Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro Blu-ray Movie Review

"This is a treasure for all mankind. Too big for my pocket, anyway!"

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown June 26, 2015

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro may be Hayao Miyazaki's first feature film, but it certainly wasn't the first adventure of master thief Arsène Lupin III. Before Cagliostro there was another theatrical film: The Mystery of Mamo (1978), aka Lupin III: Lupin vs. the Clones and The Secret of Mamao. Prior to that were two television series: Lupin III (1971-72), for which Miyazaki co-directed 14 episodes alongside future Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata, and Lupin III Part II (1977-80). And each of those were adapted from writer and illustrator Monkey Punch's manga series (1967-69), first serialized by Futabasha in "Weekly Manga Action." Lupin is more than a fan-favorite anime antihero, he's a legend... which makes Miyazaki's involvement in the history of the franchise that much more special.

The Castle of Cagliostro is a blast of a crime caper, but it also provides a fascinating glimpse into the earliest feature film work of a true master; a now-legendary artist who, in 1979, was still nurturing and developing his style, storytelling prowess, and visionary animation. Without Lupin III and Cagliostro, there might not have been a partnership between Miyazaki and Takahata. Without the film, Toshio Suzuki -- who, in 1979, was an editor at "Animage" magazine itching to devote an article to Miyazaki's directorial debut -- might not have become an integral co-founder and longtime producer at Studio Ghibli. Scratch that. Without The Castle of Cagliostro, there might not be a Studio Ghibli. Mull that one over for a bit.

When master thief Lupin III, a.k.a. "The Wolf" inadvertently steals a fortune in counterfeit money from a casino, he quickly realizes the high-quality printing plates that produced the bills are worth even more. Tracing the source of the cash to the small European country of Cagliostro, Lupin and his team of colorful outlaws cross swords with the nation's mysterious monarch over his forthcoming marriage to the last princess of the Cagliostro family. Fast-paced adventure follows as Lupin battles ninjas, rescues a damsel in distress, and uncovers the key to the lost Cagliostro fortune.

There's a verve and energy to The Castle of Cagliostro that's unmistakably Miyazaki. He doesn't give us an opening car chase. Oh no. Lupin and partner-in-crime Daisuke Jigen careen around corners in a rattling, rumbling turbo-charged Fiat 500; hundreds of thousands of dollars of counterfeit cash pouring out of their windows, bushes and trees shredding beneath their tires, risking life and limb to save a mystery girl on the run from a carload of thugs, grinning and laughing at every turn. It's exciting, thrilling stuff, and Miyazaki stages his unhinged cartoon id with deceptive control and command of his craft. Later, Lupin doesn't merely creep into the Count's castle. No, no, no. He defies the compound's every defense, hurtling across rooftops, descending into the deep, dark depths of the castle's underbelly, leaping through flames, ducking bullets, and dodging henchmen, swordsmen, assassins, the Count himself, and Inspector Koichi Zenigata, who's managed to track the world's greatest thief to the scene of his next heist. It's frantic. Suspenseful. Hilarious at times, deadly serious at others. Action-packed but unafraid to slow down and tell a good story. Endearing with a hint of tongue-in-cheek edge, simply but feverishly animated, with quippy dialogue and lovable characters, and enough personality to fill a dozen animated adventures.

There are moments that The Castle of Cagliostro verges on being too cartoonish, sure, with little doubt Lupin, his friends, and anyone he chooses to rescue will make it out alive, and even less doubt that Lupin and Koichi's game of Pink Panther-esque cat-n-mouse will end in a stalemate. The villains aren't exactly compelling, complex baddies either, with the thinnest of evil plots driving the Count's eeeevil scheme. No matter. Miyazaki has something to prove and he infuses classic Lupin series elements with so much moxie and gusto that you can't help but be swept up in the heist turned rescue... turned heist! The only real downside is that Miyazaki never had the opportunity to return to the world of Lupin. Can you imagine what a Miyazaki-helmed Lupin III would have looked like had one been produced within the last five years? I get chills just thinking about it. The Castle of Cagliostro isn't one of Miyazaki's best films, but it holds up and holds up well. More importantly, it represents a key precursor to the masterpieces of Studio Ghibli, not to mention a great deal of fun all its own.

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Discotek Blu-ray release of The Castle of Cagliostro features a solid, altogether satisfying 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation. Grain has been notably reduced -- almost eliminated entirely actually -- but the techniques utilized don't appear to have affected the integrity of the original animation in any significant way. The film is soft, yes. To the point DVD owners may even cry foul, trumpeting the DVD as being sharper. However, it's important to mention artificial sharpening hasn't been applied to the BD remaster. The DVD may appear sharper (in some regards), but only because edge enhancement is out in force. Of course, that means the BD also doesn't exhibit the thick halos and irritating ringing that plagues other releases, which is a very, very good thing. Those who own previous DVD editions will also note a change in color timing. The film's palette is richer, primaries are more vibrant, skintones are warmer, and colors that appear in darker scenes are more distinct. Again, though, don't make the mistake of casually assuming the DVD -- any DVD for that matter -- is the standard by which a Blu-ray presentation should be measured. There are differences, but the Blu-ray proves superior, subjectively and objectively, and not in a way that suggests Miyazaki's intentions have been undermined or ignored.

All told, I didn't walk away from The Castle of Cagliostro with quite the level of confidence in the faithfulness of Discotek's remaster and BD presentation that I've felt when reviewing Disney's releases of other early-era Miyazaki films. But I was still more than pleased with the upgrade, had very few complaints, and happily enjoyed the film as I've never seen it before.

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Discotek's Blu-ray release of Lupin III: The Caste of Cagliostro features a variety of audio and subtitle options:

Audio Tracks

- Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio Mono (1979)
- Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 (1979)
- English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono (Streamline Pictures Dub, 1992)
- English LPCM 2.0 (Manga Entertainment/Animaze Dub, 2000)
- English Family-Friendly Dolby Digital 2.0 (Edited Manga Entertainment Dub, 2000)

Subtitles

- English (New translation)
- English Theatrical (1980)
- English SDH (Literal script translation)
- Signs and Songs

The clarity and fidelity of the five audio tracks vary somewhat dramatically, with the Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio Mono, the English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono, and the English LPCM 2.0 tracks standing out. Even then, it's the English LPCM 2.0 mix that (subjectively) sounds the best, with crisper, bolder effects; cleaner, clearer voices; and a more engaging and explosive soundscape. Still, none of the tracks disappoint outright. The biggest inconvenience is adjusting your volume to suit whatever option you select. (The LPCM mix, for example, is notably louder than the others.) However, once you settle on your favorite original track or English dub, there's very little to complain about, other than the age of the sound design(s) and, ultimately, the age of the film. Completists will be pleased with the variety of tracks, though a lossless presentation of every mix would have been more ideal. Purists can rest easy knowing their favorite voices are present and accounted for. And newcomers needn't worry about serious distractions.

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary: LupintheThird.com founder Reed Nelson is featured in a surprisingly worthwhile audio commentary overflowing with information about the film and its history. I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, as it's essentially delivered by a super fan rather than someone directly involved in the production, but Nelson roars passes super fan and proves himself an expert, offering so many well-researched details, factoids and sequence overviews that the track remains engaging and extensive throughout. No stone is left unturned, and while it gets a bit dry at times, Nelson never runs out of material to share.
• Introduction by David Hayter (HD, 1 minute): Hayter, the voice of Lupin, introduces the film.
• Full Film Original Storyboards (HD, 100 minutes): Watch the entire film with its original Hayao Miyazaki storyboards. The storyboards fill the largest portion of the screen, while the final film plays in a small window at the bottom right.
• Alternate Openings and Closings (HD/SD, 25 minutes): Several alternate credit and title sequences are available, including "Creditless Opening," "International Opening," "US Home Video Openings & Endings" and "Closing Credits."
• Interviews (HD/SD, 73 minutes): Up next are five interviews, featuring David Hayter (English voice actor, Lupin), Bob Bergen (English voice actor, Wolf), Yasuo Ohtsuka (animation director, character designer, design supervisor), Kazuhide Tomonaga (design supervisor, key animator) and Monkey Punch (manga author).
• Imageboards (HD, 13 minutes): A collection of Hayao Miyazaki watercolor and pencil design sketches (circa 1979) that feature unrealized scene concepts and early renditions of major characters.
• Model Sheets (HD, 11 minutes): This second art gallery focuses on character and mechanical model sheets by Yasuo Ohtsuka that were used as guides to unify the art style among the animators.
• Promotional Art (HD, 11 minutes): The disc's third and final art gallery, this one offering a collection of key art and promotional stills used to promote the film. The promotional stills feature artwork that never made it into the final film. Each is either a scene from the movie that differs from the final film, or a scene reimagined completely with art that never appear in the movie proper.
• A Brief History (HD, 9 minutes): A text-based overview of the film's development, production and release.
• Translation Notes (HD, 6 minutes): Text-based notes about translation odds and ends.
• Trailers (HD, 9 minutes): Two Japanese trailers are presented both with 1980 and 2014 subtitles.

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro isn't a perfect film, but it holds a special place in many a Miyazaki's fan's heart, and for a number of good reasons. Judged on its own merits, it holds up pretty well, and still has a knack for earning a hearty laugh at just the right moment. Taken as an early keystone in Miyazaki's canon, it's even more entertaining; standing on its own while hinting at the greatness that would follow in the decades after it was released. Without The Castle of Cagliostro, there might not be a Studio Ghibli. This is animation history and it shouldn't be forgotten, dismissed or overlooked. Thankfully, Discotek has made it even easier to prevent the film from falling into obscurity. With a strong video presentation, a solid selection of audio tracks, and a terrific assortment of special features, there's nothing but value packed into this low-priced, must-have Blu-ray release.