Tenkû no shiro Rapyuta (1986)

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

Colour:

Colour

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 name "Laputa" was taken from the flying city in Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels." It also means "the whore" in Spanish, hence the name change to simply "Castle in the Sky" for the Disney release.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Pazu sets off with Dola and her sons to rescue Sheeta from Muska and the army, he is wearing goggles that he had put on moments earlier. When they take off on their Flaptors, one moment the goggles are above Pazu's eyes, then a bit later on, as they rise into the air, they are covering his eyes, only to be back above his eyes again a bit later.

Quotes:

Louis: [clinging to the automobile in the chase sequence] I'd really prefer to be in the car, Mother!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)

Best animated film I've ever seen

I have seen just about all of Miyazaki's films, and they are all beautiful and captivating. But this one rises above the rest. This movie totally impressed me!

I fell in love with Pazu and Sheeta, and their sweet, caring friendship. They were what made the movie for me. Of course, the animation is also superb and the music captures the feelings in the film perfectly. But the characters are the shining point in this movie: they are so well developed and full of personality.

Now, let me clarify: I'm really talking about the Japanese version of the movie (with English subs). While the English dub is good (mostly), it simply pales in comparison to the original language version. The voices are better, the dialogue, everything. So I suggest seeing (and hearing) the movie the way it originally was.