Arrietty has finally arrived in the States! Studio Ghibli's 2010 feature is now playing on 1,200 screens across America. Everyone should attend during this crucial opening weekend to show their support. Take the whole extended family, from the kids to the grandparents, and have a great time. I'll be attending for a second go-around this weekend.
Personally, I really enjoyed this movie, and I think it may benefit from multiple viewings. It's shorter and leaner than most Studio Ghibli fare, but I think this may work in Arrietty's favor. It's a gentle, quiet, often reflective movie, and despite its roots in Mary Norton's books, this is still very much a Japanese movie. I'm looking forward to hearing what everyone thinks.
Also, sometime this weekend, I have to sit down and watch Arrietty's UK and Japanese dubs, and see how it compares to Disney's soundtrack.
Just as a word of warning, there's another hideously awful fake, auto-tuned "song" that plays during the closing credits. Sam Hiti tells me it also plays during the movie, but I'll have to watch again to see if that's true. In any case, Cecile Corbel's wonderfully celtic music is far, far better, and anchors the movie very strongly. We'll have to track down her Arrietty soundtrack CD for sure.
22 comments:
I will definitely try to see this in theatres when I have an opportunity.
Bad news about the auto-tuned music though. The original soundtrack was one of the best aspects of the movie!
Tomorrow we're taking the family to see it, and I can't wait ^_^
Saw this and thought I'd share it.
http://video.foxnews.com/v/1458234569001/film-file-the-secret-world-of-arrietty/?playlist_id=89219
The movie was great. The music seemed out of place at first but I quickly acclimated to it. The characters, story, and animation are all top-notch. This movie has a style and personality all it's own even among other Ghibli movies. I will be seeing this again in theaters.
I just saw it and I LOVED it. I was glad that Disney didn't try to make it their own for the most part. The stupid "auto-tune" song I think was only the last song in the credits, but it's nothing compared to the beautiful soundtrack by Corbel. I think American's have to got to be exposed to the genius of Ghibli without the influence of American culture. And wait, a "throwback"? They act as if they barely know anything about Ghibli and Miyazaki and his amazing hand-drawn animated films. But I agree, each frame is a work of art. Many times in the film, I was mesmerized by the wonderful art.
The auto-tune song at the end wasn't the kind of atrocity that was in Ponyo, but it was glaringly out of place. They couldn't even be bother to write something new that at least fit the narrative of the movie, it seems they just picked some song off a pop radio station.
it was great =D we (two of my friends, my dad, my sister, and I) had to drive for almost two hours to go see it in Cleveland, which was the closest showing place. The music was definitely a bit off (don't even get me started on the ending credits song!!! it was really terrible, imo...), and it was kind of strange that I sort of recognized some of the voices! But it was a really fantastic movie! I really, really enjoyed it!
If not this weekend I'll definitely be seeing it next week. From what I hear the dub is pretty good. And what I also heard is that you hear "Arrietty's Song" in the credits but then it eventually switches to "Summertime." I'm just happy that you at least get to hear some of the orginal song.
Auto-tune? Argh!
The irony is that it wouldn't have been particularly hard to get Cecile Corbel to just record an English version...
Auto-tune? Argh!
The irony is, it wouldn't have been particularly hard to get Cecile Corbel to record an English version of the title song...
This movie is amazing. There was such attention to detail in the background artwork, the animation of course was top-notch, a wonderful soundtrack (very Zelda Wind Waker esq), fun and exciting story, etc...
So excited! Tonight! I think I'm going to a wear a pony-tail and clothesline pin hairstyle :)
I found the film to be every bit as good as I had expected. That is often not the case. I wasn't thrilled with the songs, but they weren't so bad they drained any charm from the film. The majority of people at the matinee I went to were not children, though it was obvious the little ones there enjoyed the film. I would strongly recommend this film to anyone who loves great storytelling and gorgeous animation.
I think it is safe to say we have little to fear as Miyazaki passes the director's baton on to his juniors. My hope is he trains someone to have the sensitivity and beauty he brings to his script writing.
You can rest assured that Mendler's terrible "song" only crops up in the second half of the closing credits. Thus, you can avoid it completely if you want to. The only downside is that Arrietty's Song has been shortened to make room for it.
I saw the film last night, with three like-minded friends. We all enjoyed it a heck of a lot, especially the details of the environments and the incredible amount of attention paid to the sound design. I didn't think the Disney dub was half-bad, either; there were a couple corny lines and small bits of unnecessary dialogue, but nothing too distracting.
I saw it on Friday night (english version) and tonight (sathurday) in French. I live in Montréal, Québec and most of the theaters here show - obviously - the French version.
I have to say that the closing credits in the French version is better (no Bridget-whatever-her-name-is pop song but the full Chanson d'Arrietty (French version) in glorious 5.1 surround sound.
What the English version has on the French version (France has been a prime market for anime since the early 1970s so they do have more experience and it shows) is Carol Burnett's feisty character Hara. The rest of the characters are better in the French version (although Amy Poehler's Homily is entertaining in English).
We saw this on Friday =D I was happy to notice a BUNCH of riffs, too, including the Heidi tree! And there were several other shots that reminded me more than a bit of other Ghibli movies including Totoro and The Cat Returns.
Arrietty was a great film! Though it's not the best Ghibli I can think of. Spirited Away and Porco Rosso are the best I can think of. I love Cecile Corbel's music which fit the tone of the film. The story was unique and respectful to the original source. The characters are good, and I don't mind the Disney dub as much. I thought they did a good job, even if it's not perfect. But I sometimes get weary of their vocal expression. And the animation is gorgeous. I'm glad I saw the film with my parents (I'm 18 years old, and interested into animation), and I plan to get The Borrowers book to read.
Now about the song rumor, Disney didn't replace "Arrietty's Song." Well, just the last half. They kept the first verse and the last refrain of the song together before transitioning to Bridgit Mendler's song "Summertime" which is condensed to her first verse, bridge, and refrain until the end of the credits. The instrumental mixing parts sounded different from the music video because it sounded like Disney was trying to make it sound similar to Cecile Corbel's music. It wasn't bad overall, better than that Ponyo remix (Geez, that spoiled the mood there). Summertime is calm and uplifting, but I agree to purists out there that it didn't fit with the tone.
Again, I'm glad I saw Arrietty, and I look forward to watch it in English or Japanese when it comes to Blu-ray soon.
Watched it today with friends in the theatre. I really enjoyed it. It is heart warming and the animation is beautiful. The localization team also did a good job.
@Serhei
=begin quote
Auto-tune? Argh!
The irony is that it wouldn't have been particularly hard to get Cecile Corbel to just record an English version...
=end quote
The double irony is that Cecile Corbel recorded an English version of the song right from the start and I was available on CD for almost 2 years now:
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=YCCW-30024
And, there are several other songs in English in the Image Album:
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=YCCW-10109
The Japanese track has even a few snippet of the English songs in the main film.
I've watched the film in Japanese with English subs on import BluRay and it's simply stunning in its detailed artwork, second only to Howl's Moving Castle.
Oh, and the lyrics of Cecile Corbel's English version of Arrietty's song is:
I'm 14 years old, I am pretty
I'm a teen tiny girl, a little lady
I live under the kitchen floor
Right here, not so far from you.
Sometimes I feel happy
Sometimes I feel blue
In my dreams O I wish I could...
Feel my hair blowing in the wind
See the sky and the summer rain
Pick a flower from the garden for you
Beyond the lane there's another world
Butterflies floating in the air
But is there someone out there for me?
And so life goes on, day after day
With knick-knacks on the floor, nooks and crannies
I live in a tiny world
But out there, someone waits for me.
I wish I had someone to watch over me
In my dreams O I wish I could...
Feel my hair blowing in the wind
See the sky and the summer rain
Pick a flower from the garden for you
Now I know there's another world
Butterflies floating in the air
There is someone out there for me.
Feel my hair blowing in the wind
See the sky and the summer rain
Pick a flower from the garden for you
Now I know there's another world
Butterflies floating in the air
There is someone out there for me.
(http://www.animelyrics.com/anime/arrietty/arriettyssongen.htm)
Saw it on Wednesday with my friend Tom, we both loved it. The animation is spectacular and Cecile Corbel's music is perfect. I am seeing it again today with my mom. I may even see it a third time at some point. It's a special treat to see ghibli on the big screen.
I enjoyed seeing it in the theater. Overall the North American dub wasn't bad, but I want to get it on disc so I can watch it with the original Japanese language track.
Hated the song that they added over the end credits. But as others have noted, it was not as obnoxious as the song they added to the Ponyo end credits.
Just to point out for anyone interested that there are UK editions of the OST and image album which are rather more affordable than the Japanese ones.
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