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DVD Review: Howl's Moving Castle
by Adam Scholtz
Published: March 22, 2006
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Rating: 
Country: Japan (USA Release)
Release Date: March 7, 2006
Distributor: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Director:
· Hayao Miyazaki
Cast:
· Jean Simmons
· Emily Mortimer
· Christian Bale
· Lauren Bacall
· Blythe Danner
· Billy Crystal
· Josh Hutcherson
Grade: A
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Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli films have never disappointed me. In fact I have a box set of thirteen of them, and there really isn’t a bad one in the lot. This newest edition to the Ghibli library does not disappoint either, however it does rank slightly below some of the older movies. Purists that read the book will note that this movie is very loosely based on the book, to the point of having tons of parts changed. I, personally, have not read the book, so I am basing this on a comparison of the English language dub presented here and the subtitled Japanese version, which fortunately is also included on the disc.
“Howl's Moving Castle" is centered around a young girl named Sophie (Emily Mortimer) who is detained by some soldiers walking home from her job at the local hat shop. She is rescued by a mysterious man named Howl (Christian Bale). Being saved by Howl has consequences, however, as she is later visited by the Witch of the Waste (Lauren Bacall) and turned into an old woman (voiced by Jean Simmons). Sophie proceeds to leave town in search of a way to break the spell, quickly meeting a scarecrow she dubs Turniphead, who bounces around on a wooden pole and brings Sophie objects such as a walking stick. She asks Turniphead for a place to rest, and soon he returns, with the moving castle in tow. The castle has a run down look from the outside, but it’s inner works show that it has the ability to shift rooms into whatever the owner wishes as well as act as a dimensional portal.
Sophie meets Howl’s apprentice Markl (Josh Hutcherson), and the fire demon that runs the whole contraption, Calcifer (Billy Crystal). Sophie settles in and makes herself the housekeeper, as the place is a mess when she arrives. We learn there is a war brewing and that all witches and wizards are to report to the king for service. Due to Howl having multiple aliases, he is supposed to be helping both sides, but he is mostly interested in peace returning to the lands. Also around this time we see that Howl is a shape changer, with his primary form being a giant bird. The movie progresses with Sophie looking for a way to become young again and Howl searching for a way to end the war.
The moving castle with a nice shot of countryside
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The latest movie from Studio Ghibli does not disappoint, however there are a few minor flaws that keep it from being perfect. First off is the voice acting. While it is good, the movie really is so much better with subtitles and the original Japanese voices. Second, this version has a whole second disc dedicated to just special features, all of which are worth maybe one watch through, and then the disc will return to the case, never to be seen again. They all focus on the same topics that “Spirited Away” had its special features focused on, mainly Pixar and Disney having rights to the movie, where they should be focusing on Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki and their excellence in this particular field. The storyboards didn’t show finished scenes, making them hard to connect to the movie, and the interview and visit sections were both made for Japanese promotion, which made them a bit confusing. I feel that the release would be better as a single disc with the English dub and the Japanese subtitled version with a lower price point, as the suggested price is high for a single movie. The final problem is the length, as the movie drags on just a slight amount in spots -- it seems a bit of some scenes could have been reduced.
Young Sophie and Howl in his bird form.
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Overall, since the movie includes the excellent subtitled version, it is a worthy addition to any anime fan’s collection. The animation is top notch, with tons of attention to minor detail which Studio Ghibli is known for. Sound is also great, with the 5.1 used for full effect: when the castle stomps along, you get a nice ground pounding thump out of your subwoofer. This is a definite recommendation for all ages, young and old.
Special Features:
Behind the Microphone
Interview With Pixar Animation Studios Director, Pete Docter
Hayao Miyazaki Visits Pixar Animation Studios
TV Spots & Trailers
Storyboards
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