The Retrospective

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Steven Spielberg Aquires Ghost in the Shell

April 17th, 2008 by

httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=7urZe6r5CGU

Ghost in the Shell is, in my opinion, one of the greatest anime feature films ever to hit the silver screen. If you were to ask any anime fan what their top 3 anime films were this would most likely be one of them. The film centers on the members of an elite law enforcement unit known as “Section nine.” The covert ops team deals with crimes of the “technological” variety. Originally based on a manga by Masamune Shirow it has spawned multiple films, animated TV shows, and video games. Just when the hype was calming down it was announced this week that Spielberg’s DreamWorks had acquired the rights to create a live-action 3D rendition. I’ve always wanted to see what some of my favorite animes would be like in live-action but most adaptations have been rather disappointing (if not massive failures). Does having Spielberg and Avi Arad (Marvel’s savior in transforming their line up into blockbuster films) attached to this project make it appealing? Very, but I’m still pretty apprehensive.

The original film was released in 1995 and raised the standard for complex story telling and breath taking visuals exemplified in preceding films such as “Akira.” The cyberpunk future that unfolds in the film raises questions such as, “what does it mean to be alive if the rest of me is no longer flesh and bone?” The philosophy and methodology reaches some of the most academic questions and leaves the viewer to decide their own answers. I strongly recommend watching this movie. Anime has been a booming market in the United States with countless shows reaching iconic status. It’s also been recently announced that Leonardo Di Caprio will be working on a live-action rendition of the classic film Akria.

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3 responses so far ↓

  • 1 CTW Apr 19, 2008 at 9:58 pm

    Think this is going to go through? Peter Jackson’s company ganked right for Neon Genesis Evangelion years ago, and there has not been one word of the beginning of production. I hope the same doesn’t hold for this.

  • 2 Sophia Apr 21, 2008 at 2:35 am

    personally i think these are all pretty bad ideas. i mean, i don’t think they’re stupid to begin with–‘cos, to be honest, my butt’s as good as already in the theater seat–but in how difficult, as far as story telling and special effects–for we must not forget the special effects, my goodness, no–the translation from anime to live action will be.
    it will be interesting, but as far as the spielberg project i’m anticipating being carved a good chunk of disappointment off this hunk of potential sonic rock action.
    …and, seriously? akira with leonardo di caprio? ew, folks. ew.

  • 3 Holly Jun 21, 2008 at 3:19 pm

    Now Vertigo Entertainment are creating a Death Note Movie and people are saying they want Zac Efron to play Light. That’s just disgusting.