gedo Senki" (Tales from Earthsea) was held yesterday. Toshio Suzuki announced plans to release the film about 50 countries but did not mention specifics beyond South Korea which opens on August 10.
Ghibli World sends word the release of "Taneyamagahara no Yoru" by Kazuo Oga on DVD and a possible third poster for Tales from Earthsea.
Thanks to T. Ishikawa and Peter van der Lugt for the news.
July 6, 2006 Miyazaki Invited to Join the AMPAS
Hayao Miyazaki is one of 120 people to receive invitations to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). The AMPAS is best known for selecting the Oscar winners.
More info:
Hollywood Reporter
LA Times
Thanks to Daniel Zelter and William Raymer for the news.
July 5, 2006 INOUE Naohisa's "Tales from Earthsea" Impressions
INOUE Naohisa (who created the backgrounds in Whisper of the Heart) gave his impressions of the film in his July 4 blog post:
"Density of finish in the first half and the latter half.
Relation between the color of the background paintings and the modern paintings.
The breathtaking scenes. The moving scenes. I think my heart was filled only with these.
However, the extreme in this film is the philosophy of life and the world view.
I don't say any more."
Asahi soft drinks released a second TV spot featuring "Voice recording".
Studio Ghibli announced this it was not a true voice recording scene, just one created for the commercial.
The official website of Rio Yamase, player and composer of Water spider Monmon (short featured at the Ghibli Museum), announced that she is featured on the "Gedo Senki" soundtrack.
Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.
July 3, 2006 Hayao Miyazaki's Surprise Visit
Shinichi Takahashi of Rapha, operator and a designer of the Studio Ghibli website, reported on the first preview and his very good impression about Gedo Senki (Tales from Earthsea).
He talks about his impressions on an internet radio station for about an hour:
http://c-radio.sakura.ne.jp/podcast/tokuban_20060701_1.mp3
According to Takahashi, on the day (June 28) of the first preview Hayao Miyazaki suddenly appeared and went into the preview room together with the camera crews. It had been reported that he would not attend the preview.
The preview was divided into three groups and Takahashi was waiting with the second group in the lobby. Miyazaki came out of preview early and smoked alone in the lobby. He smoked in silence while staring straight ahead.
Then the staff who were waiting for the second preview gathered around him and he began chatting and laughing. Takahashi's impression was that Miyazaki seems to have accepted Goro. According to Takahashi, the camera crews recorded this scene from far away.
Toshio Suzuki reports the party celebrating completion of Gedo Senki with 300 staff members took place in a hotel on July 1st. He will keep writing the diary until the end of July.
Suzuki says the party was very moving. According to him, Michiyo Yasuda, chief color designer at Ghibli (Miyazaki calls her
a "war buddy"), was late and came to the party with a message from Miyazaki to Goro.
Since Miyazaki left in the middle of the preview, the staff had fallen into a state of uneasiness.
It was very short message, "It was an honest way of making, and good."
When it was read out by Yasuda the hall quieted down for an instant. Then, one of the staff applauded. It became big applause and spread through the hall.
Goro says, "I was glad for father's words and near tears" in today's diary (not yet translated).
Thanks to T. Ishikawa for the news.
July 2, 2006 Visual Media for "Tales from Earthsea"
A commercial that Yomiuri Shimbun (Japanese newspaper) supports is now online.
Voice of Bunta Sugawara as Gedo:
"Flap slowly, you can fly far away. Fly away!"
White characters:
"We agree with Gedo on the whole."
Narration:
"We Yomiuri Shinbun support Gedo Senki."
The song in this commercial is "Dragon" from Aoi Teshima's first album "Gedo Senki song collection".
Ghibli World has a 3.5 minute clip that contains some new film footage as well as scenes showing Pixar director John Lasseter visiting Hayao Miyazaki.
Thanks to Peter van der Lugt and T. Ishikawa for the news.
