Suvudu Universe

I know a number of my readers will be interested in this. The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness is a documentary about the workings of the famous animation studio that made such movies as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and The Secret World of Arrietty, Studio Ghibli.

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness

It will be out on DVD on January 27 (list price $29.95), but digital download purchases are available now. Here’s a synopsis, followed by the trailer:

Granted near-unfettered access to the notoriously insular Studio Ghibli, director Mami Sunada follows the three men who are the lifeblood of Ghibli — the eminent director Hayao Miyazaki, the producer Toshio Suzuki, and the elusive and influential “other director” Isao Takahata — over the course of a year as the studio rushes to complete two films, Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises and Takahata’s The Tale of The Princess Kaguya. The result is a rare “fly on the wall” glimpse of the inner workings of one of the world’s most celebrated animation studios — creators of successful films including Princess Mononoke and the Oscar-winning Spirited Away, the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time — and an insight into the dreams, passion, and singular dedication of these remarkable creators.

The DVD bonus material will include The Kingdom According to Ushiko featurette, trailers, and English subtitles. Here’s a review of the film from when it played in festivals earlier this year.