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Whisper of the Heart - The Cat Returns Cut

ParanoidAndroid

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My first attempt at a FanMix, this edit combines the only two connected Studio Ghibli features, 1995’s grounded teen romance Whisper of the Heart and its 2002 fantasy spinoff The Cat Returns.

In the former film, the protagonist Shizuku finds an antique shop containing a statuette of Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, an elegantly dressed bipedal cat. Amongst other events she ends up writing a story featuring the Baron and we have a few brief fantasy sequences where he comes to life. In the latter, the Baron is a prominent character who accompanies the protagonist Haru on her adventure into the Cat Kingdom.

Some people interpret the story of The Cat Returns as being an in-universe product of Shizuku’s writings, by streamlining the plot a little and splitting it into a half a dozen chunks the aforementioned fantasy sequences are replaced quite nicely. While this project should definitely not replace either of its source films (particularly the former, one of my favourite Ghiblis) I think that it makes for interesting viewing, and if the viewer doesn't have access to Netflix it at least means they can watch both stories without needing to get up and change the disc!
 
I have been distracted from this project for a little while and aim to start working on it again soon.

If anybody (who has copies of the original films) would be interested in previewing the current version please PM me, would be useful to have some feedback to work with!
 
Added a little more of The Cat Returns back (to include all the gifts but cut around Haru's romance woes), total runtime as of now is 170 minutes.
 
I would preview this if you like. I'm very much a proponent of people checking out more of the non-Miyazaki Ghibli work. Whisper of the Heart is always one that I think might just be an odd mix, or too dry for some people. Adding in more fantasy sequences sounds like a nice viewing alternative!
 
Haven't done any work on this edit for a long while, so it feels about time to get started again!

The original intention is unchanged, using Studio Ghibli's 1995 film "Whisper of the Heart" as a framing device for its 2002 spin-off "The Cat Returns", the latter being presented as a story being written in the former, replacing several dream/imagination sequences. This version will be a technical improvement on my original attempts, and it will include two soundtrack options (original Japanese and English) with soft subtitles to avoid excluding those who prefer dubbed over subbed.

A couple of other users have made comments on early versions (thanks @Darth Kermit and @mnkykungfu) with a general view being a need to have a reasonable runtime. The latest version (of about a year ago) got it down to about 150 minutes (from 186, total of the two source films) but am wondering if this is enough.

Another thing pointed out is that the "mixing" currently doesn't start until about 50 minutes in (after WotH's main character decides to write a story), I personally don't mind this but am curious to hear what other people think: at the moment I can't see any logical way of introducing the story-within-a-story earlier barring shuffling scenes to a non-chronological order, but feel as if this would spoil the flow of the story.

The said latest version is available to anybody interested in previewing (Japanese language with English subs burned in only), just send a PM in the usual manner. Hopefully it won't take another year of inactivity before the final version is ready!
 
Finished updating the edit, now made in Resolve, only a couple of changes compared to the previous iteration so it still comes in at just under 150 minutes.

The main alterations are a few improved audio transitions and slightly tinting the monochrome sections sepia to better resemble pages from the source manga (which I have since read) than pure black and white, as before the mixing of the two source films doesn't take place until about 50 minutes in but it feels like a natural transition point to me.

Will be watching through when I get the chance, if anybody else wants to see it I'd like to hear their thoughts. It now has both the Japanese original and English dub tracks with selectable English subtitles so you can view in whichever manner you prefer, should be uploaded soon so contact via PM if interested.
 
Finally watched through the version I put together last December, of all the edits I've done this has changes spread out over the longest section of the runtime, so it took a while for me to convince myself to sit down for a proper QC check.

Am pretty happy overall barring a few final refinements, mostly fixing typos in the subtitles, it will still come in at just under 2 1/2 hours. After more than two years of procrastination (and getting distracted by other projects) I should be able to submit within the next few weeks!
 
Quick render of the latest update uploaded, while I am happy with it I’d welcome the views of someone else before submitting the IFDB listing, please PM is interested.
 
Full-quality final version uploading and cutlist compiled, will be submitting the IFDB page shortly. The colossal amount of procrastination I did with this edit means that it's been more than 2 1/4 years since I started work, intended it to be my 7th submission but it will end up as my 26th!
 

You'll want to upload your poster art to your IFDb listing as it currently doesn't have any poster art.
 
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