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Ghost in the Shell Actors: Atsuko Tanaka, Iemasa Kayumi Director: Mamoru Oshii Number of Items: 1 Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen Format: Color, Closed-captioned, Animated, Widescreen, Dolby Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Running Time: 115 minutes Studio: Palm Pictures/Manga Video Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Region Code: 1 Product Group: DVD Release Date: 1998-03-31 Buy from Amazon |
 "Get your facts straight !"This movies ideas do not come from the Matrix. It came out before the Matrix. The do not come from Blade Runner, but from the author Phillip K Dick. William Gibson invented the term cyberspace in his 1984-acclaimed science fiction novel Neuromancer. If you are unfamiliar with Gibson "Johnny Mnemonic" with Keanu Reaves is based on one of his short stories. All of these films can fall into the genera of cyberpunk. Anyway this film is does what should be done with animation. It does things that otherwise would not work with a live action film. This film is very heavy on the philosophical side so for some people they may find it extremely boring. To give this film anything less then 4 stars would be a crime just because of the sheer artistry, and the amount of time spent by these people making this project. "Among the greatest Anime ever. Let me explain."When a grown adult talks about Anime, It's kind of weird. I'm getting to that age, But It's because I grew up with the stuff, That means watching it when it wasn't popular. Back then, Anime was dark, and blooming with sensuality. Well, some did. The late eighties, the early nineties are the times I'm talking about. It was this time that influential anime's, Strong independent films of the genre, and new law's banning pubic hairs in cartoons, arose out of the land of the rising sun. When I count off the best Anime's of all time, They mostly come from this time, and among the top two, is Ghost in the Shell. The film has a rhythm to it. It plays like classical music, It sort of dances about in front of you. The characters always seem on the edge of revealing the nature of the universe. The dialoge is very crisp, the android morality weighs on your conscious. The technology is shocking: Exploding rounds, Invisible grafts, Connection-less technology communication. Computer theology, that's been tossed around for years in the Geek department. It has all the complexity that the matrix trilogy wished they could replicate because it made sense. It wasn't tripping out the average viewer, Stumbling them from enjoying the film. You could turn off the sound, and still enjoy this film. It's a trip to the IMAX. A pictoral Superiority not seen in films for the next four to five years. It's the subtle, luminous colors matched with the CGI, matched with the New Age soundtrack. The environment, the setting draws you in. See the movie that inspired so many directors after. Be that Anime, or hollywood. Recognized by fans and critics alike to be a masterpiece. -jeff ""Just a whisper... I hear it in my ghost.""If you hear the word "anime," or Japanese animation, and instantly think of popular shows like Yu-Gi-Oh! or Dragonball Z or Inuyasha, then it's high time to re-think those perceptions. "Ghost in the Shell" is japanese animation for adults, in terms of both content and thematic material. Based on the original Japanese manga by Masamune Shirow and directed by Mamoru Oshii, "Ghost in the Shell" represents some of the best Japanese animation has to offer. Along with "Princess Mononoke" and "Spirited Away," this film is one which truly showcases the creativity and artisitic potential of animation as a medium. Despite being almost 10 years old, "Ghost in the Shell" is a movie which still resonates with audiences of today. The movie centers around Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg police officer involved in some vary dangerous work. The story starts with a bang, almost literally, as the Major assaults a secret meeting by jumping off the top of a building and shooting through a window, then vanishing. Everything about this sequence -- the gorgeous animation, the high-octane action, the developing story -- sets the stage for what is to come. The animation of "Ghost in the Shell" raised the bar and set the standard for future animated films. The animators somehow combine the violence of the story with an unparalleled beauty in the animation that still stands out today. True works of art are timeless, and that's just what "Ghost in the Shell" is: timeless. Of course, much of the animation is used for the many action sequences in the movie, which are quite unforgettable. From heavy-hitting gun battles to a one-on-one fight with an invisible enemy, the action in "Ghost in the Shell" is breathtaking. The story is surprisingly complex and engaging for a relatively short film. Involving government conspiracies, a talented hacker known as the Puppet Master, and some really excellent science-fiction concepts, "Ghost in the Shell" expresses some pretty deep themes about what being human means, what constitutes a human soul (or "ghost"), and how we define ourselves as individuals. The ending is surprising and will keep you thinking. Simply put, "Ghost in the Shell" is an animated film that sets a high bar for other animated films to achieve, on all fronts. From storytelling to animation to thematic material, it's just one of the best out there. Definitely not for kids, but well worth viewing for almost any adult. You'll hear its whispered messages in your ghost for some time afterwards.  "wow.....all the hype, for this?"so many people are going to disagree with me on this but i'm glad i rented it first. i had high hopes after seeing a few episodes of stand alone complex on adult swim but sadly this isn't anywhere near as good. it started off well enough. they were trying to catch a cyber hacker and it had this nice cyber cop drama/secret agent thing going for it but then they got lost trying to make it too deep. and the ending leaves you with an empty filling. rent before you buy. but i personally recomend the series and you don't really need the movie to understand that. "Ghost "Please let me begin by saying.. that just because it is animation, does not automatically make it a film for children. I DO LOVE THIS FILM. Years after it's release, I still find enjoyment in watching it. This is a visually exciting, dream of a movie that brings the viewer into a world that does not exist .. as of yet. It is not about the 'psycho-babble' as one reviewer called it, or conveying ideas that are meant to re-shape the World. It is a beautiful and entertaining piece of work... illustrated to the finest degree. Some things should not be over analyzed. I know it's in our nature to take things apart and see how they work, and what is in the depth of them.. but sometimes you have take things for what they are. In this case, it's art, animated, telling a story, for entertainment. Sure there are ideas that are brought up, but mainly they are to help convey the meaning of what is happening. These 'Ghost' stories take place in a future world. It is really not that far off.. if you do your research. Like I said though.. sit back, be entertained..and aspire to your own greatness. Let this be a moment of relaxation and stimulation that you can watch and analyze later. Enjoy it. Chill out! |
