"Castle in the Sky" is one of those rare movie experiences. From the very first scene, the movie is a fresh bundle of imagination by the amazing Hayao Miyasaki, the director of many acclaimed films like like "Spirited Away" and "My Neighbor Tortoro."

"Castle in the Sky" portrays a world that seems to bridge between the blimp and plane era. There are huge flying ships with old fashioned propellers. Many of the ships are "blimpish" shaped, yet they are made of metal. The opening credits show a gorgeous parade of these ships, giving a perfect idea of what this world is like.

As advanced as the aircraft is however, most of the world below seems to be just at the turn of the 20th century, creating a fascinating blend of old and new technologies.

In this setting, a poor orphan boor named Pazu stumbles across an unconscious girl named Sheeta who floats from the sky, along with a mysterious crystal necklace that seems to have caused her floating.

Soon after she awakens, she reveals that she had fallen from a ship after it was attacked by pirates who wanted to get Sheeta's crystal. These pirates then come looking for Sheeta and the chase begins. As it turns out, the government also is looking for Sheeta, as she was in their possession before she fell off the ship.

Pazu and Sheeta eventually find out that Sheeta's crystal is the key to finding a secret floating island in the sky called Laputa (the name of which comes from a floating island in Gulliver's Travels). They both decide that they will find Laputa and uncover its secrets. However, even the best intentions often go amiss, as various twists and turns both impede and help them on their way, and often from unlikely sources.

"Castle in the Sky" is a movie packed with action and eye- boggling demolitions. It is enough to say that there are robots that could demolish a fortress a over a hundred times it size single handedly. There are also some good chase sequences as well. The last scene of the movie is something you will not soon forget.

The characters in the story are just perfect, and I have no complaints about the English dub. Many have criticized using James Van Der Beek as Pazu and Anna Paquin as Sheeta, as the original Japanese version is voiced by pre-teens and the English has a more mid-teen approach. Personally, hearing a little kid turns me off. Hearing teenage voices made the movie more accessible to me. Also, the characters look enough like teenagers to make it believable.

My absolute favorite character is Doolah, the pirate leader and "mother" of the crew, as three of her sons are part of it. She is very well played by Cloris Leachman, a perfect combination of sternness, stubbornness, and intelligence. There is a regular joke where the crew calls her "Mom" and she says, "Call me Captain!" The other pirates themselves also produce some funny moments as well.

Muska is a secret government agent and the villain of the movie. He is a mysterious character who seems to have his own personal motivations for finding Laputa. It is rather amusing to hear him voiced by Mark Hamil, showing there is life after "Star Wars" if your’re not Harrison Ford. Hamil does well at portraying Muska as a nice persuasive gentlemen at one moment and a raving lunatic at another. Very nice.

For a 1986 film, the animation in the movie is impressive. Miyasaki’s handcrafted design is subtle, yet effective, more so than many computer animated movies today. You’ll probably get a chuckle when several characters make their shirt explode by flexing their muscles.

Although all of these things make the movie simply amazing, the music is my favorite part. Composed by Joe Hisaishi, the English version has a new orchestrated soundtrack, with music in parts were it previously wasn't. The main melody is purely hypnotic. It is one of the most beautiful tunes I’ve ever heard, especially when it’ played in the opening credits. There is also a gorgeous children’s choir arrangement of the tune at the end of the movie. The musical theme for Laputa is breathtaking and grand in scope. I still want to get a hold of the soundtrack!

As for the DVD itself, the movie is presented in clear color. The sound quality is top-notch. As for DVD extras, there is a “Meet the Cast” type documentary and original story boards. There is also the original Japanese version with subtitles available. My favorite version to watch though is the English version with Japanese subtitles. Making the comparison is entertaining in and of itself.

“Castle in the Sky” is a movie that everybody should see. It is one of the most intelligent animated movies you will ever see, and in my opinion, Miyasaki’s best work. It will leave you feeling good about yourself and you won’t mind seeing it again and again.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up to Age 4