Millenium Actress

[joke-machine]

HI-- my local school theatre is showing the anime Millenium Actress on the big screen this week. I looked up some reviews on the web, but still I'm not too sure about it. Has anyone seen this yet, would you recomend it? (BTW its only $3 to get in).

[MrDisco]

no offense but you're debating over $3? MA has been widely praised as a top-notch anime film. it is an 'artsy' flick so dont expect ecchi, mecha, etc. it was done by the same person who created Perfect Blue so the art style may not appeal to some. i have yet to read a negative comment about this film.

[JELEINEN]

You have a chance to see it in a theater? They're only charging $3 to get in? You're debating whether or not to see it? You have now revoked your right to live. You must now turn yourself in at the local organ donation center for harvesting.*

The movie is great, and I highly recommend you go see it.

*The above was meant in a facetious manner.

[joke-machine]

Yeah I guess you guys have some pretty valid points You can't rent a flick for $3 any more. I'm going Thursday night to see it. thanks for the advice-

[Mowe]

Madman Australia just released the Region 4 Millennium Actress.

I didn’t think I was going to buy another Millennium Actress DVD, but as soon as I noticed the 6.1 DTS Japanese & English tracks, I knocked it off the shelves in zero second….only to be slightly disappointed again. Here is my impression:

Cover Art:

Madman stuck with the R.1 art work which sucks. The unfortunate thing is the reverse cover used the same cover as well, Barkka!!!

The Dub:

The English dub sucks. The new voice-over has none of the elegance of the original Japanese casts. Chiyoko sounds like a bimbo, just like Minmay in RT. The rest of the English casts are just tone dead.

The dialogues used a lot of American colloquial, which again sucks. The script for the historical scenes were crap too, it was as if they didn’t make an effort (or have the skill) to properly translate ancient Japanese dialogue.

The sub:

Bad English Dub, no worries – just switch to Japanese and make use of the sub. Fortunately, they kept the original sub. However, I always suspected the original English sub was not that well written either. Some of the ideas never quite translated faithfully from the Japanese dialogue. Would be great if a Japanese MW member can verify that for me.

6.1 DTS

Having already own the R.1 & R.2 version, I believe this is the only release that has the 6.1 DTS Japanese track and it is awesome. I loved the MA music and it really shows with the DTS. Again, I didn’t care much about the English 6.1.

Aspect ratio

Like the R.1 release, the aspect ratio is not exactly 16:9 as it claim to be on the DVD jacket. They both have a bit of edge clipping when compare to the R.2 release. This bugs me lot as I was hoping the R.4 release could be my ultimate MA release (full width + 6.1 DTS, can’t they just get it right???)

Image

I have no doubt the R.2 has more vibrant colour and images than the R.1. A lot of the blue-sky scenes really come through crisp and clean with the R.2. But for some strange reason I find R.4 is pretty close (if not the same) to R2.

One query I always have when comparing the R.2 and R.1 (and now R.4) is that what happened to the post war scene when Chiyoko fainted after she found the crumbled wall with her portrait? The R.2 has a fizzy image of Chiyoko’s portrait coincided with a big construction bang noise (which I think is the intention of the director). Some smart-alex from dreamwork must had thought that was some sort of image problem and decided edited the fizzy image out. Does anyone notice that or know the answer??

Conclusion

Disappointed again but being a Millennium Actress nut (MA is my all time 2nd fav after DYRL), I had to own the 6.1 Japanese DTS release. Just annoyed with the clipped image ratio. I supposesed the English Dub would help when I screen it o my office colleagues whom are novices to animation and have difficulties following sub.

Edited April 1, 2006 by Mowe

[Macross73]

Go ! its $3.oo Go!

[Rocket Punch]

Go !  its $3.oo Go!

386433[/snapback]

Seriously. Movie tickets here on the West Coast average around $10.00 at major theater chains. What are ticket prices like on the East? Is there even a difference?

[Macross73]

Its been awhile

but i think its $9 something here in Md.

[JELEINEN]

Go !  its $3.oo Go!

386433[/snapback]

Umm... you might want to check the dates on the first few posts of this thread.

[Rocket Punch]

LOL

I sure hope he went.

[NERV]

great movie, i own it and been meaning to watch it again