Live-Action Kiki’s Delivery Service Film Announced

by with No Comment Movie News

Rumours that Takashi Shimizu would be directing a live-action film adaptation of Kiki’s Delivery Service, Eiko Kadono’s children’s fantasy novel series (not the 1989 Studio Ghibli film), have been confirmed. Shimizu is best known for his Ju-on (The Grudge) horror films, so it will be interesting to see how he handles a children’s story. The film is scheduled to be released in Japan in spring 2014.

The role of the 13-year-old witch, Kiki, will be played by 16-year-old Fuka Koshiba, who was chosen from approximately 500 candidates, and this will be her first acting job. In order to make sure Kiki’s flying scenes look beautiful, Koshiba is currently doing practice swings with the bokken (wooden sword for practice) 200 times everyday.

Shooting for the film will begin on an island in the Seto Inland Sea in Japan around the end of May.

Film4’s Studio Ghibli Season is Here

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Film4 will be showing a total of nineteen Studio Ghibli titles over the Easter holiday, and, whether you’ve seen them before or have yet to be exposed to the Ghibli legacy, they are not to be missed. The full line up is listed below, with some titles repeated so viewers can choose their preference between English dub or subtitles:

  • Tues, 26 March at 6:30pm – Spirited Away (Subtitled)
  • Weds, 27 March at 6:05pm – Princess Mononoke (Subtitled)
  • Thurs, 28 March at 11am – The Cat Returns (Subtitled)
  • Thurs, 28 March at 4:35pm – Porco Rosso (English dub)
  • Fri, 29 March at 4:45pm – Kiki’s Delivery Service (English dub)
  • Sat, 30 March at 4:55pm – My Neighbour Totoro (English dub)
  • Sun, 31 March at 5:15pm – Arrietty (English dub)
  • Mon, 1 April at 4:35pm – Howl’s Moving Castle (English dub)
  • Tues, 2 April at 3:15pm – The Castle of Cagliostro (English dub)
  • Weds, 3 April at 2:50pm – Ponyo (English dub)
  • Thurs, 4 April at 11am – Ocean Waves (Subtitled)
  • Thurs, 4 April at 2:35pm – Pom Poko (English dub)
  • Fri, 5 April at 12:15am – Grave of the Fireflies (Subtitled)
  • Fri, 5 April at 2:40pm – Whisper of the Heart (English dub)
  • Fri, 6 April at 4:35pm – Spirited Away (English dub)
  • Sun, 7 April at 3pm – The Cat Returns (English dub)
  • Mon, 8 April at 2:25pm – Tales From Earthsea (English dub)earth
  • Tues, 9 April at 12:55pm – Only Yesterday (Subtitled)
  • Weds, 10 April at 1:10pm – Princess Mononoke (English dub)
  • Thurs, 11 April at 11am – Little Norse Prince (Subtitled)
  • Thurs, 11 April at 2:35pm – Laputa: Castle in the Sky (English dub)
  • Fri, 12 April at 12:45pm – Howl’s Moving Castle (Subtitled)
  • Sat, 13 April (time TBA) – Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Subtitled)

More information is available on Film4’s website.

Studio Ghibli Gets its own Series of Zippo Lighters

by with No Comment Movie News

A multitude of Studio Ghibli films are now featured on a collection of Zippo lighters. From classics such as Princess Mononoke and Laputa to the more recent on-screen adventures like Tales from Earthsea and Ponyo, the lighters are available online and range between $99.99 – $150.

Despite Ghibli’s popularity with young audiences, the studio has clearly branched out to more mature audiences in this particular merchandising. Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki is a smoker himself, having said in an interview in 2008 with Robert Whiting “Both of my parents were heavy smokers, though they didn’t die of lung cancer. So I’m OK. I scanned my lungs the other day and there was no problem.”

Even with the health issues surrounding smoking and the complaints from some fans and anti-smoking groups, it’s hard not to admire the artistry of these pieces. If it makes those against smoking feel any better, they could always be used to light candles.