Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!ittatc!dcdwest!sdcsvax!ucbvax!brahms!m128a3aw From: m128a3aw@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (Sean "Yoda" Rouse) Newsgroups: net.movies,net.comics Subject: Warriors of the Wind: A Review Message-ID: <12078@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> Date: Thu, 27-Feb-86 13:30:43 EST Article-I.D.: ucbvax.12078 Posted: Thu Feb 27 13:30:43 1986 Date-Received: Sat, 1-Mar-86 17:35:07 EST Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Reply-To: cc-30@cory.UUCP (Kathy Li c/o Sean "Yoda" Rouse) Organization: University of California, Berkeley Lines: 80 Keywords: You asked for it, Scott. Xref: watmath net.movies:9367 net.comics:2772 Summary: Japanese Animation, dubbing, and cut scenes, but fun Warriors of the Wind a review by Kathy Li "Warriors of the Wind" is an animated movie, of a science fiction/fantasy nature. The animation is Japanese... In fact, the *movie* is Japanese. "Warriors" is really the American- dubbed version of "Nausicaa". This gives rise to most of the problems that the movie had for me, as a Japanese animation fan. Scenes were cut, the heroine's voice seemed inappropriate, and much of the more impassioned speeches sounded rather trite/corny. But this is only a really annoying factor if you've seen the original, and fallen in love with it in that form. Overall, the movie seems to be rather faithful to the original. The only scenes cut were rather inconsequential. They were interesting visually, and sometimes characterization was advanced in them, but on the whole, the subtracted scenes don't make very much difference. The story has a extremely strong "Don't Mess With Mother Nature" theme, and this shows in the dubbed version. The story follows the adventures of a young princess named Zandra (Nausicaa) from the Valley of the Wind. Long ago legendary monsters, fire demons, had engulfed the world in flame for seven days. In the intervening years, civilization has rebuilt itself into a feudal state. Warring factions now fight for land to support their peoples, as the earth is being engulfed by an unstoppable "toxic jungle." Within the toxic jungle, there are giant insects...majestic, fifty-foot tall quasi-caterpillers that are very,very tough to kill. (one of the cut scenes demonstrated how impenetrable their armor was.) [The animation on all the creatures is magnificent. When one of those fifty-foot "gorgons" chases someone, the earth shakes.] The inhabitants of the Valley of the Wind are lucky in that the ocean winds seem to relieve the effects of the gases from the jungle. Everybody still walks around wearing gas masks, though, when not in the Valley. One day, a large cargo plane crashes in the Valley of the Wind. It turns out that the planes was one from a warring faction that had just captured a princess and a "national treasure" from another kingdom. All were killed in the crash. Unfortunately, the "national treasure" wasn't. It is a sleeping fire demon. Suddenly, the Valley of the Wind becomes a bone of contention between the two warring factions. Both sides want the demon at any costs. One side invades the valley and conquers it, while the other schemes to destroy the valley before the demon can be awakened. Zandra/Nausicaa is caught in the middle. But her empathy with the jungle insects, her fighting prowess, and jet-propelled flyer see her through. Yes, at times, the story descends to romantic slush, but this is mainly due to the dialogue. The Japanese script was translated into English so that the new soundtrack would lipsynch with the animation (much like Robotech). As a result, the language is, shall we say, limited. But c'est la vie, and them's the facts, that translations can never be wholly true to the originals. A fantastic point in favor of this movie, other than the obvious one, the quality of animation, is the fact that the sound-effects and musical soundtracks are unchanged from the original. They add greatly to the overall quality of the film. (Incidentally the romantic lead (Milo)'s voice is done by the guy who did Max/Lancer for Robotech). Also, the curious blend of B-52-like planes, tanks, swords, fifty-foot bugs, castles, windmills plutonium and machine guns makes a fascinating study. The supporting characters are all excellant additions to the story and most of the American voices are well done. (Sorry, but Zandra just doesn't scream as well as Nausicaa did.) So, roughly judging, if you love Robotech, this is a must-see. The mushroom cloud alone is worth the admission price. If you loved Nausicaa, go see it to found out what the plot was all about, and to find the places where they cut the scenes. And if you like good animation, and you can live with corny dialogue... don't be put off by the promotional poster. This is one of the best animated movies I've seen, and a real good example as to why people go crazy over Japanese animation. I highly recommend seeing this... --Kathy Li p.s. ...and then getting ahold of Nausicaa and seeing that. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ARPA: cc-30@cory.berkeley.edu UUCP: ucbvax!cory!cc-30 "Television...destroys the mind, corrupts the soul." --Remington Steele -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=