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Disney Offers More Studio Ghibli on DVD

MY NEIGHBORS THE YAMADAS (1999) and POM POKO (1994), two animated features from director and Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata, make their DVD debuts (Buena Vista Home Ent., $29.99) on Aug. 16, 2005. The former provides nine amusing comic book-style tales in the life of the quirky Yamada family, punctuated by a haiku.

Takashi Yamada and wacky wife Matsuko navigate their way through ups and downs of work, marriage and family life with a sharp-tongued grandmother who lives with them, a teenage son who wishes he had cooler parents and a pesty daughter whose loud voice is unusual for someone so small. The two-disc set contains the original Japanese-language version along with an English-language version featuring the voice talents of Jim Belushi, Molly Shannon and Disney stalwart David Ogden Stiers. Extras contain Japanese storyboards plus the usual behind-the-microphone featurette with voice talent that accompanies other Disney-produced Studio Ghibli DVDs.

Meanwhile, POM POKO, which was the first animated feature to be submitted in the Foreign Language Oscar category, is a tale of the clash between modern civilization and the natural world. The Raccoons of the Tama Hills are forced from their homes by the rapid development of houses and shopping malls. As it becomes harder to find food and shelter, they decide to band together and fight back. The Raccoons practice the ancient art of transformation until they are even able to appear as humans in this broad-humored celebration of nature. The two-disc set includes both Japanese and English-language versions along with Japanese storyboards.

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Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.

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