Princess Mononoke

Description

Claire Danes (THE MOD SQUAD), Minnie Driver (GOOD WILL
HUNTING), and Billy Bob Thornton (ARMAGEDDON, SLING BLADE) head a cast of hot
Hollywood stars who lend their talents to this exquisitely animated,
overwhelmingly acclaimed adventure epic! Inflicted with a deadly curse, a
young warrior named Ashitaka (Billy Crudup — WITHOUT LIMITS) sets out for the
forests of the west in search of the cure that will save his life. Once there,
he becomes inextricably entangled in a bitter battle that matches Lady Eboshi
(Driver) and a proud clan of humans against the forest’s animal gods…who are
led by the brave Princess Mononoke (Danes), a young woman raised by wolves!
Also starring Gillian Anderson (THE X-FILES) and Jada Pinkett Smith (SCREAM
2), this monumental struggle between man and nature will have you transfixed
with amazement as stunning artistry blends with epic storytelling to create a
uniquely entertaining motion picture!|As of 2001, PRINCESS MONONOKE is one of
only two films to ever break $150 million at the Japanese box office — the
other is TITANIC. Before it ever arrived in the U.S., this epic,
animated 1997 fantasy had already made history as the top-grossing domestic
feature ever released in Japan, where its combination of mythic themes,
mystical forces, and ravishing visuals tapped deeply into cultural identity
and contemporary, ecological anxieties. For international animation and anime
fans, Princess Mononoke represents an auspicious next step for its revered
creator, Hayao Miyazaki (My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service), an
acknowledged anime pioneer, whose painterly style, vivid character design, and
stylized approach to storytelling take ambitious, evolutionary steps here. Set
in medieval Japan, Miyazaki’s original story envisions a struggle between
nature and man. The march of technology, embodied in the dark iron forges of
the ambitious Tatara clan, threatens the natural forces explicit in the
benevolent Great God of the Forest and the wide-eyed, spectral spirits he
protects. When Ashitaka, a young warrior from a remote, and endangered,
village clan, kills a ravenous, boar-like monster, he discovers the beast is
in fact an infectious “demon god,” transformed by human anger. Ashitaka’s
quest to solve the beast’s fatal curse brings him into the midst of human
political intrigues as well as the more crucial battle between man and nature.
Miyazaki’s convoluted fable is clearly not the stuff of kiddie matinees, nor
is the often graphic violence depicted during the battles that ensue. If some
younger viewers (or less attentive older ones) will wish for a diagram to sort
out the players, Miyazaki’s atmospheric world and its lush visual design are
reasons enough to watch. For the English-language version, Miramax assembled
an impressive vocal cast including Gillian Anderson, Billy Crudup (as
Ashitaka), Claire Danes (as San), Minnie Driver (as Lady Eboshi), Billy Bob
Thornton, and Jada Pinkett Smith. They bring added nuance to a very different
kind of magic kingdom. Recommended for ages 12 and older. –Sam Sutherland

Features:

Product Details:

• Genre: Film – General, Performing Arts
• Format: Color, Animated, Multiple Formats, Subtitled, NTSC
• Contributor: Hayao Miyazaki
• Language: English, French, Japanese
• Runtime: 2 hours and 14 minutes
• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.85:1
• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 3.2 Ounces
• Item model number ‏ : ‎
• Director ‏ : ‎ Hayao Miyazaki
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Color, Animated, Multiple Formats, Subtitled, NTSC
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 14 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ December 19, 2000
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English