Film4 Gives the UK a Studio Ghibli Easter

Sometimes Film4 does magical things. It is a major part of UK film production and it helped bring about the magic of great films like Shame, Submarine, Berberian Sound Studio and Attack the Block… Well that last one has lost a lot of its appeal for me. Other times it screens great films at a time when I will actually watch them. It also has the rights to screen nearly every Studio Ghibli and pre-Studio Ghibli film ever made and screens those on special occasions. This Easter, starting with the channel premiere of Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, Film4 is going to screen 19 Ghibli films from the earliest titles like The Little Norse Prince all the way to Arrietty!

I may have only two Ghibli film reviews (Ponyo and Arrietty) but I have seen all of these with the exception of Ocean Waves. I cannot recommend these films highly enough. My personal favourites are Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Porco Rosso, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns. Each of them is brilliant and Spirited Away ranks as one of the most magical experiences I have ever had in a cinema. The only one I will refuse to watch is Grave of the Fireflies because I was left an emotional wreck the last time I viewed it and it’s on at 1 in the morning and I have work the next day

Enough from me. GHIBLI dates and times and titles and images:

Tuesday 26th March – Saturday 13th April 2013

Tuesday March 26, 6.3o p.m.: Spirited Away (2001), Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Wednesday March 27, 6.05 p.m.: Princess Mononoke (1997), Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Thursday March 28, 11 a.m.: The Cat Returns (2002), Director: Hiroyuki Morita

Thursday March 28, 4.35 p.m.: Porco Rosso (1992), Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Friday March 29, 4.45 p.m.: Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Saturday March 30, 4.55 p.m.: My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Sunday March 31, 5.15 p.m.: Arrietty (2010), Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Monday April 1^st, 4.35 p.m.: Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Tuesday April 2nd, 3.15 p.m.: Castle of Cagliostro (1979), Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Wednesday April 03rd, 2.50 p.m.: Ponyo (2008), Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Thursday April 4^th, 11 a.m: Ocean Waves (1993), Director: Tomomi Mochizuki

Thursday April 4th, 2.35 p.m.: Pom Poko (1994), Director: Isao Takahata

Friday April 5^th, 2.40 p.m: Whisper of the Heart (1995), Director: Yoshifumi Kondo

Friday April 5th, 12.15 a.m.: Grave of the Fireflies (1988), Director: Isao Takahata

Saturday April 6^th, 4.35 p.m: Spirited Away (2001),

Sunday April 7^th, 3.00 p.m.: The Cat Returns (2002),

Monday April 8^th, 2.25 p.m: Tales from Earthsea (2006), Director: Goro Miyazaki

Tuesday April 9^th 12.55 p.m.: Only Yesterday (1991) Director: Isao Takahata

Wednesday April 10^th, 1.10 p.m.: Princess Mononoke (1997),

Thursday April 11^th, 11 a.m.: The Little Norse Prince (1968), Director: Isao Takahata

Thursday April 11^th, 2.30 p.m.: Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986), Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Friday April 12^th, Time N/A: Howl’s Moving Castle (2004),

Saturday April 13^th, Time N/A.: Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind (1984), Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Check the Film4 website for more info!