Miyazaki's Ponyo Now on DVD and Blu-Ray

Press release from Walt Disney Home Video:

Disney Presents a Studio Ghibli Film From Oscar®-Winning Director Hayao Miyazaki:


PONYO

A Fantastic Re-imagination of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid”

Comes to Blu-Ray™ Hi-Def and DVD on March 2, 2010

A heartwarming and lushly animated retelling of a beloved fairytale, Ponyo comes to Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD on March 2, 2010 from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. Presented by legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki and featuring the exquisitely hand-drawn animation that has won Miyazaki worldwide acclaim, Ponyo transports audiences into an enchanting dreamscape where anything seems possible. Inspired by the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale “The Little Mermaid” also incorporates a very contemporary concern for nature. Hayao Miyazaki’s Ponyo is packed with never-before-seen bonus features. The Ponyo Blu-ray and DVD brings audiences a breathtaking introduction to the world of global animation for children and adults, making it a perfect holiday gift for the whole family.

Miyazaki creates a bold, imaginative vision of a magical world from a child’s point of view. The first film from Miyazaki to be made available on Blu-ray, Ponyo brims with color and energy on a stunning journey into a child’s inner life. With a story that families can enjoy together, the film’s star-studded voice cast includes Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth, Babel), Matt Damon (The Bourne Ultimatum), Tina Fey (“30 Rock”), Liam Neeson (The Chronicles of Narnia), Cloris Leachman (Castle in the Sky), Betty White (“The Golden Girls”), comedian Lily Tomlin and introduces Noah Lindsey Cyrus (as Ponyo) and Frankie Jonas (as Sosuke).

Creator of acclaimed and beloved animated classics including Academy Award®-winner Spirited Away (2002 winner for Best Animated Feature) and Howl’s Moving Castle, Miyazaki is founder of the legendary Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli. John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Pixar Animation Studios, is a two-time Academy Award winner (1998 winner for Best Short Film, Animated for Tin Toy and 1995 Special Achievement Award for Toy Story) and a recognized pioneer in the field of animation. He is credited with executive producing as well as directing the English language voice cast on the film. Joining Lasseter as executive producers of the English-language version are Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall.

Walking on the beach near his home, a five-year old boy named Sosuke (voiced by Frankie Jonas) finds a beautiful goldfish trapped in a bottle. He releases the tiny creature and, sure that she is no ordinary fish, names his new friend Ponyo (Noah Lindsey Cyrus). As Ponyo and Sosuke grow closer, she reveals to him that she is the daughter of a powerful wizard (Liam Neeson) and a sea goddess (Cate Blanchett), and magically transforms herself into a real human girl. But by crossing from her watery world onto land, Ponyo has created a dangerous imbalance in nature. As the moon begins to draw closer to the earth, sea levels rise and a giant tsunami threatens to destroy Sosuke’s home. Ponyo’s father marshals all his might to find his missing daughter, as the two children embark on an adventure of a lifetime to try and save the world.

Bonus Features
The World of Ghibli- Allows fans to immerse themselves in the amazing worlds from each film created by legendary filmmaker, Hayao Miyazaki in this multi-layered interactive experience.

Lands to explore include:
• PONYO’S Land
• KIKI’S Land
• CASTLE’S Land
• TOTORO’S Land

Behind the Studio- Unprecedented access to all the background, inspiration and process behind he making of Ponyo and the inner workings of Studio Ghibli through a series of documentaries. They include all new interviews with Hayao Miyazaki, and composer Joe Hisaishi.

Also included in this feature are:
• Creating Ponyo
• Ponyo & Fujimoto
• The Nursery
• Behind the Microphone: The Voice of Ponyo
• Producers Perspective: Telling the Story
• Scoring Miyazaki
• The Scenery in Ghibli
• Original Japanese Trailer

Ponyo is priced at $39.99 for Blu-ray Hi-Def and $29.99 for 2-Disc DVD.
STREET DATE: March 2, 2010
Pricing: DVD: $29.99 (US), $ 35.99(Canada)
Blu-ray Disc: $39.99 (U.S.), $41.99 (Canada)
Rated: G

Technical specifications may only apply to feature

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