September 25, 2007 "Snow Queen" Released
GhibliWorld is reporting that the Ghibli Museum Library label will release Lev Atamanov's 1957 animated film the Snow Queen on December 15 in select theaters. This film played a critical role early in Miyazaki's career and is receiving a new Japanese translation from Kojima Hiroshi.
Thanks to Peter van der Lugt for the news.
September 19, 2007 Neil Gaiman Visits Studio Ghibli
Many years after writing the English adaptation of Princess Mononoke, Gaiman just got around to visiting the studio and took photos with Toshio Suzuki, Steve Alpert, and Hayao Miyazaki.
Thanks to John Blackburne for posting the news to the MML.
September 17, 2007 Ghibli Around the World
GhibliWorld brings news of Studio Ghibli President Toshio Suzuki starting a weekly radio show. "Radio Ghibli" begins October 7 and will air each Sunday at 11pm.
Tales from Earthsea is screening at the 2007 Sitges Film Festival in Barcelona.
In Denmark Kiki's Delivery Service and Tales from Earthsea see releases in 2007 with Nausicaa and Porco Rosso following in 2008 and Castle in the Sky and Whisper of the Heart premiere in 2009.
As part of the Anime Bento festival Castle of Cagliostro is screening in theaters across the US on September 26.
Thanks to Peter van der Lugt, Sargas, Nicolai Okkels and jediknightplokoo for the news.
September 16, 2007 "Ponyo" Production Notes, Kazuo Oga DVD/BD
Kazuo Oga Exhibition DVD and BD DVD to be released on December 19.
DVD:
Price: 3,990yen
Sound: Japanese DD 2.0
Subtitles: Japanese and English
Contents:
1. "Ghibli's workman Kazuo Oga who painted Totoro's woods."(about 72 min)
2. "The reason why people are attracted with Kazuo Oga and background paintings of animation."(about 40 min)
Interview with Isao Takahata, art scholar Nobuo Tsuji, Studio Ghibli art department head Naoya Tanaka, animation art director Shichiro Kobayashi.
3. All paintings (more 600 works) which are displayed at his exhibition.
Bonus feature:
Making of the cover painting for the "Kazuo Oga's painting collection 2".(about 20 min)
BD DVD (released as DVD and BD DVD twin pack.):
Price: 6,090yen
Sound: Japanese DD 2.0
Subtitles: Japanese and English
Contents:
1, 2: same as the DVD
3. "Kirisame: Kazuo Oga paints a picture" (about 24 min) Making of the cover painting for the BD DVD. An HD camera captures his technique.
4. Slide show of all paintings (more 600 works) which are displayed at his exhibition.
Bonus feature:
Making of the cover painting for the "Kazuo Oga's painting collection 2".(extended version: about 35 min)
Attendance of his exhibition reached 150,000 people on Sep 6th.
According to the "Ponyo" production diary, the production situation is:
July 2
Layout: 647 cuts
Key animation: 438 cuts
Chief animator check: 335 cuts
Animation: 283 cuts
Background painting: 359 cuts
Paint: 213 cuts
Filming: 208 cuts
July 31
Layout: 699 cuts
Key animation: 510 cuts
Animation: 360 cuts
Background painting: 423 cuts
Paint: 301 cuts
Filming: 274 cuts
Sep 3
Layout: 761 cuts Key animation: 562 cuts
Chief animator check: 460 cuts
Animation: 407 cuts Background painting: 477 cuts
Paint: 357 cuts Filming: 339 cuts
The storyboard is not yet complete, nothing new for a Miyazaki-helmed film.
Thank to T.Ishikawa for the news.
September 9, 2007 Massive Ghibli Activity in Poland
Later this month the following Studio Ghibli films will screen in theaters around Poland under the "Przeglad Filmow Animewanych" (it's a play on the words "anime" and "animated" name:
*My Neighbor Totoro
*Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
*Laputa: Castle in the Sky
*Spirited Away
*Howl's Moving Castle
*Tales from Earthsea
The first three are receiving their Polish premieres. All films except for Spirited Away (Polish dub) are being shown with Japanese audio and Polish subtitles.
The review will be shown in 8 cities. The list below is in the format - city name, starting and ending date (DD-MM), name of the cinema:
*Warszawa: 28.09 - 07.10 - Kinoteka
*Krakow: 28.09 - 07.10 - Kino Pod Baranami
*Lodz: 02.10 - 11.10 - Kino Charlie
*Poznan: 09.10 - 18.10 - Kino Apollo
*Wroclaw: 09.10 - 18.10 - Kino Warszawa
*Katowice: 12.10 - 21.10 - Kinoteatr Rialto
*Gdansk: 19.10 - 28.10 - Kino Kameralne
*Szczecin: 19.10 - 28.10 - Kino Pionier
To promote the review an exhibition of Ghibli posters and photos is being held in the hall of the Kinoteka cinema in Warsaw. It opened on the September 6 and runs through October 7, admission is free. Photos from the opening of the exhibition.
The review itself promotes upcoming release of most of the Ghibli films on DVD. The collection will consist of 12 films, it will be released in 4 groups of 3 movies starting the end of September. The movies will be available separately and as a collection. Below is the release schedule:
September:
- Whisper of the Heart
- Kiki's Delivery Service
- Only Yesterday
October:
- My Neighbors the Yamadas
- Pom Poko
- Porco Rosso
November (1st pack):
- My Neighbor Totoro")
- Spirited Away
- Howl's Moving Castle
November (2nd pack):
- Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
- Laputa: Castle in the Sky
- The Cat Returns
Thanks to Michal Durys for the news.