Tenkû no shiro Rapyuta (1986)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

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 | Pirate | Castle | Flying | Army

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)

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

Company:

Studio Ghibli

Trivia:

Director Trademark: [Hayao Miyazaki] [flying]As the title suggests, the castle of Laputa flies. Numerous flying contraptions feature in the movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: The colour of the hand-cannon shells that Dola gives Pazu alternates. The case of the shells is red, and the cap is gold, but later on the case becomes gold, and the cap red.

Quotes:

[after Dola decides to let Pazu and Sheeta become pirates]
Louis: [overjoyed] YES! No more swabbin' the decks! Hooray!
Henri: I won't have to wash the dishes!
Charles: I've peeled my last potato! YEE-HAW!
Louis: WHOOPIE!
Henri: WHEE!
[they all fly around and start celebrating]

Movie Connections:

References Gulliver's Travels (1939)

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.