Howl’s Moving Castle – Director Hayao Miyazaki’s Japanese feature-length anime based on Diana Wynne Jone’s children’s fantasy book is a memorable Disney-like amusement ride through a fantastic CGI landscape and scenery – Victorian houses and industrial-age steam-powered transportation but with airships flying overhead contrasted with clear skies and open meadows populated with pretty flowers and a quaint cottage  – involving wizards and witches at war. Eighteen-year-old Sophie, who works in her father’s hat shop, accidentally gets involved with the wizard Howl and transformed into a plump beldam (Jean Simmon’s voice) by a spell of the evil Witch of the Waste (Lauren Bacall’s voice). On a journey to break the enchantment upon her, she befriends a turnip-headed scarecrow, becomes Howl’s housekeeper in his moving castle, makes friends with Howl’s young apprentice and Calcifer, a fire demon (Billy Crystal’s voice), and after many adventures, falls in love with Howl. As with most captivating amusement rides, this one ends abruptly; but you can get on again.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in video and/or DVD format, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2007 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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