Hauru no ugoku shiro (Howl's Moving Castle) poster & wallpaper

Billy Crystal, Blythe Danner, Christian Bale

Sophie, a diligent teenage girl working in her family's hat shop, finds her life thrown into turmoil when a handsome-but-mysterious wizard named Howl sweeps her off her feet. This innocent encounter e...( read more  read more... )nrages the vain and conniving Witch of the Waste, who transforms Sophie into a 90-year-old woman. Sophie's efforts to break the curse bring her to Howl's magical moving castle, where she befriends Markl, Howl's apprentice, and the hot-headed fire demon Calcifer. Her love and support have a major impact on Howl, who can be maddeningly self-indulgent and singularly noble. He defies royal orders to participate in a meaningless war and risks his life to bring peace to the kingdom.

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220,543 ratings

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144 critics

PG, 1 hr. 59 min.

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki

Release Date: June 10, 2005

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DVD Release Date: March 7, 2006

Stats: 16,152 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (16,152)

  • purplemegan
    October 2, 2009
    purplemegan
    This is my second favorite Miyazaki movie so far. Billy Crystal was the perfect voice for a disgruntled ball of fire. I love the random sidekicks that are always accompanying the main characters in his movies.
  • SirPant
    September 17, 2009
    SirPant
    Not my favourite studio Ghibli film but it?s still an amazing achievement in animation and an amazing movie.
  • DrZeek
    August 13, 2009
    DrZeek
    Letti: Wow! He must have been a wizard then.
    Young Sophie: But he was so kind to me. He rescued me, Letti.
    Letti: Of course he did, he was trying to steal your heart. You were so lucky Sophie, if that wizard were Howl, he would have eaten it.
    Young Sophie: No he wouldn't, Howl...( read more) only does that to beautiful girls.

    Another wonderfully made movie from writer/animator/director Hayao Miyazaki. It once again brings to life a world stemming from imagination, a wonderful mix of characters, and for this film an amazing structure that is the moving castle of the title. I would probably like this movie even more if I didn't feel so sorry for the way the lead character Sophie is treated.

    The film begins with a young girl encountering some obnoxious guards in a Victorian-like city setting, only to be saved by the handsome but mysterious wizard known as Howl. Soon after this, Sophie encounters the Witch of the Waste, who curses Sophie, turning her into a 90-year-old woman. Sophie leaves her home in hopes of finding the witch and breaking the curse, only to find herself in Howl's magical moving castle.

    Old Sophie: All right Calcifer, lets get cooking.
    Calcifer: I don't cook! I'm a scary and powerful fire demon!

    Once in the castle, Sopihie befriends the various characters around, including a young apprentice of Howl's, a fire demon trapped in the stove, a scarecrow hopping around outside, and Howl himself, whom Sophie falls for. During all this, a war is going on between two kingdoms, causing much trouble for Howl, it would seem, as he is the target of a sorceress on one of the opposing sides. Sophie also learns of the true nature of Howl, as he reveals in various instances the limits of his powers and what cost it may have.

    Howl: I'm such a big coward, all I do is hide. All of this magic is to keep everybody away. I can't stand how scared I am.

    Due to the support from the guys at Pixar, once again helping make sure the American release was treated as well as possible, the English audio track works very well with this film and features a talented cast of actors, which includes Christian Bale as Howl, Lauren Bacall as the Witch of the Waste, and Billy Crystal as the fire demon.

    The animation in this film is superb. Miyazaki has a way of making everything about how the frames in this film are shown interesting. This is especially the case with the castle, which is such an ingenious design. All the work that goes into the making of films like this once again shows.

    As well drawn as the characters are for the most part, my main gripe comes from the portrayal of Sophie. I felt very sorry through her during the first half of this film and wasn't to happy with the further development in the story regarding her character. However, the pacing this time around, which has troubled me in past Miyazaki films felt pretty good this time, so I was never uninterested in the proceeding actions.

    Overall, another wonderful and imaginative film from Miyazaki.

    Howl: You're wearing that hat? After all the magic I used to make your dress pretty?
  • flixsterman
    July 10, 2009
    flixsterman
    Aside from a story line that's reminiscent of a '60s acid trip (and I mean that as a compliment), the animation is simply fantastic. It's obvious that this is a project crafted by intelligent, talented artists. The detail in the backdrops and scenery is so remarkable that it re...( read more)peatedly took my attention away from the action taking place in the foreground. The plot may be a little disheveled but Howl's Moving Castle is still a lot of fun to watch. A real treat for the eyes.. 4 stars.
  • PvtCaboose91
    May 5, 2009
    PvtCaboose91
    "What a dump. When I think of castles, it's not what I picture."


    Hauru no ugoku shiro (a.k.a. Howl's Moving Castle) - the latest animated enchantment from esteemed Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki - is based on a novel by English writer Diana Wynne-Jone

    ...( read more)s. This portion of anime is set in an indeterminate period (a cross between Harry Potter, Jules Verne and Alice in Wonderland) where late 19th century costumes mingle with flying battleships, witches and wizards.


    The masterpieces of Hayao Miyazaki (and his legendary Studio Ghibli) are indisputably the most exquisite animated pictures originating from Japan. The breathtaking artistry of each of Miyazaki's films is undeniable; employing traditional, time-consuming hand drawn animation to astonishing effect. Miyazaki's 2001 release, Spirited Away, earned him an Oscar for "Best Animated Feature". Miyazaki himself wasn't in attendance on the night to receive the gold statuette - so to speak; he was the underdog whose chances weren't substantial.


    Akin to all of Miyazaki's pictures, it's revitalising to behold anime with appeal extending to adults as well as children. Howl's Moving Castle is an extraordinary movie; visually affluent, enjoyable, eye-catching and amazing. It adheres to a lot of Miyazaki's trademarks - notably a struggling, determined, often unprepared young heroine thrust into an exhilarating adventure. There are also a lot of flying objects, cute magical sprites in addition to ugly, bulbous monsters. However the plotting is opaque and the simplistic message is flattened out into an all-too-lengthy two-hour runtime. It's also hobbled by a general lack of direction and an anti-war message that is handled poorly.


    "You're wearing that hat? After all the magic I used to make your dress pretty?"


    The central heroine of Howl's Moving Castle is a young teenager named Sophie (voiced by Chieko Baisho in the original Japanese dub, and Emily Mortimer (young) and Jean Simmons (old) in the English dub). She's an average girl lacking both confidence and vivacity, and she works at her deceased father's hat shop. While walking through the narrow streets, she is accosted by two soldiers. Sophie is rescued by roguish, self-indulgent magician Howl (Takuya Kimura in the Japanese dub, Christian Bale in the English dub) who takes her for a brief fly around the city - the two of them stroll high above the city walking on air, in the kind of surrealistic dreamlike world only Miyazaki can deliver. It's virtually love at first flight, much to the chagrin of the Wicked Witch of the Waste (Akihiro Miwa in the Japanese dub, Lauren Bacall in the English dub) who's still in love with Howl. Sophie is soon transformed into an aging crone by the jealous, spiteful Wicked Witch. Unable to tell anyone of her plight, Sophie leaves home and embarks on a journey to regain her youth and break the curse. She finds refuge in Howl's magical moving castle where she soon becomes a valued member of the household. As Sophie strives to help Howl bring peace to a war-torn nation, their relationship deepens and she finds herself fighting to protect them both from a dangerous war of sorcery that threatens their world.


    "Looks like we have another addition to the family. Hmmm, you've got quite a nasty spell on you too, huh? Seems everyone in this family's got problems."


    Hayao Miyazaki has infused Howl's Moving Castle with his own myths, themes and preoccupations. The setting is a pungent amalgamation of influences; a 19th-century pastiche of mythological, historical, natural and magical worlds. This is the kind of alternate universe that Miyazaki is accustomed to creating - he conceives the look and feel of a futuristic, retro-fabulous, industrial revolution-era England. The film depicts a valiant new technological period of inventions. The streets abound with trolley cars, carriages, and car prototypes. Up above, strange aircrafts skim through the sky. Beyond the town there's an expressive pastoral landscape. In the vicinity of said landscape there's Howl's Moving Castle; a wheezing, old-fashioned eyesore of the Terry Gilliam school. The vast castle contains a doorway with a magical portal into several different worlds. It waddles on four metallic chicken legs, and steam blows from an assortment of funnels and pipes. It is the property of shape-shifting wizard Howl, who is said to devour the hearts of beautiful young women and is spoken of by the townspeople with a frisson of exhilaration and apprehension. The setting evokes classic fairytales such as Alice in Wonderland and Beauty and the Beast, with the story situated against a contemporised backdrop of war.


    Howl's Moving Castle is an invigorating visual assault. As Studio Ghibli fans have come to anticipate, the film is beautifully rendered and the animation is striking. Traditionalists who yearn for hand drawn animation won't be disappointed. What's most extraordinary and impressive is how smooth and fluid the result is. The backgrounds look absolutely wonderful. Also, the characters themselves are capable of expressing emotions with little obvious alteration to their appearance. The animation is richly detailed and astounding. It is also widely divergent from the Pixar style of computer-generated animation, though CGI has been employed extensively throughout the film (mainly for the backgrounds). Miyazaki has an appeal that crosses generational barriers. Adult audiences will be mesmerised by the depth and variety of the vision while enjoying the clever scenarios and occasionally witty lines (Calcifer is particularly hilarious). Kids will also be drawn to the visuals.


    Miyazaki is renowned for creating imaginative, exhilarating, prosperous and outlandish movies that are enchanting and full of grace as well as gravity. Howl's Moving Castle is also infused with Miyazaki's gentle humour and is utterly absorbing for the first half - especially with the wonder of experiencing a new, incredibly vivid fantasy world. Where the movie has a tendency to disappoint (perhaps that's too strong a word) is in its story. Aside from the story being far too excessively padded out and slender, it contains a few constituents bordering on cliché. Most notable is the anti-war theme, which seems deeply ingrained in Japanese culture and is overused in anime. There are occasions when the film feels like the eponymous castle - a cumbersome, sizeable object constantly in danger of toppling over. A majority of the movie is an extended rant against the evils of war. Howl keeps making speeches about the destructiveness of aerial bombings. While I might be in agreement with the intense 'war is bad' connotation, I don't necessarily want it hammered into my cranium in random preachy moments scattered throughout the feature. For instance, at one stage Sophie asks Howl "Are those the enemy's planes or ours?" to which he replies "Is there really a difference?". These specific interactions are laughable at best, cringe-worthy at worst. It's almost redeemed by its ending; an uplifting marriage of music vocals and redemptive imagery.


    "That boy is extremely dangerous, his powers are far too great for someone without a heart. If he stays selfish, I'm afraid he'll end up just like the Witch of the Waste."


    Howl's Moving Castle is dissimilar to standard Hollywood animation, as Miyazaki eschews movie references and niche elements incorporated for diverse age groups. Miyazaki's sense of "good" and "bad" characters is deliberately ambiguous: there are continuous challenges and surprises in store when it comes to the depiction of villains.

    The journey undertaken by the characters in search of truth and self-discovery is an entertaining and peculiar one. The heroine Sophie exhibits a combination of spunkiness and sombreness. Though cursed into the body of an elderly woman, Sophie learns more about herself as a crone than she ever did as a teenager.


    As usual, an English-language version was eventually produced. Purists may holler, but the product is pure pleasure. Christian Bale is intensely likable as Howl the magician (whose appearance resembles a rock-star). However, Bale is periodically dull. Lauren Bacall lends her throaty voice to the plump Wicked Witch of the Waste. Jean Simmons voices Sophie when the witch turns her into an old hag, while Emily Mortimer provides the voice of the youthful Sophie. Both actresses offer charm. Billy Crystal is comic energy unleashed as Calcifer; the fire demon who keeps the castle moving. Crystal as Calcifer is a hilariously welcome presence.


    True to expectations from Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli, Howl's Moving Castle is a triumph of technical excellence in animation. The synthesis of conventional hand-drawn animation augmented by subtle computer effects is rich, meticulous and vibrant. This degree of visual elegance is paramount, and sustains an audience when the plot gets a tad murky. Nevertheless, Miyazaki delivers a simplistic message; attempting to compensate for the thin story with gangbusters visuals. All age groups, in addition to Miyazaki fans, will coo at the film's optical depth and rich surreality. But opaque plotting lets the momentum of the first act vanish into thin air. This isn't of the sheer brilliance of Spirited Away or Grave of the Fireflies, but Howl's Moving Castle is a self-assured addition to the Studio Ghibli pantheon.


    "When you're old, all you want to do is stare at the scenery. It's so strange. I've never felt so peaceful before."
  • lnlight
    November 20, 2009
    lnlight
    Another Miyazaki classic
  • rochandre
    November 13, 2009
    rochandre
    LOVE IT, Everything about it.
  • blackheart218
    November 12, 2009
    blackheart218
    CALL ME WHAT YOU WILL... I LOVE THIS ANIME SHIT...THIS ONT IS ONE OF THE BEST I HAVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME
  • draumrkopa
    November 9, 2009
    draumrkopa
    Great final in this movie
  • theloneowl
    November 6, 2009
    theloneowl
    Splendido anche questo.
    "A heart is a heavy burden."

View All Hauru no ugoku shiro (Howl's Moving Castle) Reviews

Critic Reviews

June 11, 2005
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

Meanders so listlessly that its details become less and less charming. Miyazaki's storytelling style resembles that of a breathless young tot who's fearlessly exercising his newfound powers of express... full review

June 10, 2005
David Edelstein, Slate

Miyazaki is like a soulful cartographer of the soul, mapping our inner landscape, leaving us bedazzled. full review

June 10, 2005
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

There's a word for the kind of comic, dramatic, romantic, transporting visions Miyazaki achieves in Howl's: bliss. full review

June 10, 2005
Nick Schager, Filmcritic.com

Even a lesser Miyazaki effort is superior to 99 percent of its American contemporaries. full review

June 9, 2005
Claudia Puig, USA Today

This movie often soars, blending a childlike sense of wonder with sophisticated emotions and motives. full review

June 9, 2005
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

A parade of weird characters comes onstage to do their turns, but the underlying plot grows murky and, amazingly for a Miyazaki film, we grow impatient at spectacle without meaning. full review

June 9, 2005
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

The latest animated tour de force from the Japanese director Hayao Miyazak is a fitting introduction to one of modern cinema's great enchanters. full review

View more Hauru no ugoku shiro (Howl's Moving Castle) reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments

  • veleaarabela
    May 4, 2009
    veleaarabela
    I love this movie to and it's very good
  • kristyann1
    October 6, 2008
    kristyann1
    I love this movie!!!
  • tristerfun
    May 12, 2008
    tristerfun
    I love this movie so much!
  • haleypinkflower
    May 12, 2008
    haleypinkflower
    this is the best movie ener
  • ROSECHAN
    April 8, 2008
    ROSECHAN
    i love t5his video i wich u could do another movie like this
  • ShyHinata
    January 7, 2008
    ShyHinata
    i love this film
  • xMissColzyChanx
    December 22, 2007
    xMissColzyChanx
    OMG!!! i loved this movie!!! i bought it on dvd after seeing a preview of it & i love it. it is now my fav anime flim!!! i also love howl <3 x
  • HoosierBear28
    November 21, 2007
    HoosierBear28
    OMG WHO DOESN"T LOVE THIS MOVIE IT ROCKS! BEST MOVIE EVER! ALL TIME FAVORITE>
  • Tish95
    November 18, 2007
    Tish95
    I LOVE this movie!!! i swear, i'll NEVER get tired of watching it. but seriously it was a really great movie and i really enjoyed it!
  • animalluvr770
    October 15, 2007
    animalluvr770
    this is one of my faveorite animae movies!
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  • Name the film Howl: Calcifer, move the castle sixty miles west. [walks away] Howl: And while you're at it, make hot water for my bath. Calcifer: Fine, like moving the castle isn't hard enough!   Answer »
  • Calcifer: You shouldn't keep flying around like that.Soon you won't be able to turn back into a human.  Answer »
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