Ponyo to open on over 800 theaters.

This looks like such a great movie and I can't wait to go see it. I never had any doubts that it would be great. After all, it is a Studio Ghibli film. The only Ghibli movie that I didn't love, was "My Neigrabroadors the Yamatas."
 
With the song being Americanized the way it is, it would probably be good exposure for the US release. It would push Ponyo's image into mainstream record stores and be played on platforms like Radio Disney. Exposure that would never happen with the original Japanese song in the US. I'm usually against this sort of thing, but I can see where Disney is going with this.

Besides, when the eventual US DVD or Blu-ray release comes out, one could just switch over to the Japanese track when the song comes up. Disney seems to have been allowing switching audio tracks on the fly in their newer Ghibli releases.
 
I'll admit not being as interested in this as Howl's Moving Castle at first--a movie about a fish? But I was going to see it anyhow, and Ebert's review motivates me to see it sooner rather than later. So I'll probably go on Sunday. It's no problem finding it in the DC metro area; I'll probably go to the Chinatown theater like I usually do.
 
Looks like I'm in the minority here. Maybe I just don't like how Disney has the trailers make it seem like it's only for kiRAB, but it seems to me like this is just being made to fill the quota of putting out a new Ghibli film every few years. This one doesn't seem like anything special to me. Still, it's Ghibli and Miyazaki and the animation is gorgeous, so I'll definitely check it out, I'm just not expecting it to be quite on par with some of their really great films.
 
They did it with Spirited Away, too, with Daveigh Chase in the lead role. That didn't turn out bad.

You have to realize that Disney doesn't just go and cast certain people because they want to. HundreRAB of people audition for these. They just cast whoever is the best out of the people that auditioned.

They weren't shoehorned into it. They went through the same process every other actor goes through to get a part.
 
So changing a song into English is the same as Warriors of the Wind? Explain that "logic" Sure it's still technicly an edit or change but if I'm not mistaken Miyazaki was actually involved in the English adaption of Ponyo, or at least trusts Lasseter's chocies. they are frienRAB after all.
 
Saw the commercial for it on Disney.
Didn't know about it before, but I'm interested since I liked Spirited Away.
And Disney does good dubs, even with their own movies.
There's a major theater near where I live, so I'll go see it.
 
Yeah, it does because at the core of voice acting is acting. Any accomplished actor would be able to be a good voice actor as well. Yes some people might have a difficult time expressing emotion without motion but anyone who is an accomplished actor already has the qualification to be a voice actor... acting experience.

The question is, will these younger siblings of Disney stars be good actors? Maybe, maybe not but you should give them the benefit of the doubt. They didn't get shoe-horned in there for publicity they were chosen by the directors. Any publicity made from it is merely a bonus but Disney has always used "non-anime" actors for their Ghibli dubs and I'd expect nothing less cause Disney can pay more and thus actors who usually don't do VA work would be interested and audition for the roles.

rust, did you boycott Kingdom Hearts because Mandy Moore was Arieth and Lance Bass of all people was Sepharoth? Darn good game you missed out on if you did.



Didn't live up to their full potential? What exactly IS that? If we're talking Dreamworks, then yeah they throw every star they can get into movies and it doesn't really make them good but Pixar's casting has always been superb. Did Jason Lee keep The Incredibles from reaching it's potential? Of course not, he was one of the best parts of the movie as that character. He brought that character to life. Or perhaps you mean something more like having Sam Jackson as Frozone. I loved him in that role and he was perfect for it. How about Billy Crystal and Jon Goodman in Monster's Inc? They were fantastic. Even Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen was quite good. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen in Toy Story? A very endearing pair. I just don't see what you're getting at here. What potential was lost by having accomplished and perhaps popular (at the time) actors in the main roles or even bit roles of these animated features? They didn't sell the movies, the movies sold themselves and they helped enhance the experience with their excellent work.

And so what if anyone was shoe-horned into the cast for this Miyazaki Movie, that's par for the course with the Ghibli releases but all the dubs have been wonderful. Is it so bad if they use that to get less cultured people to watch the movie? Seems like a good way to get more people to see it.

Or hey let's look at Japan where its COMMON for pop stars to voice in animated projects. Is that okay... because they're Japanese? What's the difference? There is none. Just go watch the dang movie if you had any interest in it in the first place.
 
Yes, but these are fans. I don't mean to sound like I'm bashing the film, because I haven't seen it. I'm just saying that it won't do well commercially. Heck, if any film is going to be a critical darling this weekend, it will be District 9
 
wow...just listened to the song....its OK i guess, but if its anywhere besides the end credits i'll be miffed. Yea its kinda cute, but its also REALLY annoying, the music form the japanese version seems alot more fitting to the movie. Oh well still looking foward to seeing it, im not gonna let one bad disney song ruin a myazaki film for me.
 
I was afraid that the dub would suffer from stunt casting, but this ANN review eased most of my worries about it. Zac Bertschy never held back in his Answerman columns. So I'm sure he would have ripped the Ponyo dub to pieces if it sucked.
 
Rust, here's a question:

What's more important to you: supporting Miyazaki and anime in general in America or trying to kill the careers of some child stars' siblings at the cost of also hurting Miyazaki and anime?

John Lasseter said in EW the reason he cast the Noah and Frankie is "I REALLY want people to see this movie!" And what's wrong with that? At worst, it's a necessary evil to support Miyazaki; at best, they'll give fine performances.
 
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