[R4] Madman announce Studio Ghibli release schedule - 10 Titles!!!!

[jimmy_b]

Cut 'n' Paste for their email:
Prepare Yourself for the Biggest Announcement of the Century!

We are absolutely thrilled to announce the acquisition of a treasure trove of Studio Ghibli anime feature films.

After the success of the acclaimed Madman release of Spirited Away, Studio Ghibli has entrusted Madman with the DVD releases of 10 of their classic films including their newest feature - The Cat Returns.

Stay tuned and connected for updates and news on release dates and other details about this exciting announcement. In the meantime, make room on your shelves for all of these Ghibli Classics...

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
Laputa: The Castle in the Sky (1986)
My Neighbour Totoro (1988)
Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
Only Yesterday (1991)
Porco Rosso (1992)
Pom Poko (1994)
Whisper of the Heart (1995)
My Neighbours the Yamadas (1999)
The Cat Returns (2002)

Studio Ghibli's animated features are world-renowned for their intricate stories, multi-faceted characters and fluid animation. The painstaking attention to detail is evident in every cell of their largely handcrafted anime features. Its founders - Hayao Mayazaki and Isao Takahata - have long been celebrated in Japan as visionary directors and icons in the field of animation.

Madman Entertainment plan to release all ten Studio Ghibli titles over the year between April 2004 and May 2005. Theatrical screenings and a Ghibli film-festival touring select locations will showcase the collection. Takahata’s GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES – release date 11 February – will also form part of Madman’s Ghibli Collection.

We hope you are as thrilled and excited about this announcement as we are... Stay Tuned!

Also in the email:

Patlabor Movie 3: WXIII

Stillborn Terror Strikes from Tokyo Bay...
The moment Patlabor fans have been waiting for... The third film in the incredible Patlabor series - 'Wasted Thirteen' is here!

When several deadly Labor accidents suddenly strike Toyko Bay, veteran police detectives, Kusumi, and his young partner, Hata, take on the case.

Available in 2 versions - One DVD Feature Version & Special Edition Double DVD Box Set which also includes 3 exclusive and hilarious episodes of 'MiniPato' - The Acclaimed 'Digital Paper Puppet Theatre' written by Mamoru Oshii, plus over 2 hours of Special Features including documentaries, interview and much more. The choice is yours!
Patlabor Movie 3 : WXIII - RRP $34.95
Patlabor Movie 3 : WXIII Special Edition - RRP $49.95

[werewolf]

great news :)

it's been on the cards for a while - i guess their release of Spirited Away probably helped seal it :)


P.S.
anyone thinking about Patlabor WXIII - get the special edition, the mini-pato episodes are worth it on their own;)

[jimmy_b]

Originally posted by werewolf
anyone thinking about Patlabor WXIII - get the special edition, the mini-pato episodes are worth it on their own;) I have been toying with the idea for a while now, might just plash out seeing as the R4 is quite a lot cheaper :thumbs:

[new forms]

2004 could turn out to be an expensive year,

great new tho' and i really hope they do each film justice

[Brian Blessed Badger]

My Neighbours the Yamadas (1999) - this one in particular is interesting as it'll make the only alternative the the expensive Japanese R2

Phil

[jonathan.e]

Purchasers of the R2 Japanese discs feeling a little queasy at this news - Especially ones who had to pay VAT and customs duty on top. :wave:

[werewolf]

Originally posted by jimmy_b
I have been toying with the idea for a while now, might just plash out seeing as the R4 is quite a lot cheaper :thumbs:


it's well worth it, the mini pato episodes are a blast.
one has info about the ballistics/design of the weapons and mechs, another has a bit about how Special Vehicle Unit 2 is funded ;)




back on topic, looking at some of the R4 releases next year i'm hoping that the Aus dollar will crash against the pound - something like £1=$3 would be nice:lol:

[BlueDwarf]

Excellent news.
Hopefully they will all use decent, anamorphic prints.

[SimonI]

Originally posted by jonathan.e
Purchasers of the R2 Japanese discs feeling a little queasy at this news - Especially ones who had to pay VAT and customs duty on top. :wave: :wave:

(Actually, the only thing I feel queasy over is the fact that I bought all but the last one before realising that Yes Asia sell them at the same total price as Amazon... but with no VAT or import duty :brickwall )

(Still, only had to pay VAT and duty on two of them!)

[earl_roberts2002]

Up to May 2005 :(
Why not announce them closer to when they'll all be ready. Great news and all but the wait just seems frustrating already! It's kinda like when Hong Kong Legends annouced they'd be releaseing all of John Woo's HK films including A Better Tomorrow II & Bullet In The Head. It's been like, what, to years later and still no sign of them :mad:
If there was no news on them for the next year {I certainly wasn't expecting this** and then they suddenly said they would be out in a month I would have been knocked out!!! But May 2005 :| Damn!

[Randal_Graves]

Originally posted by jonathan.e
Purchasers of the R2 Japanese discs feeling a little queasy at this news - Especially ones who had to pay VAT and customs duty on top. :wave:

Not really. Got them much earlier for one. Also got some nice posters with some of my orders, and some other tat :)

[Tim Fleming]

Originally posted by earl_roberts2002
Up to May 2005 :(
Why not announce them closer to when they'll all be ready. Great news and all but the wait just seems frustrating already! It's kinda like when Hong Kong Legends annouced they'd be releaseing all of John Woo's HK films including A Better Tomorrow II & Bullet In The Head. It's been like, what, to years later and still no sign of them :mad:
If there was no news on them for the next year {I certainly wasn't expecting this** and then they suddenly said they would be out in a month I would have been knocked out!!! But May 2005 :| Damn!

And people wonder why where the expression "whinging poms" came from ;)

Seriously though, from my point of view I think that the announcement is well timed as there were a couple of titles in there that I was planning on purchasing off-shore as I was almost positive that they would never see the light of day outside the Asian region - specifically, "Only Yesterday" and "My Neighbour the Yamadas".

Besides, April is not that far off in terms of announcements of upcoming releases. By announcing a release time-frame, they are puting the pressure on themselves to come through with the goods... which is not a bad thing imho.

[yaffle]

So why are we still waiting for the R2 release of "Only Yesterday"?

[kiran_mk2]

Cos Disney haven't done an English dub for it yet. I've heard that Disney don't like some of the aspects of the film and so are dragging their feet (strange with all the testicles in Pom Poko which canme out ages ago).

[SimonI]

Interesting - any idea exactly what they don't like?
The idea of not liking pineapple? Better living in the country?? Going back to your roots?? :eek:

[Alan b]

Moving to World Cinema and DVD Forum