
Overview
Acclaimed Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki adapts British writer Diana Wynne Jones's popular fantasy tale for this animated feature, adding his own unique and celebrated dreamlike spin. A young hat-maker named Sophie (voiced by Emily Mortimer) is turned into an old woman by the dreaded Witch of the Waste (Lauren Bacall) when she attracts the notice of Howl (Christian Bale), a young wizard whom the witch desires for herself. As the old woman, (voiced by Jean Simmons), Sophie finds refuge as a cleaning lady in Howl's magical castle, an impressively realized mishmash of anthropomorphic shafts and gears, where she meets, among other wonders, a cantankerous fire demon named Calcifer (Billy Crystal). Howl's courage inspires her to seek a cure for her curse, and vice versa, and the two work together to prevent a major war as the castle roams the countryside on its mechanical legs. There's lots of magic afoot as well, including travel through barriers of space and time, and shape-shifting, requiring full viewer attention to keep track of who, where, and when, but this how dreams really are and the film engages on that same subconscious level. As with Miyazaki's previous work (SPIRITED AWAY, KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE), the emphasis here is on creating a beautiful alternate reality, where anything can happen, and every frame is a breathtaking work of art. See it on the big screen if the chance presents itself; the elaborate intricacies and patiently realized alternate realities of Miyazaki's work makes him a true treasure.
Awards:
Main Cast & Crew:
Hayao Miyazaki - Director
Christian Bale (voice)
Billy Crystal (voice)
Lauren Bacall (voice)
Jean Simmons (voice)
Emily Mortimer (voice)
Blythe Danner (voice)
Crispin Freeman (voice)
Liliana Mumy (voice)
Mark Silverman (voice)
Josh Hutcherson (voice)
Details
- Format: DVD
- Run Time: 120
- Color Format: Color
- UPC: 826663181616
- Genre: Fantasy
- Rating: PG (MPAA) (frightening images and brief mild language)
- Release Date: March 2006

Movie Reviews
Notes:
Theatrical Release: November 20, 2004 (Japan)
June 10, 2005 (U.S. Limited)
Reviews:
"[S]tunningly beautiful and strangely moving....Miyazaki has a very good handle on it and lavishes his customary heart, humor, and inventiveness on every situation he depicts." - 06/01/2005 Premiere, p.52-54
"Admirers of his work, which is wildly imaginative, emotionally intense and surpassingly gentle, will find much to appreciate in this film because it demonstrates, once again, his visual ingenuity and his sensitivity as a storyteller." - 06/10/2005 New York Times, p.E13
"Clever and often enchanting....This movie often soars, blending a childlike sense of wonder with sophisticated emotions and motives." - 06/10/2005 USA Today, p.4E
"[Miyazaki has a] gift for wonder, an ease with fantasy that makes enchantment second nature..." - 06/10/2005 Los Angeles Times, p.E4
"As HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE makes ravishingly clear, coming into one's own is the most heroic -- and magical -- experience of all." - 06/17/2005 Entertainment Weekly, p.57-58
"[T]his is subtle, profound and ravishing; once again, Miyazaki brings an original sense of wonder to cinema." - 10/01/2005 Uncut, p.140
"The riches of nature are present, correct and ravishing....HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE serves as an index of Miyazaki motifs..." - 10/01/2005 Sight and Sound, p.66
3 stars out of 4 -- "[T]his Oscar-nominated Japanese animation wanders into seriously trippy territory....Relentlessly imaginative..." - 03/23/2006 Rolling Stone, p.76
4 stars out of 5 -- "Tremendously imaginative and charming." - 05/01/2006 Uncut, p.150
"[T]he visuals are breathtaking, especially when Miyazaki takes to the air..." - 05/22/2013 A.V. Club
"If this treat from Studio Ghibli seems a bit slow, it's meant to be -- agitation and video-game rhythms are anathema to Mr. Miyazaki's aesthetic..." - 01/09/2014 Wall Street Journal
