Porco Rosso (1992)

by | May 16, 2005 | DVD & Blu-ray Video Reviews | 0 comments

Porco Rosso (1992)

Anime feature by Hayao Miyazaki
Studio: Ghibli Films/Walt Disney (2 discs)
Video: 1.85:1 widescreen
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 THX, DD Stereo, French and Japanese language
Extras: Voice talent special with Michael Keaton, Brad Garret &
others; Complete storyboard of entire film on Disc 2 with soundtrack;
Original Japanese trailers; Interview with Producer Toshio Suzuki
Length: 93 minutes
Rating: ****

Another unique and delightful family anime from “Japan’s Disney “-
Miyazaki; his Spirited Away being the last smash film to captivate
Northern American audiences. This earlier film takes place in a fantasy
Italy somewhere around 1930 I would guess. Porco is a former WWI pilot
who is now a reclusive bounty hunter. His name is because his face has
been transformed into that of a pig via some mysterious spell. He
fights a band of seaplane-flying pirates who hire a rival stuck-up
pilot to carry on an aerial dogfight with Porco and shoot him
down.There is also a beautiful woman who owns a restaurant on a
picturesque Italian island where both Porco and the pirates like to
hang out. The rival and Porco are also rivals for her affection.
There’s also a very young girl airplane designer and builder of a fast
new plane for Porco who flies with him to tweak her new creation in the
air. The Italian scenery and also the dogfights and planes flying thru
the clouds are gorgeously rendered by Miyazaki and his hardworking
animators. Michael Keaton has a lot of fun doing Porco’s voice. A
charming family film with plenty of intellectual and historical details
to interest the adults.

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