DVD Collectors Online

Tonari no Totoro, a review by dfmorgan

Tonari no Totoro (1988/Japan) (Japan) Director: Hayao Miyazaki Writing: Hayao Miyazaki (Original Material By), Hayao Miyazaki (Screenwriter) Length: 86 min. Video: Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio: 2-Channel Stereo, English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Cantonese: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, French: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, German: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Italian: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Korean: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Mandarin: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean

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Stars:
Noriko Hidaka as Satsuki Kusakabe (Voice)
Chika Sakamoto as Mei Kusakabe (Voice)
Hitoshi Takagi as Totoro (Voice)
Shigesato Itoi as Tatsuo (Satsuki & Mei's Father) (Voice)
Sumi Shimamoto as Yasuko (Satsuki & Mei's Mother) (Voice)

Plot:
Critically acclaimed as one of the most delightful and charming family films ever, My Neighbor Totoro is a stunning animated treat full of magical adventure from Hayao Miyazaki.

Follow the adventures of Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei when they move into a new home in the countryside. To their delight, they discover that their new neighbor is a mysterious forest spirit called Totoro-who can be seen only through the eyes of a child. Totoro introduces them to extraordinary characters-including a cat that doubles as a bus!-and takes them on an incredible journey.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Feature Trailers
• Bonus Trailers
• Featurettes
• Storyboard Comparisons
• Picture-in-picture

My original review of the R1 DVD is here.

Still a truly marvellous film and this Blu-ray edition enhances it with some added depth and colourings from the added resolution.

Rating: Still a double

(From Ghibli Blu's on July 29th, 2012)

Ride Him Cowboy, a review by Rogmeister

A couple years ago, Warner Brothers released some Triple Feature DVDs...two of John Wayne's early "B" films and two featuring 3 Randolph Scott westerns.  This review features one of the Wayne westerns...this movie was on a disc that also included The Big Stampede and Haunted Gold...



Ride Him Cowboy (1932)
Cast: John Wayne, Ruth Hall, Henry B. Walthall, Frank Hagney
Director: Fred Allen

Back in the 1930s, many cowboys had horses that were nearly as famous as they were...Tom Mix had Tony, Gene Autry had Champion and, of course, Roy Rogers had Trigger. When John Wayne signed a contract with Warner Brothers, it was decided that he should have a horse that would also get billing in the movies. In a rather odd decision, they named the horse Duke, which of course also happened to be John Wayne's nickname.

The horse equated himself well enough but the film is only okay, a typical B-oater. The horse Duke is the only witness to a crime and the mysterious villain known as The Hawk (in his civilian guise) tries to have the horse destroyed in an outdoor trial. John Wayne (as John Drury) comes along and convinces the judge to spare the horse. Drury helps the girl on whose ranch Duke lives and, of course, Duke eventually become's Drury's horse. All is eventually brought right and Duke himself winds up killing The Hawk.

All in all, a low rung on John Wayne's trip up the ladder of fame.

(From Roger's Ongoing Westerns Marathon on June 28th, 2009)

Caroline in the City Marathon, a review by Tom

Caroline and the Married Man (1996-01-11)
Writer: Wil Calhoun
Director: Tom Cherones
Cast: Lea Thompson (Caroline), Eric Lutes (Del), Malcolm Gets (Richard), Amy Pietz (Annie), Andy Lauer (Charlie), Beau Gravitte (Tom Barna), Tom La Grua (Remo), Jessie Jones (Receptionist)

Average episode. Beginning of the unrequited love of Richard.



Caroline and the 28 lb. Walleye (1996-01-25)
Writer: Ian Praiser, Carol Gary
Director: Tom Cherones
Cast: Lea Thompson (Caroline), Eric Lutes (Del), Malcolm Gets (Richard), Amy Pietz (Annie), Andy Lauer (Charlie), Paul Castree (Chris Duffy), James Callahan (Mayor Paisley), Patrick T. O'Brien (Councilman Hardy), Beth Wishnie (Lindsay), Patricia Gaul (Mrs. Baerwald), Earl Holliman (Fred Duffy), Mariette Hartley (Margaret Duffy)

A good episode. Caroline gets a park in her hometown named after her, but her brother steals her thunder as usual.



Caroline and the Watch (1996-02-01)
Writer: Mark Wilding
Director: James Burrows
Cast: Lea Thompson (Caroline), Eric Lutes (Del), Malcolm Gets (Richard), Amy Pietz (Annie), Andy Lauer (Charlie), Rose Marie (Stella Dawson), Morey Amsterdam (Vic Stansky), Robert Cesario (Mr. Dunn), Beans Morocco (Minister)

The opening titles change with this episode. Sadly they have done away with the little animated comic strips which they did for opening each episode.
Also new is that in this episode Caroline got the new work desk. Which means that finally Richard and Caroline can work at the same time

(From Caroline in the City Marathon on September 16th, 2008)