My Neighbor Totoro [DVD]

The film is simply great. The 'behind the scenes' special features in this edition were really great to watch. Since the film came out back in the 1980's, it is really nice to get a fresh perspective from the creator and his team. It is a simple, innocent story of a family during (allegedly) the 1950's in Japan. Mom is sick, and in essentially a quarantine/isolated hospital unit. Her husband and two daughters move out to the country to live near her while she recovers. The father is a professor at the local University, and very preoccupied with his studies and, quite obviously, his ill wife. The film is a fantastic story of the sisters discovery of their neighbor 'Totoro', a big furry awesome character that lives 'next door'. They have some great moments and some tremendous adventures. The true story is really about the daughters dealing with the uncertainty of their mothers condition, moving to a new town and dealing with a new school all the while discovering new friendships and dealing with hardship simultaneously. It does a great job of showing just how creative kids are, and also makes you think twice about your own inability to believe in the fantastic as an adult. It perfectly captures the transitional period between being an innocent child and the wonderful discovery of a world that is much more than you ever imagined. The english Voice Overs by the Fanning sisters is superb. The rest of the english cast does a bang-up job as well. Some of the very non-western ideas sound a bit funny coming out of two kids speaking english, but it's not a distraction. It's great front to back, and the extra features were a treat to watch. I'm a fan of Hayao Miyazaki without question, but even a casual viewer will love this film. Do the kids a favor and pick this up. Do yourself a favor and watch it after the kids go to bed and be transported back in time to when you were in that same impressionable time. Now, while the box may LOOK like a Blu-ray movie, it is not. I take issue with folks dressing up "special edition" boxes to look like the familiar Blu-ray boxes. This has no bearing on the film, but the packaging sure looks like it is trying to pass itself off as a Blu-ray.

As writer/director Hayao Miyazaki explains on the the new subtitled documentary material on this new Special Edition DVD, he was growing dissatisfied with the creative limits of working in television animation, he wanted to create a gentle, enchanting family feature regardless of the potential for commercial success. My Neighbor Totoro apparently did not smash box office records on the big screen in 1988, but subsequent TV airings made it one of the most popular and beloved films in Japan (not unlike what happened with the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory). Totoro is on the Studio Ghibli movies, an icon status comparable to Mickey Mouse with Disney and Luxo, Jr. with Pixar. But it all started in this film, which in a its second DVD release in the revised Disney English version, which was preceded by an earlier English version released by Fox. Each Miyazaki feature boasts a voice cast of marquee names as well as top Hollywood voice artists. The "name" talent is seen in brief "behind the microphone" bonus features -- in which you can sometimes also glimpse the strong supporting casts. Dakota and Elle Fanning turn in superb performances as the young sisters in Totoro, a very crucial element in making the English version work. Also in the cast are Tim Daly as the dad, Lea Salonga as the mom and the wondrous Pat Carroll as the warmhearted Nanny, a sharp constrast to her Ursula character in Disney's The Little Mermaid. The extraordinary Frank Welker growls as the Totoro himself. Welker, a gifted impressionist who entered voice work as the one and only Fred on Scooby Doo, is perhaps the most heard voice in film and TV today. The film itself is, to borrow from the Sherman Brothers, lovely and lyrical, filled with breaktaking landscapes and rich characters in a simple, pleasant tale that is a welcome break from the frenetic pace of most current entertainment.

Excellent price for a brand new movie.

Delivered on time and in good condition. Old but very good anime classic. Family fare. Particularly enjoyed the"cat bus."

I have loved this movie for years. It's probably my all-time favorite film, and is perfect for anyone, of any age. There are two releases of this film to American audiences. The first company to have the license was Fox and the DVD they released only has an English dub track. Generally this is a huge turn-off for me, HOWEVER it is a very good dub, especially considering how often Fox butchers anime. They didn't mess it up at all, and the voice actors on that version are actually very very good. The second US release is from Disney. They obtained the rights to the original film and re-released it with a new dub track and two discs, the original Japanese, etc. etc. Lots of fancy extras. This DVD listed for sale here is the Disney Release. Once again, good voice actors were chosen, so even the dub track is done well. (Dakota Fanning and her younger sister play the two sisters in the film so they have good chemistry together). My daughter is almost two years old. I first popped in Totoro (the fox dub) in her in-car DVD player when she was about 16 months old, during a very long road trip to visit her grandparents. SHE LOVES THIS MOVIE. OMG I cannot emphasize how much she loves this film. She brings the DVD case to me all the time at home now asking for me to put it on the TV for her. She loves the early sequence when Mai and Satsuki first explore their new house; running around wildly and laughing. She loves Totoro, she loves the Catbus. She loves it all. She'll watch the whole thing too! Which is incredible considering that no other movie or TV show tends to hold her attention for more then a 10 minutes. For young children, either version of the US release is good because both have very good dub tracks. For any anime enthusiast the new release from Disney is a must. It includes a very accurate subtitle translation, original music, lots of special features including the entire movie in storyboards on disc 2, and even the dub track is still done very well.

Hayao Miyazaki's movies all have a magical feel to them and My Neighbor Totoro is no exception. This animated feature follows ten year old Satsuki and her four year old sister Mei on their adventure in the Japanese countryside and encounter with the Lord of the Forest, the giant but very cute Totoro. You can read the other reviews to find out more about the plot; in this review I want to focus on what I really liked about this movie (I also liked the plot as well, but no use retelling it here). The animation, like all of Miyazaki's movies, is first rate. I must point out that I've seen both the original version of the DVD released in America, done by Fox Video, and the Disney version. Do yourself a favor and buy the Disney version - it is way better than the sorry Fox version. I would highly recommend watching it in the original Japanese language with subtitles (assuming you don't understand Japanese). The movie flows so much better that way and you get nuances that are bludgeoned by the English dubbing job. Even the music and the background sound effects are different, with the English version being way too heavy handed. The Disney version also has the movie in the original widescreen aspect ratio whereas the Fox version has the pan and scan altered ratio. As for the movie itself, Satsuki and Mei act very natural (as natural as cartoon characters can be, that is). They don't act precocious, they don't act bratty, they aren't made to be overly cute or lovable, they are simply made to be real and believable. All in all, this is a charming story with excellent production values, and I am thankful that someone released it in its original aspect ratio with the original language and soundtrack. Only this version does this great movie justice. By the way, a bit of trivia - Ken Jennings, the Jeopardy wonder-guy, has a Totoro on his keychain for good luck.

If I could rate it higher I would, the pricing was inexpensive as well. Studio ghibli knows how to make some awesome movies.

BOTTOM LINE: One of the all-time greatest family films ever made. Period. Its easy-going storytelling is so engrossing and captivating that you're left wanting it to go on much longer than it does. Wonderful entertainment for anyone & everyone. A crown jewel for animation fans. Better than ever here in hi-def. Don't wait. Buy yourself a copy today. MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is pure motion picture magic. THE STORY: In the 1950's, a young husband and his two precocious daughters are relocating to a quiet rural community to get away from the hustle & bustle of big city life. They're still close enough for Dad to commute to his teaching job at a local university, and for the girls to be close to their mother (who's slowly recovering from tuberculosis at a nearby hospital). The wide open countryside is filled all kinds of amazing discoveries for the two city girls: there's a big house that will need lots of TLC to be turned from a house into a home, a new school & new friends to meet. But most amazingly of all... finding that the nearby woods is inhabited by a magical forest spirit, a huge, fuzzy, lovable creature named Totoro. THOUGHTS: MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is one of those films that doesn't really have a particular plot that's simple or easy to describe. Like so much of the best things in life this film isn't a destination, it's a journey. It's not about what happens so much as how it happens. I first rented this years ago at a video store, not knowing anything about the film. It was my first Miyazaki film, but not my first anime' - so I had some preconceived notions of what to expect. I couldn't have been more wrong, or more delighted. I was spellbound watching the story unfold, enchanted by the incredibly detailed designs of the backgrounds, the absolutely beautiful scenery. It was so richly detailed that it was hard to believe it was hand drawn animation. And the various human characters were so warm and real that I felt like I was watching people I'd known while growing up. The slow-paced nature of TOTORO may be a drag to some, but I think it's one of this film's greatest strengths. It defies traditional anime' expectations in the absolute best possible way. What a wonderful change from the frenzied style of AKIRA, ROBOTECH, and other such action-filled product. They're fine, but TOTORO, in its charming, disarming, summer lazyday way is equally impressive. Young or old, any viewer with a connection to his or her inner child should be totally enthralled watching this wonderful tale unfold. It's definitely my favorite Miyazaki film, my favorite anime' by far, and one of my very favorite animated films of all time, ever. It's right up there the beloved Golden Age classics from Disney or the modern greats from Pixar, and Warner's IRON GIANT. THE BLU-RAY: Disney's hi-def release of MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, as with their other Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli product, is a strong one. As clean & crisp as you're likely to get for this film. Detail is impressive and the muted color scheme is well-represented. No artifacting, pixelation, edge enhancement or crush (video noise) that I could detect. Soundmix was even and solid. The dubbing job is top notch as well. Bonus features are well-produced and cover much of the world of Hayao Miyazaki & Studio Ghibli; detailing his life, the history of the studio and the particulars behind the creation of this film. Good stuff. If you have this on DVD it's a marginal recommend for double-dipping. If you don't then by all means buy this Blu-ray/DVD combo - and give the DVD to a friend that doesn't yet have a Blu-ray player.

L'oeuvre de Miyazaki est exceptionele , dommage que l'expérience soit gâché par un livreur qui à forcer en mettant le coli dans ma boi^te aux lettre et l'a abîmer

This was the best out of the Ghibli studio in my opinion, was a very moving story about the plight of the two sisters and their father who move into a new area and as their mother is in hospital, there is quite a lot going on with their lives .I found the story could be fun as well as sad at times with the three of them having to work out without their mum, the two girls meet the TOTORO god and is the most moving and fun gibli film i have seen and also the animation was amazing so much detail, also i watched this in the English and then the Japanese version and both were great to watch as each other .hope you enjoy this as much as i did .

Do not buy this item if you live in India its region B and nothing is mentioned in the description but the image shows its all region compatible hence if you are not in region B you cannot play this in a normal player

Super film animé japonais Féérique et magique! Ma fille est fan

Back when this movie first came out; the late Gene Siskell and his buddy Roger Ebert reviewed this movie and called it quite possibly the best family movie ever made! And despite all the additional movies that have been produced since then - IT STILL IS! What makes this movie so good? Made by Studio Gibli and it's co-founder, Hayao Miyazaki (called the Walt Disney of Japan). It's a virtually perfect blend of family, detail and fantasy all rolled into one! It starts out with two sisters and their father moving into a run-down rural house that they've rented for the summer. Then slowly ups the ante that there may be more to this house than meets the eyes as the little sister starts to see little critters that no one else can see! She's absolutely adorable. In fact this is one of the best parts of Ghibli movies; their characters are all so absolutely real. The little sister looks like, acts like, throws tantrums like, explores like just any little pre-schooler would. Then throw in the older sister who's trying to take care of her, the house and their father while their mother is away in the hospital fighting some unknown illness and you can just feel the realism and the family dynamics. Then when the older sister also starts to see things that shouldn't exist and discovers the guardian of the forest is a big gentle giant by the name of Totoro; it really gets to be both exciting and fun at the same time with magical cat buses, dust bunnies that can actually move and all sorts of magical adventures! The other thing I like about this and later Ghibli movies like Kiki's Delivery Service, Arrietty, Whisper of the Heart and Ponyo (all of which I highly recommend) is that these movies don't fall back on the usual stereotypes of some despicable villain that has to be fought and stopped. Or everything always has to be settled with a fight. Instead they have lots of action, wonderful discoveries at every turn; but no villain! There is a major problem to be solved, friends to be rescued or helped, but things don't have to be settled with violence! That is so refreshing at times. This is one of those rare family movies that adults will like equally with their kids. And even today with the thousands of movies I've seen; this is still and always will be one of my absolute favourites. Five stars all the way! J. A. P.S. - Don't confuse this Disney version of Totoro with an older Pan and Scan version that was originally marketed over ten years ago by Fox. This is a top quality 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and looks superb in either dvd or BD versions. Reviews that talk about it being cut are referring to the older no-longer sold Fox version.