One of the most common misconceptions about us Brits is that we don’t indulge in displays of emotion. It’s not true – in fact it’s a trait limited only to our gangly, socially-inept ruling classes – you know, the ones we would have eradicated if we’d had a proper revolution – and spread around the world by the constant stream of Jane Austen adaptations we shit out and the inexplicable popularity of ’stars’ like Hugh Grant. Anyway. I can assure you right now I am displaying emotions – several in fact – but actually the dominate one is so typically British. It’s disappointment.
Some news was circulating this week about about the UK release date for Miyazaki’s Ponyo and frankly, it was such bad news that I had to get it confirmed myself. A quick email to distributors Optimum – who have the license for Ghibli product in the UK, not Disney – triggered this response and my worst fears:
Hi Tim,
Ponyo will be released in cinemas nationwide on February 5th 2010. The DVD will be released in mid June 2010. Whether or not it will be released on Blu-ray is yet to be confirmed.
Many thanks.
Best wishes,
Nice Optimum PR Person
February? And no UK DVD until June next year? Ouch.
Hugely disappointing, especially as us poor Ghibli-loving limeys have been soaking up all the hype about the film and Miyazaki’s appearances in the US. Not that I’m blaming Optimum for this – I have no knowledge of the behind the scenes legal, economic and political dealings that have lead to this decision – plus they have always provided first class products with all their previous Ghibli releases. In fact – unlike Disney – as they have no fear of releasing un-dubbed versions, we actually have had some titles released over here that have yet to surface in the US – Tales of Earthsea and Only Yesterday being two great examples. The flip side is that the ones that Disney do want to honor with a dub seem to be delayed, as though we’re getting the Mouse’s second pickings. Like I say, I can’t claim to know the in and outs of whats happening behind the scenes, but it does leave a somewhat bitter taste in the mouth.
As for the DVD release date, well that just seems like an unfeasibly long way off. Presumably it’ll be out on DVD in the US by year end, and most likely on Bluray too. Either way, it doesn’t seem like a particular helpful delay for an industry trying to fight off internet piracy. I’ve actually got hold of a copy of the Japanese DVD release, but was holding off watching it, hoping that I’d be able to see it at the cinema first. As you can imagine I’m not waiting until February now, so that’s something to do this weekend. Look out next week for a full review.
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Well, thanks for being able to get something out of Optimum- I’ve been trying for ages, to the same ‘out of office’ reply. To an extent, yes, we don’t fully know the ins and outs, but, I’m still quite mad with Optimum. They’ve been twiddling their thumbs about Ponyo all year, first of all it was April (sub), then August, rumours of September, and now this 2010 crap?! There was even a preview at the BFI slated for August, that was cancelled without any announcement. And they’re pushing films out all over the place, so, yes, yes, they’re a busy distributor, but February is such a dead slot that it’s bound only to play to existing fans. Since they’re a small distributor, too, the marketing I’m guessing won’t be strong as it has been in America either.
This also brings up serious questions about anime distributors in the UK. Despite the legal mumbo jumbo, they must realise they have to hurry it up with releasing stuff. If piracy’s killing the industry, then surely the distributors are to blame. Afterall, why would i pay to buy/watch something that’s over two years old and has been available to me by other means for that long? I’ll see Ponyo when it comes out, because it will be a real treat to see it in the cinema, but I’ve seen it already on DVD, like a lot of other people. Releasing it after the US DVD release isn’t a smart move either. It’s a really dumb one. So, whoever is responsible is quite frankly an idiot who is shooting themselves and their representatives in the foot.
Here in Singapore, we’re just showing UP. And Coraline’s coming out only in September. I will definitely not be going to the cinemas for them, no matter how much I love the movies. I’ll rather wait a few more months to get the Blu-ray.
As for Ponyo, I’ll just get the disc also.
Euggh.. How depressing.
Licensing will always be one of those bug-bears that isn’t going to go away in a hurry. Shooting themselves in the foot like that is really quite small fry compared to some of the other feats. The best so far has to be the re-dubbing of Ghost in the shell: Innocence for the Bluray release as there is a rights issue regarding the Manga UK dub released in the UK. The US never got a dubbed version first time around and the new dub is the exact same cast.
Anway, lets hope there is a bit more effort put into the Ponyo cinema release. The Earthsea premier was very low key.
February 2010??? I’ve been waiting for aaaaaaaaages now! I guess I’ll buy the DVD when it’s available, as I can’t wait any longer! I reckon the only good thing about this is that I won’t have to suffer the English dubbing with a stupid Jonas brother doing it. Although it would’ve been nice to actually watch the animation work on the big screen. Sob, sob, sob… :’(
[...] opened nationwide on Friday. Sadly us poor Brits have got to wait until February, but even before that news broke, I had managed to get hold of a copy of the recently released Japanese DVD. The DVD has an English [...]
Not only will I have to drive my three year old fortyfive minutes to the nearest arts picture house (because what are the chances of it coming out at the local cineworld?) but now she has to wait til feb? She’s loving the theme and dance now, but feb? Not sure if her attention span is that long!
Wow, I’m glad I saw Ponyo while visiting relatives in the states last week. It was phenomenal.
We never get any good films at our crappy suburban cinema here in the midlands. how I miss living in NYC….
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hardly an anime fan at all. Just be thankful it got released at all
Keep your chins up lads – only a few more days to go (although release date is now the 12th and not the 5th).
Got tickets booked, taking my 7 year old niece to see it on Saturday.
Now I will have seen the sub and dub on the big screen.
[...] Studio Ghibli, are having one of their latest anime, Ponyo, release in cinema. How great is [...]
Aww! Its not really fair is it?! But at least the waitings over for it to come out in the cinema… YAY!! PONYO PONYO PONY!! …only a few more months till it comes out on DVD!!
To think that I saw the DVD on sale in France just after Christmas… I should have bought it!!!
Not just coming out on DVD, its going to be on BD too!
Roll on the rest of the Ghibli catalogue on BD.