Will Disney butcher a masterpiece for the sake of a quick buck? I don't know, but the following letter scared me a bit, and I really really really hope that Disney has the sense to leave perfection alone.

Silver Samurai here, fresh from getting my ass kicked by

Wolverine. I bring you news from the little crescent-shaped piece of

land

directly opposite California. This may not be something of use, but

hey.....

Anyway, I don't know if you know of Miyazaki Hiyo or not, but in my

opinion he

is tied with Cameron for the best writer/director in the world. His

latest

movie, "Mononoke Hime", recently became the number one money maker of

all time

here in Japan. I can't do his work justice in words, so I won't even

try, but

suffice to say that his work is good enough to make Disney jumpy as a

coffee-drinking cat. They have bought the outside of Japan releasing

rights to

all of his films, and based on the success of "Hime", are planning to

release

it to the theaters in the U.S. of A. Here is the sad part. I have seen

the

film (in beautiful Sony surround-sound) twice in the theaters here, and

for

$15 bucks a pop, you know that means it's good. The film contains some

battle

scenes, in which some awesome bow-work deprives several nasty samurai of

their

arms and, at several points, their noggins. These scenes are integral to

the

flow and feel of the film. Disney will chop these scenes. Why? you ask,

when

Touchstone and Buena Vista hesitate not a whit to show even more gore

than

this picture? Simple, really.

This film is animated.

Even though the story, as best I can tell from my limited Japanese, is

way to

complex and mature for the tikes to follow, and the beauty and symmetry

of the

directing is greater than they will ever appreciate, Disney wants a G

rating.

Harry--they can't get a G without ruining the film. I wouldn't say that

idly.

It is impossible to do.

So, consider this advance notice, and try to see this film in it's uncut

state, if possible. (Or any other of Miyakaki's films, for that matter.

The

only OFFICIAL copy of one of his films will be a 20th cen. Fox release

called

"My Neighbor Totoro", which is really worth seeing. It is G, because it

was

MADE to be G. But it really is worthwhile.)

Happy Geeking, I have to heal up and go have a re-match with that

uncouth

runt.

Silver Samurai