Disney Delays Studio Ghibli Releases

Is Michael Eisner picking a fight with yet another of Disney’s major feeder studios? Could be. According to The Digital Bits Disney has just indefinitely delayed the DVD releases of Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbor Totoro, Porco Rosso and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Big deal, you say, it’s only a DVD release. Well, here’s the thing … when Disney went after Princess Mononoke Ghibli was only willing to deal with them on the condition that Disney release the entire Studio Ghibli library of films and that every release be complete and unedited. All Disney is allowed to do is translate and dub, and even in that case the original language tracks are still included. If they start messing with the Ghibli releases that could quite conceivably put their contract in jeopardy. Considering the last Ghibli film won Disney an Oscar they probably shouldn’t do that. And, of course, beyond the business considerations is the sheer nuisance of having to wait indefinitely for these … I’m no big fan of Porco Rosso but the other two films are sheer genius. Was watching Totoro with my son earlier this evening, actually …