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Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Director: Hayao Miyazaki Number of Items: 2 Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen Format: Color, Widescreen, Animated Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) Running Time: 118 minutes Studio: Buena Vista Home Vid Region Code: 1 Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2005-02-22 Buy from Amazon |
 "Brilliant!"What I love about Hayao Miyazaki films is that the stories are completely unpredictable. If you see a twisted character and assume that they are the villain you will most likely find out you're wrong towards the end of the film. Miyazaki doesn't follow any formulas when making his films. There doesn't have to be a love story. There doesn't have to be a good guy or bad guy. But in all his films there is this imaginative journey you're taken on and you become swept up in these worlds Miyazaki has created for you. 'Nausicaa' is just one more example of why Miyazaki is the greatest when it comes to animated films.  "I am a fan of Nausicaa, but the graphic novel is way better."Many of the best parts and the depth of the original story are edited out, somewhat understandable in translating a 1000+ pages of drawing into a 2 hour movie. On the plus side, the color added to some of the images. 3 and 1/2 star movie at best, maybe 4 for those who haven't read the astounding graphic novel. I give it three here to bring down average from five, no way is it a five. The story is just as complex as Lord of the Rings and would need three movies to be treated fully. This version, while not without it's charms, smacks of Hollywood. I was a fan of Miyazaki since seeing "Spirited Away," his true cinematic masterpiece. I have watched most of his other animation and am only slightly moved by these lesser works. You would do better with the graphic novels on every level. "This is Japanese anime at it's very best."I first saw 'Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind' in the `80's under the title, 'Warriors of the Wind'. It was my first look at post Speed Racer Japanese anime and it blew me away. I became a fan of sorts and started collecting anime titles, hoping to find works that were the equivalent of Warriors. Unfortunately, I never really found anything to match it and eventually abandoned anime after a number of years of futile searching. Warriors of the Wind remained my one gem in a collection of pretty-good-but-not-great Japanese anime. During that period I was intrigued to discover that 'Warriors of the Wind' was actually a heavily edited (many said, butchered) version of the much superior original, 'Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind'. Wow, maybe there really was something out there that was better than Warriors, if they'd only release it in the USA. I've waited a long time, but it's finally here! ... 'Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind' _is_ slightly superior to 'Warriors of the Wind', if only because it explains the true nature of the Toxic Jungle, scenes that were cut from Warriors. However there are other scenes, absent in Warriors but present in Nausicaa, that should have seen the cutting room floor. Pace killers, scenes that really don't add anything to a story while slowing things to a crawl. I also have sort of mixed feelings about the new dubbing. The voice talent is mostly fine, but some of the Nausicaa dialog is dull and pedestrian compared to the same scene in Warriors, where apparently they altered the script to inject a little life into an otherwise lifeless scene. Nit-picks aside, 'Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind' is a truly great film. This is Japanese anime at it's very best. (But I don't think that 'Warriors of the Wind' is the (...) child so many have made it out to be.) "Hayao Miyazaki's Masterpiece is finally here!"Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind was originally released under the title "Warriors Of The Wind", which was an old english dub released onto our shores about 20 years ago. There were those of us who enjoyed the old dub (Myself as a kid), while others thought it ruined Hayao Miyazaki's beautiful title. Now, after 20 years, the UNCUT version is now available on DVD, with a new english dub cast (Listened to the dub myself, very well done), and japanese with subtitle format. The animation, even after all this time, is masterfully restored, and I didn't see any signs of grains or animation errors or glitches on the DVD. Even today, the animation stands out from other Computer Generated anime titles. There is so much detail put into this movie, you can't help but feel you're watching what some anime should titles should be. The story makes more sense and flows better in this uncut edition, as we see details that were missed in the old dub release. The music also remains very well intact, and I still remember it vividly in my mind. Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind is a TRUE anime at heart. This is Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece, and should NOT be missed by ANY fan of japanese anime, those who like a good story, or those who would love to rekindle old memories. Get this, you WON'T regret it. "Best Anime Film Ever: Thumbs up to Miyazaki"From the director of academy award winning Spirited Away, Hayao Miyazaki brings to us his personal first, Nausicaa of The Valley of The Wind. This epic fantasy is based off the manga, and shortend to bring it to the delight of fans everywhere. Nausicaa takes place a thousand years after a global war which left many parts of the earth covered in toxins an unihabital to humans, but not to bugs which are literally the size of houses. Nausicaa, the princess of the Valley of the Wind, leds the people of the Valley of the Wind, which is one of the places still populated, with courage and heart unlike any other. The people look to her for strength and reasurance when they are invaded by an empire looking to awaken one of the Giant Warriors to exterminate the bugs they view as the problem of the toxins. This remains untrue due to Nausicaa's discovering it is in fact that these bugs protect the forest which are slowly cleansing the earth of the toxins. it is now left up to her to stop the empire's that threaten the vally from angering the bugs and destroying the world. This epic fantasy focuses on the environment and a possible future which could happen years from now if nations keep waring and destroying the earth. Its a touching tale one sure to keep you on the edge of your seat, and im not just saying that. It goes from one susupensful scene to another as you watch Nausicaa strive to save her home and her people: she sacrifice everything to save them. The music in this film is also absoluting enchanting, i love films with great music and this one tops it off. Plus it has such vivid color and imagination that you forget that its a movie and not the real thing. Its simply breath taking. I personally love the japanese voice track myself, but with an all star cast doing the english track, and you can tell the hard work they put into it to make the story flow right and stick to the original script, it makes it doubly enjoyable. While i do think they could have gotten a better voice for Nausicaa in the English track all the other voices are A+. Voice talents include: Alison Lohman, Uma Thurman, Patrick Stewart (awesome choice!), Edward James Olmos, and Mark Hamil. Here are the features that come with in the two disk set: -Behind the Microphone with the english voice talents listed above -Complete Storyboards: Get an insiders look at the films artistry -Original Japanese Trailors -The birth Story of Studio Ghibli Featurette Technical Specifications -English and original Japanese Soundtracks -THX-Ceritfied, including THX Optimizer -Widescreen (1.85:1)-Enhanced for 16x9 televisions This movie is surly made for anyone who loves great fantasy and a deep lover of anime and Miyazaki's work. I have watched this film a dozen times all ready and i never tire of it. It is surly the best anime i have ever seen. I hope there is more to come. You will not be left wanting when you watch Nausicaa, i gaurantee it. |
