SEEING DOUBLE: Serious anime fans in seven U.S. cities get a chance this month to see "Steamboy" with subtitles. At the same time, a second version of the long-awaited feature from Japanese auteur Katsuhiro Otomo will be released in 60 markets as a PG-13 family-friendly adventure featuring the dubbed voices of Patrick Stewart and Anna Paquin.
The subtitled version opens March 18 at the Lumiere, while the dubbed "Steamboy" bows the same day at the Act in Berkeley.
Why the bilingual distribution strategy?
"Normally, I do not approve of dubbing," says Michael Schlesinger, vice president for Sony Pictures Repertory, the film's American distributor. "However, this is an exception because the movie takes place in 19th century London. It is very odd, to say the least, when you see Victorian-era British characters speaking Japanese. Most anime pictures take place either in Japan or some kind of fantasy structure."
"Steamboy," Schlesinger says, is "the exception that proves the rule. It's one thing to hear Billy Bob Thornton in 'Princess Mononoke. ' That takes you right out of the picture. But in this case, we think the dubbing actually helps keep people in the picture."
"Steamboy" -- eight years in the making -- is the first full-length anime feature from director Otomo since his groundbreaking 1988 cyberpunk classic "Akira." Budgeted at $22 million, it's one of the most expensive Japanese productions in history, and Schlesinger says expectations among anime true believers are enormous.
"It's as if Scorsese made 'Raging Bull' and then didn't do another film for 16 years," he says. "That encapsulates the want-to-see factor for anime fans, who can be zealous about these things, especially when it comes to Otomo. "
