Tenkû no shiro Rapyuta (1986)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Hayao Miyazaki

Writer:

Hayao Miyazaki (written by)

Release Date:

2 August 1986 (Japan)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Plot:

A young boy and a girl with a magic crystal must race against pirates and foreign agents in a search for a legendary floating castle.

Plot Keywords:

Mine | Young Boy | Pirate | Flying | Castle

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Mayumi Tanaka	...	Pazu (voice)
James Van Der Beek	...	Pazu (2003) (voice: English version)
Anna Paquin	...	Sheeta (2003) (voice: English version)
Keiko Yokozawa	...	Sheeta (voice)
Kotoe Hatsui	...	Dola (voice)
Cloris Leachman	...	Dola (2003) (voice: English version)
Mark Hamill	...	Muska (voice: English version)
Minori Terada	...	Muska (voice)
Richard Dysart	...	Uncle Pomme (2003) (voice: English version)
Fujio Tokita	...	Uncle Pomme (voice)
Jim Cummings	...	General (voice)
Ichirô Nagai	...	Shogun Mouro (voice)
John Hostetter	...	Boss (voice: English version)
Hiroshi Ito	...	Oyakata (voice)
Machiko Washio	...	Okami, Mrs. Daffy (voice)

Also Known As:

Castle in the Sky (UK) (USA)
Laputa: Castle in the Sky (UK) (DVD title)

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Germany:6 | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | South Korea:All | Finland:K-7 | Argentina:Atp | France:U | Hong Kong:I | Spain:T | USA:PG | UK:PG | Australia:G | New Zealand:PG | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Canada:G (Quebec)

Company:

Studio Ghibli

Trivia:

The weaponry and mechanical settings in Laputa is a mixture of British and German designs. Miyazaki is a fan of German weaponry (he has manga works like The Return of Hans and Otto Carius - both about WWII German tank crews), so soldier's uniform, medals, and grenades (Stielhandgranate, the famous "potato masher" in WWII) are modeled after German design, not to mention the gigantic battle zeppelin "Goliath." However, since the town of Slag Ravine was modeled after a mining town in Wales, British-styled civilian clothing and British weapons such as Lee-Enfield SMLE Mk. III rifle (soldiers) and Webley top-break revolver (Muska and his agents) appeared frequently in the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dola announces that Goliath is off of the port bow, she looks in horror towards the Tiger Moth's starboard stern, the opposite direction from that which she announces.

Quotes:

Sheeta: [hugging Dola] Dola!
Dola: Thank goodness you're alive!
Pazu: So are you. This is great!
Papa: No it's not! My poor little ship is gone forever! Boo hoo hoo hoo!
Dola: Stop with the cryin', ya big baby! I'll get you another ship!
Papa: [stops crying] Okay.
Dola: [to Sheeta, softhearted] Oh, poor little thing. There's nothin' worse than having your pigtails shot off!
Sheeta: [reacting to a sharp object beneath Dola's blouse] Or having your eye poked out. What have you got under there?
Dola: Oh, my fault!
[takes out shining gem]
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Gulliver's Travels (1939)

Miyazaki's finest fantasy epic

Laputa: castle in the sky is the bomb. The message is as strong as his newer works and more pure, fantastic and flying pirates how could it be any better! The art is totally amazing and the soundtrack, which is reused many times after this, (im not sure if this was the first time i heard it) and evokes in me the most emotional sentimental response of any movie soundtrack. Sheeta, the female lead in this movie is totally awesome and the boy, Pazu is also a great role-model--he lives on his own! The plot is classic Miyazaki. I won't give it away, but the end is really great. I rank this as one of Miyazaki's three best with Nausicaa and Spirited Away. Also you may want to check out Howl's Moving Castle when it comes out (sometime next year i hope) If you like Miyazaki check this one out as it readily available in the USA. Enjoy, Piper A