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2010-06-05

Anne of Green Gables Trailer



Here is the trailer for Ghibli Museum Library's presentation of Anne of Green Gables.  It is scheduled for release on the same day as Arrietty, July 17.  The first six episodes of the series were edited into a feature-length format by Isao Takahata himself, marking his first official involvement in a Ghibli film project since Winter Days in 2003.

If I didn't know better, I'd say Ghibli was prepping the public for Takahata's long-awaited return to the cinema.  It has been over a decade since My Neighbors the Yamadas, after all.  At least, I hope this is what it means.

8 comments:

greentea said...

So this is a re-airing of episodes blended together to make a 'movie'? Well, I'm liking the picture quality, and the color (Anne's hair looks brighter to me). Wow, that scene with her being carried by the flowers..

I really want this series on DVD.. Maybe even an English dub? Come on, Lasseter, Monsters Inc. 2 can wait.

Daniel Thomas MacInnes said...

Since we've only seen Anne from compressed DVD rips for the fansubs, this new movie print will look astonishing to our eyes.

It would be terrific to see World Masterpiece Theater in the States, but how do you think Disney would handle the series' darker parts? This is Isao Takahata we're talking about. Disney is far too oppressively happy to deal with something like, oh, the death of Matthew Cuthbert. That part would just be edited out like the "seniors" version of Gone With the Wind on The Simpsons.

That said, only the major Hollywood players would have the resources to bring these series over here - including proper dubs and casting, broadcasts on tv, DVD and Blu-Ray. The smaller boutique anime companies simply don't have the means, which is unfortunate.

Thanks for the insights, as always.

Anonymous said...

I need to get around to watching those episodes haven't had the time sadly.

And this reminds me.I want to know why they haven't released Only Yesterday yet, the one barrier keeping it from what I recall, could be mistaken, was the whole sequence regarding periods. But since Ponyo seemed to somewhat breakdown that wall where is Only Yesterday. Easily my favorite Takahata film it's a shame I have to appreciate it from a lowly computer file. Sadly that is the case for most of Takahata's filmography, no love from the US distributors at all.

greentea said...

@Daniel Thomas MacInnes: Oppressively happy? I know Disney does a lot of the cutesy and cliche, and are NOT perfect, but they have shown they can do the dark and serious too. Just look at 'Hunchback of Notre Dame', 'Pocahontas', or 'Lion King' (religion, racism, unhappy endings, death of a parent).

I know we like to ridicule Disney and praise Ghibli, but it bugs me sometimes, because Ghibli have their share of the sappy and cliche too. The main boy and main girl are cute, and end up together. Oh, and we should be good to nature. And love is the ultimate answer that solves everything...

Anyway, if it did become an issue with Disney not wanting to deal with the 'darker' moments in Anne, couldn't they use another label like they did with Mononoke? I know it's unlikely. Anne's not just old, it takes place in an old time, and a lot of kids thesedays don't even watch Wizard of OZ or Snow White. More like Ben 10 and iCarly...

asuka said...

surely the reason only yesterday isn't being released by disney is simply that it's not by any stretch of the imagination a children's film. and so the market for the release would no doubt be tiny.
i don't buy that it has anything to do with the sex-ed content.

Chandra said...

I am desperate for an English dub of AoGG!

I am afraid, however, that I have to side with greentree. I know it's become very popular to bash Disney and goodness knows there's no shortage of things to criticize, but 'opressively happy' is not a term I would personally use. In fact, I literally just watched Disney's 'Old Yeller' with my daughter today. A heart wrenching film if ever there was.

Daniel Thomas MacInnes said...

Ack! Ol' Yeller! Whaah! Don't shoot Ol' Yeller! Whaah!

Okay, I'm feeling better now......sigh.

However, this was the Walt Disney of long ago, the Walt who gave us Bambi and Dumbo and Pinocchio. That's a bit different from the plastic people of the Disney Channel and the Fairy Tale Princesses...yeech. Maybe I just haven't had my two cups of coffee yet?

Only Yesterday? It has now been released everywhere in the world except the United States. It will never be released here, unless Disney were to hand to film to another label, such as The Criterion Collection. A movie that includes 1) a naked girl in a Japanese bath house, 2) discussion of periods at the onset of adolescence, and 3) a gay older sister? No executive will risk the wrath of the religious and political right in this country. Just look at the hysterias that are whipped out of complete fantasies.

Honestly, I don't blame Disney for not wanting to touch Omohide Poro Poro. If I were in their shoes, I'd most likely do the same.

Thanks to everybody for all the terrific comments, as always.

Chandra said...

Haha - yes 'Old Yeller' is an oldie for sure. I think of the newer Disney films as being less 'opressively happy', however, and more 'emotionally manipulative' at times - basically including sad moments 'just because'. The recent 'Princess and the Frog', I think, was shamefully guilty of this. However, I was impressed with Pixar's recent attempt with Toy Story III. I was really dreading yet another sequel - especially after the Shrek debacle!!! But, wow, I was really surprised at how touching and relevant and insightful the whole thing was. I say 'Bravo!' to Pixar! And I hope the reception it has gotten sends a clear message about what movie going audiences want and can handle.

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