Horus, Prince of the Sun (DVD) 12/23

Hello, fellow Ghibli Freaks! I wanted to make sure everyone here at Ghibli Tavern heard the good news - Horus, Prince of the Sun is coming to DVD in time for Christmas. This is the landmark 1968 anime movie directed by Isao Takahata, with scene design, character design and key animation by Hayao Miyazaki. This is the first major work by both, and the beginning of their famed partnership, which of course led to Studio Ghibli.

I worked extensively on this DVD release. Most of the content is mine. I wanted to create something truly special for the fans, and I'm very proud of the results. I hope you'll enjoy this movie and all the features.

I'm sharing the press release here (which I also wrote). If you have any questions or comments, don't hesitate to ask, and I'll respond here on the forum. As always, much thanks to everybody here at the Tavern. You've always supported Ghibli Blog, and I'm eternally grateful.

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HORUS, PRINCE OF THE SUN (Taiyou no Ouji Horusu no Daibouken)

Discotek Media announces the release of DVD, “Horus, Prince of the Sun.” Available for purchase December 23, 2014 (MSRP $17.95).

Minneapolis, MN, November 17, 2014 -- Horus, Prince of the Sun (Taiyou no Ouji Horusu no Daibouken), Isao Takahata’s directorial feature film debut, stands as the most influential Japanese animated feature film ever made. Vivid, visceral and violent, yet charged with kinetic energy, Horus shatters the Walt Disney mold, establishing a new paradigm of adult storytelling, psychological realism, visual complexity, social themes and stylistic violence. This film marks the birth of the anime revolution.

Unofficially based on the mythic tales of Japan’s indigenous Ainu people, Takahata tells the story of Horus, the young warrior seeking revenge against the ice devil Grunwald, who destroyed his home; Hilda, the survivor of a massacre tormented between good and evil; and the fishing villagers caught in the middle, unsure which side to trust.

Available in the US for the first time in its original Japanese, Discotek is proud to present this groundbreaking anime feature by the creators of Lupin the 3rd; Heidi, Girl of the Alps; Anne of Green Gables; Gauche the Cellist; Grave of the Fireflies; My Neighbor Totoro and Princess Mononoke.

Directed by Isao Takahata (co-founder of Studio Ghibli). Animation Direction by Yasuo Otsuka. Scene Design by Hayao Miyazaki (2003 Academy Award Winner, co-founder of Studio Ghibli). Character Design and Key Animation by Yasuji Mori (Hakujaden: Tale of the White Serpent), Reiko Okuyama (Belladonna, The Little Mermaid), and Yoichi Kotabe (Heidi, Girl of the Alps). Musical Direction by Michiyo Mamiya (Grave of the Fireflies). Screenplay by Kazuo Fukuzawa, based on his play, “The Sun Above Chikisani.”


DVD SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES:

New and improved English subtitle translation

Two audio commentaries: one by Ghibli Blog author Daniel Thomas MacInnes, featuring readings from Anipages Daily, Critic After Dark, and Buta Connection; and one by anime scholar Mike Toole

Every Poet a Thief: Inspirations From Horus, a gallery of influences and themes seen in the films of Studio Ghibli

Hilda and Horus: Just Like Twins, an essay on the film’s main protagonists and its themes of trauma and revenge

Reiko Okuyama: A Tribute to a Legend, an essay by animation scholar Benjamin Ettinger on pioneering artist and feminist icon Reiko Okuyama

Message of Hope: A Conversation With Isao Takahata, an interview with Isao Takahata conducted in 2010 by film critic Peter van der Lugt

2008 video conversation with Isao Takahata and Yoichi Kotabe

Production gallery, featuring publicity stills, movie posters and home video releases around the world

Theatrical trailer

PLUS: Rare photographs of the film's creators: Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki, founders of Studio Ghibli, with Yasuo Otsuka, Yasuji Mori, Reiko Okuyama, and Yoichi Kotabe


TITLE: HORUS, PRINCE OF THE SUN
RELEASE DATE: DECEMBER 23, 2014
DVD EDITION
1968
88 MINUTES
COLOR
MONAURAL
2.35:1 ASPECT RATIO
JAPANESE AUDIO WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
ENGLISH AUDIO

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Wow, what fantastic news. Will this be available through Amazon or are sales outlets restricted?

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Isakaya High School Roleplaying Info

"An old man like me stands no chance fighting against a high school girl in her underwear" - Oshino Meme, Nekomonogatari (Kuro)

As far as I am aware, Horus should be available on Amazon. I submitted the "homework" data for the Horus Amazon page, so pre-orders could begin, but Discotek hasn't done it yet. I'll press again on that front.

It also appears that Horus DVD will be available at Best Buy, which is very good because they have a pretty solid anime section.

As always, you can pre-order directly from the Discotek Media website. I do recommend that option for now.

Hope that helps out.

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There is a UK dvd, released 2005, but with a different name.

The little Norse prince

No English audio, but with English subtitles.

quote:

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Originally posted by Skovgaard
There is a UK dvd, released 2005, but with a different name.

The little Norse prince

No English audio, but with English subtitles.

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I was going to say, I'm sure I remember seeing this film before. And indeed I have, I own it!

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I have the UK Optimum Asia DVD as well. It's absolutely wretched. It uses the WRONG TITLE, has a terrible interlaced image, the subtitles are spotty and lazy, and there are NO EXTRAS.

Confidentially, kids, my new 2014 Horus DVD beats that UK version like a gong.

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Ghibli Blog - Studio Ghibli, Animation and the Movies. Now with 10% fruit juice!

Those comments seen a little harsh. I presume the UK release was via the publisher Optimum Releasing who have done all the other Ghibli UK releases? All my collection apart from Ocean Waves is from them and their other productions are extremely good, being mostly based on the Disney dubs and subs.

Then again 'Norse Prince' is one of the older releases and if it's never been officially released in the USA (via Disney) then this version may well be sub-par.

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Isakaya High School Roleplaying Info

"An old man like me stands no chance fighting against a high school girl in her underwear" - Oshino Meme, Nekomonogatari (Kuro)

Adjusted titles for international release aren't exactly rare. I mean you never hear anybody talking about that famous Miyazaki film 'The Mysterious Disappearance of Sen and Chihiro', right?

Anyway, if the first release was a little weak then I wouldn't mind seeing the new one turn up here too. I'm not sure that's very likely though... besides, I remember seeing a small bit of this film on TV once and being underwhelmed, so it's not the end of the world for me if a higher-quality DVD doesn't emerge.

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I didn't like it, honestly. Saw it once, no desire to do so again.

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Happy Holidays, everyone! A friendly reminder that Horus, Prince of the Sun (DVD) is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Best Buy. Be sure to grab a copy for that last-minute Christmas gift.

Horus features an all-new English language subtitle translation (for the feature and trailer, courtesy of yours truly), two audio commentaries, two video interviews with Isao Takahata and Yoichi Kotabe, four essay and gallery features, production gallery (including rare period photos), and the 1968 trailer.

Picture quality is excellent, very crisp and clean. This appears to be a dual-layer DVD, if I'm not mistaken. If so, this is an improvement over the ancient 2000 single-layer DVD (using a LaserDisc source) that was used on all prior home releases. I'm very impressed. Horus looks terrific on my Sony HDTV.

At long last, here it is - the first "major" work by Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki. Hope you enjoy it!

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Ghibli Blog - Studio Ghibli, Animation and the Movies. Now with 10% fruit juice!