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My Neighbour Totoro | 
 enlarge | Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Studio: Optimum Home Entertainment
Category: DVD
List Price: £19.99
Buy New: £6.87
You Save: £13.12 (66%)
New (14) Used (1) from £6.80
Avg. Customer Rating:  48 reviews
Sales Rank: 2295
Format: Pal
Languages: English (Original Language), Japanese (Original Language)
Rating: Universal, suitable for all
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 90
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5060034573302
ASIN: B000CBEWYM
Release Date: March 27, 2006
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand New - Swift dispatch from UK mainland
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| Customer Reviews: Read 43 more reviews...
 Not as good as Howls moving castle, more childish June 29, 2008
I was hoping to get a great fairytale like story with a touch of darknes, but this story was much more childish, and I was a bit dissapointet.
An absolute must May 31, 2008
3 out of 6 found this review helpful
Hayao Miyazaki is one of Japan's greatest animation directors. The entertaining plots, compelling characters and breathtaking animation in his films have earned him universal international acclaim from critics as well as public recognition in his home country, where he is sometimes called the "Walt Disney of Japan", but he hates that title. My Neighbour Totoro is a movie set in the still countryside of early 20th century Japan and focuses on a few days in the life of two sisters, Satsuki (about 10 years old) and Mei (about 5). They have just moved into a peaceful village with their father Tatsuo, a University professor who has to take the bus every night to work. Their mother Yasuko is recovering from an unknown condition at a hospital some three hours away. In between visits to the hospital to check on Yasuko, the two girls explore the great woodlands and forests around them. One day little Mei, who I can only describe as cute, loud and curious, bumps into a forest dwelling "spirit" named Totoro. He's like a huge cuddly bear but only the two girls can see him. But everyone else is open minded about their existence. Tatsuo and the locals do not admonish the girls for believing in spirits, they almost encourage it.
So what's so great about this film? It is a peaceful existence but there are moments of real, unforced drama. The girls are so endearing; Mei, the loudmouthed little critter who loves to explore and play, and Satsuki, the brave and courageous little girl who is maintaining a balancing act as a kind of mother to Mei whilst still being a playful kid herself. They are so real and likable. When the film is seemingly doing nothing, it is in fact developing the characters so that once moments of crisis occur we sit up and become genuinely worried about the outcome. In spite of the fantasy element, the movie seems so grounded in reality we really do get upset for the characters when things go wrong. And unlike many Disney movies, it lacks the assurance that "it'll all be alright in the end".
There are images from the film that won't leave my mind. The movie takes time to meditate on scenes of stillness and quiet. Like rainfall on a dusky sky outside the girls' house. Or the kid Kanta playing with a model airplane whilst sitting on his porch, arguing his way out of doing some chore his mother is yelling for him to do, from within the house.
This is a film made for everyone. Kids will love it and so will anyone else regardless of their age. This film just captures you so naturally, without trying and without even having much of anything to show you but a couple of excited young sisters exploring their new house, the forest that surrounds it and the cuddly spirit that inhabits it. Without doubt a must-see.
I love this film May 30, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
My daughter who is three and a half loves this film! We play 'where is totoro hiding?' in the local woods since watching this film. The animation is beautiful and the characters are charming. Five Stars! Service was good too, no complaints.
really good February 3, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
love studio ghibli films (spirited away and the amazing princess mononoke) and this is no exception. fantastic animation, wonderful characters and the dub was perfectly fine in my opinion. the story is so original and with characters like totoro and the catbus you won't be disappointed. the family will love this one.
Exuberantly and heart-warmingly brings you into the childs world February 1, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I simply adored this film when I first saw it. It was with a bunch of friends. And it's funny, because it essentially a kid's film, and though we were all younger or older adults, we were all completely INTO the film. All the characters are so wonderfully portrayed, and we found ourselves having genuine concern for them throughout the film.
Pure, childlike exuberance! This film really awakened the inner child in many of us watching, and for a while thereafter "Totoro" became a household word.
Oh and the "Theme song" is simply charming, charming, charming!
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