Princess Mononoke

Something was lost in the translation of anime master Hayao Miyazaki's fairy tale allegory about mankind's exploitation of nature set in feudal Japan. Redubbed for American release, this handsome, stirring movie looks and feels spectacular with its incredible watercolors of forest landscapes; giant, intelligent, wild animals; and ancient, epic mythology. But boy, does it sound silly with its leaden English dialogue, spoken by such miscast voice talent as Claire Danes (a forest guardian wolf-girl), Billy Crudup (the hero who tries to inspire harmony between nature and aggressive, Iron Age villagers) and Billy Bob Thornton (as a double-dealing monk). If the DVD version [not seen] offers an original language/subtitled version, opt for that. Otherwise, this is an optional purchase. (R. Blackwelder) [DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo Review—Oct. 17, 2017—Shout! Factory, 133 min., PG-13, DVD: $19.98, Blu-ray/DVD Combo: $29.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and Blu-ray, 1997's Princess Mononoke sports an excellent transfer and a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Extras include storyboards (134 min.), a segment on 'Princess Mononoke in USA' (20 min.), a 'Behind the Microphone' segment with the voice cast (5 min.), and a booklet. Bottom line: a beautiful edition of this Studio Ghibli classic.] [Blu-ray Review—May 21, 2019—Shout! Factory, 133 min., PG-13, Blu-ray: $49.99—Making its latest appearance on Blu-ray, 1997’s Princess Mononoke sports an excellent transfer and a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Extras are identical to the previous release, including storyboards (134 min.), a 'Princess Mononoke in USA' featurette (20 min.), and a 'Behind the Microphone' segment with the voice cast (5 min.). New to this release are a bonus CD soundtrack and 40-page book. Bottom line: a good deal for those interested in the soundtrack, which is very pricey by itself.]