The Place Promised in Our Early Days - Active Anime.com
- Active Anime.com
- Rommel Saladanan
- 06/15/05
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The Place Promised at the Alamo Drafthouse Experience
by Rommel Salandanan
(Note: this is not a full review of the movie, but the experience of one avid anime fan viewing it at the Alamo Drafthouse. To read the our special review, read A Rambling Review of Makoto Shinkai?s The Place Promised in our Early Days .)
June 7, Tuesday, another anime night sponsored by ADV Films at the Alamo Drafthouse. Tonight?s screening was Makato Shinkai?s The Place Promised in Our Early Days.
But before we talk about the show, I have my own story to tell. While at work, yes I do have a daytime job that interrupts me from my love and passion for anime; I managed to surf to ADV Film?s website where I found that The Place Promised was scheduled for a 7:30 PM screening. I was all excited about the screening, since Aditi?s review material of the Japanese version never made to my hand. I suddenly realized that I only had 30 minutes to get from downtown Houston to the theater, which is about 22.3 miles from where I work. I asked my co-workers did they think I could make it in time, which most of them said 'NO', '10 minutes late', or 'depends on the traffic'. Well I decided to choose 'depends on traffic'. 7 PM time for me to leave work. I started running for the elevators, did lots of jay running (as opposed to jaywalking) to get to the parking garage, and drove like the devil (if there is such a thing). I arrived at the theater at 7:31 PM. Needless to say I was shocked, not that I made it on time but that the screening was free.
Now back to the show?
One thing I noticed right away was the theater is using an LCD projector, and it appears that ADV is using one of their early version of the DVD to show the film. When the movie started another thing that I noticed, the movie has a 4:3 aspect ratio. The Place Promised was film in 16:9 (widescreen) in 35-mm film. I?m starting to wonder if this screener is using a promotional DVD ? the one that ADV sends to tease the media groups and for advance reviews. I just hope that ADV releases the film in its true aspect ratio (yes I like to watch movies with the black bars on the top and bottom of the screen).
Anyway, the movie has great details and I would have to agree with Aditi?s review that the movie has astonishing details. More details than Voices of a Distant Star. The colors are more vivid, and the sky, well it is real sky blue.
Suddenly I recognized the voices in the movie were from Chris Patton as Fujisawa Hiroki, of course who could miss Mr. Patton?s voice and Jessica Boone as Sawatari Sayuri. I have to admit that is one of Ms. Boone's best voice acting jobs since her work as Mizaki-chan from Angelic Layer. She even sounded different in this film.
Other recognizable VA in the film came from the lovely Kira Vicent-Davis, the very talented Hillary Haag, that ADV VA that plays old guys all the time Andy McAvin, Mariela Ortiz just to name a few or at least that I could remember.
Another thing that I realized with Mr. Shinkai's films, his films is accompanied by music with simple notes with good harmony - in this case the violin piece that was played in the movie.
Since I sat at the end of the theater, it was obvious to me that the overall response from the audience was positive. I heard a few people that walked past me say they liked the movie. One thing for sure, The Place Promise in Our Early Days is a movie that you would entice to you to see it again.
The Place Promise in Our Early Days is a definite must see.
Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 (Archive on Friday, July 15, 2005)