There was a time when humans and dragons were one.
by C P
This Disney DVD release of Tales from Earthsea is another adventure from Studio Ghibli and is loosely based on the first four books of Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea series. Though the name Miyazaki is on the DVD the movie was actually directed by Hayao’s son, Goro, not to be confused with the four-armed boss from Mortal Kombat. This is Goro Miyazaki’s directorial debut, so that being said, It’s hard to not compare the quality and general feeling you get from Hayao Miyazaki’s other movies to this one.
Tales from Earthsea is a story about a land that has been stricken by a fever. People are acting strange and no one can figure out why. (Spoiler Alert) The story begins with dragons fighting over the ocean ( the importance of this is later revealed in the film). We then see the King and his trusted advisors discussing the land stricken with this strange fever and what they should do about it. Someone mentions Prince Arren (the main character) has not been seen today. The King retires to a room where Arren kills his father and takes a sword that was forged in magic. The film follows this emotionally disturbed prince who meets with a man, named Shadowhawk, who turns out to be the Arcmage of Earthsea. The film goes on how many stories have before; a boy meets a girl, who has a secret, falls in love with her and learns about his true-self. Slavetraders, sorcery, and a climactic ending makes this an exciting film you should probably see.
Highlights
– Impacting visuals
– Wonderful musical score
– Great voiceover work and cast
Special Features
Behind the Studio: This feature is a video about the making of the film and how the author of the books originally wanted Hayao to direct the film. Unfortunately he was tied up with Howl’s Moving Castle. He suggested his son in a meeting with the author. It also goes through the development of the scenery and characters. Overall, pretty interesting.
Enter the Lands: This feature was a little confusing for me at first as I could not select certain areas that seemed like you should be able to select. I did get into a sort of trivia which could be taken as a fun game to play with other anime lovers or a test (which I despise).
Overview
Overall Tales from Earthsea is a good film but it lacks the magical feeling you get from watching a Miyazaki film. The voiceover work is spot on. Timothy Dalton (The Living Daylights, Toy Story 3, Chuck), that actress from Law and Order: SVU and Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man, Boondock Saints) are just some of the amazing voice cast you will recognize. The soundtrack is appropriately epic and matches the impacting visuals of the city, ruins and the countryside. There are a few scenes where the sound effects seem to unnecessarily take over the dialogue. There is a scene where its suggestive that the slavetraders are going to rape the little girl that Prince Arren eventually saves which is why I suggest this isn’t suitable for a child to see. It’s an enjoyable film that you should definitely think about seeing.
ComicsOnline gives Tales from Earthsea on DVD 3.5 out of 5 magically forged swords.
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