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Howl's Moving Castle | 
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Directors: Hayao Miyazaki, Rick Dempsey, Pete Docter
Actors: Chieko Baisho, Takuya Kimura, Akihiro Miwa, Tatsuya Gashuin, Ryunosuke Kamiki
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.99
Buy New: $20.33
You Save: $9.66 (32%)
New (56) Used (20) from $18.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  230 reviews
Sales Rank: 1175
Format: Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Japanese (Original Language)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Number Of Items: 2
Running Time: 119
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: 04139900
UPC: 786936296662
EAN: 0786936296662
ASIN: B000CDGVOE
Theatrical Release Date: 2004
Release Date: March 7, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: In shrinkwrap. Absolutely perfect condition. Orders processed every day! Thanks for shopping with us on Amazon!
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Acclaimed Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki adapts British writer Diana Wynne Jones's popular fantasy tale for this animated feature adding his own unique and celebrated dreamlike spin. A young hat-maker named Sophie (voiced by Emily Mortimer) is turned into an old woman by the dreaded Witch of the Waste (Lauren Bacall) when she attracts the notice of Howl (Christian Bale) a young wizard whom the witch desires for herself. As the old woman (voiced by Jean Simmons) Sophie finds refuge as a cleaning lady in Howl's magical castle an impressively realized mishmash of anthropomorphic shafts and gears where she meets among other wonders a cantankerous fire demon named Calcifer (Billy Crystal). Howl's courage inspires her to seek a cure for her curse and vice versa and the two work together to prevent a major war as the castle roams the countryside on its mechanical legs. There's lots of magic afoot as well including travel through barriers of space and time and shape-shifting requiring full viewer attention to keep track of who where and when but this how dreams really are and the film engages on that same subconscious level. As with Miyazaki's previous work (SPIRITED AWAY KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE) the emphasis here is on creating a beautiful alternate reality where anything can happen and every frame is a breathtaking work of art. See it on the big screen if the chance presents itself; the elaborate intricacies and patiently realized alternate realities of Miyazaki's work makes him a true treasure.System Requirements:Running Time 119 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE Rating: PG UPC: 786936296662 Manufacturer No: 04139900
Amazon.com
Like a dream, Howl's Moving Castle carries audiences to vistas beyond their imaginations where they experience excitement, adventure, terror, humor, and romance. With domestic box office receipts of over $210 million, Howl passed Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke to become the #3 film in Japanese history, behind his Spirited Away and James Cameron's Titanic. Based on a juvenile novel by Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castle marks the first time Miyazaki has adapted another writer's work since Kiki's Delivery Service (1989). Sophie, a 19-year-old girl who believes she is plain, has resigned herself to a drab life in her family's hat shop--until the Witch of the Waste transforms her into a 90-year-old woman. In her aged guise, Sophie searches for a way to break the Witch's spell and finds unexpected adventures. Like Chihiro, the heroine of Spirited Away, Sophie discovers her hidden potential in a magical environment--the castle of the title. Using CG, Miyazaki creates a ramshackle structure that looks like it might disintegrate at any moment. Sophie's honesty and determination win her some valuable new friends: Markl, Howl's young apprentice; a jaunty scarecrow; Calcifer, a temperamental fire demon; and Heen, a hilarious, wheezing dog. She wins the heart of the dashing, irresponsible wizard Howl, and brings an end an unnecessary and destructive war. The film overflows with eclipsing visuals that range from frightening aerial battles to serene landscapes, and few recent features--animated or live action--offer as much magic as Howl's Moving Castle. --Charles Solomon The Many Worlds of Hayao Miyazaki 
The works of Miyazaki | 
The Book | 
The Art of Howls' Moving Castle (book) | Stills from Howl's Moving Castle (click for larger image)
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| Customer Reviews: Read 225 more reviews...
 Careful, Miyazaki films are addicting! July 25, 2008
This is the one that started me out in Anime. I caught it on tv one day and the title interested me. I was mesmerized by the quality of such a good Anime. I did not even own any Anime. (I'm a 58 year old male). I had to find out who was responsible for this artistic film. I was introduced to Hayo Miyazki. He is reviered as one of the best at his craft. Many Animies are compared to his work. What a stroke of luck that I happened on to the (genius). I now own all but "Whisper of the Heart" and "The Yamadas". They are all good and well worth watching over and over.
Howl's Moving Castle is one of his better works. It is filled with fantasy, magic, interesting characters. Even the fire that powers a moving castle is a character with a voice. The castle is magic itself. Doors that enter into other worlds. Absolutely beautiful scenery. Plenty of very imaginitive flying machines that are a trademark of Miyazaki's. Colors that are exceptional. It's so creative that you wonder what will come next. What a mind this man has!
As you can see by the reviews of Miyazaki's films most people love his work. He is compared to Walt Disney. I like both Disney and Miyazaki and would have a hard time choosing who is best. I will say that Disney started it all and had no one to be influenced by.
I recommend any of Miyazki's films. They are all top notch and probably the best of the best. Enjoy!
P.S. Looking forward to the new one "Ponyo on the Cliff".
magic charm and friendship July 23, 2008
It a strong film of magic and how things are not what they seem it delivers a breath taken story that fill your heart and make you realize that if we just try we can all succeed and be filled with happiness and be friendship is at times all ones has it carry you thru a world were to survive you must learn the way of the magic so it can work with you in the end its a simple as love that make things all well and how it portrait will leave a tear in your eye and a smile on your face
Completely and utterly beautiful June 30, 2008
I prefer the voices of the Korean version better than the English, but other than that, the movie excels in the movie department. In each of Miyazaki's movies, a beautiful score is written, but Howl's Moving Castle's score is especially excellent. While listening to the music, watch the scenery: clouds, lush pastures, a day in a fantastical European city...The story also, though quite different from the book, is pure with a wonderful love. Miyazaki again produces a wonder, and give meaning to cinematographic animation.
For some reason, I usually call it Howl's Flying Castle June 28, 2008
The Score has pure magic in it; it's Joe Hisashi's best work
The Voice Acting of Christian Bale and Jean Simmons fully personifys the characters
The way the love story develops feels just like some classic Golden Age movie
 coudn't be more annoying June 14, 2008
0 out of 6 found this review helpful
i watched the first half of this movie trying to understand and enjoy it but it was so boring and meaningless that didn't allow me to watch it to the end.
The story line doesn't make sense, the characters are depicted awfully and weird, a boy with long beard, an old woman cleaning a house over and over again, a young man who looks like a girl but has a deep manly voice; all confuisiing and nonsense.
but to be totally fair there was one positive point in this move, the beautiful backgrouds which were painted just great and if you just look at them as still pictures, you would say "wow" this is amazing;
if i want to watch this again, i turn off the voice, put on a soft music, and fast forward the movie to get to those scenes with awesome back grounds and then fast forward it again.
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