Howl’s Moving Castle, the latest animated feature from Oscar-winning filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away), is coming to home video on March 7 as part of a Studio Ghibli three-for-one. The film will be packaged with Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro and the late Yoshifumi Kondo’s Whisper of the Heart.
In Howl’s Moving Castle, a quiet young woman who works in a hat shop finds her life thrown into turmoil when she is literally swept off her feet by a handsome and mysterious wizard named Howl. Jealous of their friendship, the vain and vengeful Wicked Witch of the Waste puts a spell on Sophie and sets her on an odyssey in a magical world where fire talks, dogs spy for their wizard owners and a ramshackle castle flies across the countryside. The English-language dub features the voice talents of Lauren Bacall, Christian Bale, Jean Simmons, Blythe Danner and Billy Crystal.
Beloved by fans around the world, My Neighbor Totoro follows the adventures of Satsuki and her four-year-old sister, Mei, who move into a new home in the countryside and discover that their new neighbor is a mysterious forest spirit called who can be seen only through the eyes of a child. Totoro introduces them to extraordinary characters, including a cat that doubles as a bus, and takes them on an incredible journey. Ubiquitous child star Dakota Fanning and sibling Elle Fanning lend their voices to the English-language dub.
Scripted by Miyazaki, Whisper of the Heart centers on a schoolgirl named Shizuku, who one day observes an ordinary-looking cat riding by himself on the train and decides to follow him. This chance encounter leads her to a mysterious boy named Seiji The Baron, a magical cat figurine who helps her listen to the whispers in her heart. Brittany Snow, Courtney Thorne-Smith, David Gallagher and Cary Elwes fill out this version’s voice cast. Miyazaki had intended Kondo to be his successor as Studio Ghibli’s director. However, he passed away in 1998.
Miyazaki and Takahata founded Studio Ghibli in 1985 and have since produced some of the most revered animated films of all time. In fact, Miyazaki is widely regarded as the Walt Disney of Japan. His critically acclaimed Spirited Away won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2004 and picked up many other awards worldwide. Howl’s Moving Castle was a huge hit in Japan before being released theatrically in the U.S. this past summer. The pic, which Miyazaki claims will be his last effort as writer/director, may also earn him another Oscar when the Academy chooses this year’s winner on March 5.
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