Rating of
4/4
Miyazaki's revered masterpiece
JTurner - wrote on 05/31/09
Following his success with CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO, Miyazaki produced this amazing epic about a brave young princess struggling to save her kingdom from opposing forces. It was so popular, in fact, that it put the name Miyazaki on the map. For an older film (1984) it holds up remarkably well; the animation, while slightly lacking the lush polish from Miyazaki's later works, remains fairly impressive to this day and its ecological message rings true (Miyazaki would later on revisit the same ideas in another project of his, PRINCESS MONONOKE). And it's great to have this legendary classic available in a first-rate treatment from Disney; years ago the only way for Americans to experience this movie was through a grossly altered, 85-minute edit called "Warriors of the Wind". This new version, from Disney, presents the film uncut and unaltered, with an excellent cast of actors headed by Patrick Stewart as the charismatic swordsman, Lord Yupa. Alison Lohman also does a credible job as the title character. For purists who don't want to give the dub a chance, the Japanese language track IS included on the DVD, complete with literal subtitles.
