Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...
... Otomo’s STEAMBOY!!
Man, this one’s going to be fun. Here’s the official description that was sent to me for the screening:
KATSUHIRO OTOMO’s STEAMBOY
THE EAGERLY ANTICIPATED FOLLOW-UP TO AKIRA
TO OPEN IN AMERICA ON MARCH 18
Retro sci-fi anime features the voices of Patrick Stewart, Alfred Molina and Anna Paquin
Triumph Releasing invites you to an advance screening of Katsuhiro Otomo’s retro sci-fi anime STEAMBOY, the director’s eagerly anticipated follow-up to his internationally-acclaimed animated classic Akira. STEAMBOY features the voices of Patrick Stewart, Alfred Molina and Academy Award™-winner Anna Paquin. An Official Selection at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival, the film has been praised by critics worldwide for its startling imagery and Otomo’s trademark dedication to detail. Triumph Releasing will open STEAMBOY in major cities on Friday, March 18, 2005.
Eight years in the making with a budget of $27 million, STEAMBOY is the costliest animated feature film ever produced outside of the United States. A seamless hybrid of traditional hand-drawn animation and 3-D computer-generated effects, STEAMBOY also showcases several new breakthroughs in animation and digital technology. These include the use of tracking camera effects and the rendering of astoundingly life-like “steam” effects.
Set in 19th Century Great Britain, at the time of the Great Exhibition, STEAMBOY is a epic story about the power of science, man’s quest to control nature, and above all – courage. STEAMBOY features an inventor prodigy named Ra Stim, who receives a mysterious metal ball which contains a new form of energy capable of powering an entire nation. This young boy must use it to fight evil, redeem his family, and save London from destruction. The lush Victorian interiors and the elegance of the era's mechanical design allow Otomo to create dazzling visual backgrounds and machines. With more than 180,000 drawings and 400 CG cuts, STEAMBOY is one of the most elaborate animated features of 2005.
In 1988, Katsuhiro Otomo took the worlds of anime and science-fiction by storm with his post-apocalyptic cyberpunk adventure Akira. The film set new standards for the genres and is internationally regarded as a benchmark achievement in animation. Born in Miyagi, Japan in 1954, Mr. Otomo began his career as a comic book illustrator in 1973. His unique style helped Otomo quickly establish himself as a leading figure in the world of Japanese manga. Since Akira, Otomo has directed the live-action comedy/horror film World Apartment Horror and several animated shorts, as well as written the screenplays for the anime hits Rojin Z and Metropolis.
STEAMBOY is in English with a running time of 106 minutes and is rated PG-13 for action violence.
I’ve been itching to see this one for a while now, and I can’t think of a better crowd to see it with. Tickets are onsale now, and if you want to attend, just hop on over to the American Cinematheque’s official site right now for details.
The film will start at 7:30. Can’t wait to see you there.
"Moriarty" out.
