'My Neighbor Totoro' Is Coming Back To Theaters

A Studio Ghibli classic is returning to theaters later this month thanks to a collaboration [...]

By Michael Hein

A Studio Ghibli classic is returning to theaters later this month thanks to a collaboration between GKIDS Films and Fathom Events.

According to a tweet by Fathom, the two companies are working in tandem to bring My Neighbor Totoro to theaters for a limited time. The Hayao Miyazaki film is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and there is no better way than with a viewing on the big screen. So far, Fathom Events have dubbed screenings scheduled for Sept. 30 and Oct. 2, with subtitled screenings on Oct. 1. Locations and tickets are available through the company's website.

Fathom Events frequently uses animated films to draw crowds to the cinema. Considering that they keep on doing, it must work. Last weekend, Fathom organized a screening of Perfect Blue, the groundbreaking 1990s anime that explored the nature of reality and fame. The movie is said to have been an influence on Darren Aronofsky in the making of Requiem for a Dream and Black Swan, and it is not hard to see why. Thanks to Fathom, a whole new generation of fans got to see the film, which they may never have sought out otherwise.

On the other hand, Fathom also tends to heighten excitement for films that are already on the way, such as Dragon Ball Super: Broly. Fathom has scheduled screenings of the film's non-canonical predecessor, Dragon Ball Z: Broly - The Lendary Super Saiyan, throughout the fall, giving fans plenty of time to catch up before the new installment comes out in December.

Likewise, Fathom is screening The Transformer Movie later this month as well. This will likely be a big nostalgia boost for the series, and help re-orient some fans ahead of the Bumblee stand-alone prequel due out on Christmas Day.

Still, even among all these other classics, My Neighbor Totoro stands alone. The film came at a time when Miyazaki was already a major force in the world of animation, yet it elevated his standing even further. Over time, Totoro became the symbol of Studio Ghibli, encompassing what they do and the kind of fantasy storytelling they deal in.

At the end of October, Fathom Events is hosting a screening of Miyazaki's Spirited Away as well. The film may be equally as iconic as Totoro, and just as beloved to audiences around the world.

Tickets to both of those screenings and to many more are available of the Fathom Events website.

1comments
Comments ( 1 )

of