Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Based on a novel by Yoshikazu Takeuchi, 'Perfect Blue' is one of those anime that successfully attempt the unexpected. Written and paced more like a Hitchcock film than the typical action film, this is a story where the psychological aspects are as compelling as the sometimes-ferocious action.
Mima Kirigoe is an idol singer, part of a moderately successful trio called Cham. Since the career life of these singers is, at best, a matter of a few years, Mima has decided to leave Cham to try her hand at being an actress. She lands a part in 'Double Bind,' a suspense thriller that will test her commitment in many ways, putting her in situations that some of her old fans find uncomfortable. This explodes into her life in a big way when Mima finds an internet website that purports to be written by her.
Whoever is writing the site knows too much about what Mima is going through, and she finds herself stalked by an unhappy fan that has developed a fixation on her. Soon people are dying in gruesome circumstances, and Mima becomes more and more confused about whom she really is and what is real. First time director Satoshi Kon is merciless, making sure that the viewer gets few clues about which reality is real and whether what one sees is in 'Double Bind,' 'Perfect Blue,' or in Mima's mind alone.
This is really a remarkable piece of work. Great care is put into artistic and musical values. It has striking graphic qualities without the viewer ever getting the feeling that the images are overwhelming the story. In addition, I particularly like the imaginative use of color. Of course, the use of music is particularly important in a film about Japanese popular entertainment figures, and Kon makes sure that the film lives up to aural expectations.
This is a rough, gripping film. Violence, murder, and rape are depicted with the deliberate intention of making the watcher uncomfortable. It skirts the edge of being offensive, and is sometimes classified as hentai - animated pornography. It isn't by my standards, but 'Perfect Blue' is graphic enough to offend some people. Take this into consideration before deciding to watch.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Perfect Blue
Winner - Best Animation Film at Fantasporto 1998 (Portugal) Winner - Public Prize for Best Asian Film at Fant-Asia (Canada) IN THE WORLD OF MAKE BELIEVE - THE PRICE OF FAME - MAY NOT BE WORTH THE COST OF IDENTITY Pop idol singer Mima Kirigoe looks forward to a bright new career after she quits her chart-topping trio to become an actress. But when she accepts a role in a sexually charged murder mystery TV series, someone is not happy with her decision. Mima's life begins to change as she is threatened with disturbing phone calls, faxes and e-mails from a mysterious source. She also discovers alarming web sites describing intimate details and pictures of her new public persona. As she descends into a dangerous state of paranoia, helpless and afraid, some of her associates are now murdered by the enigmatic stalker. Reality and delusion merge into a terrifying world as Mima's innocence is lost and her dreams become nightmares. Will she be next? In the tradition of great suspense masters, director Satoshi Kon (Memories/Millenium Actress), special advisor Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira) and Madhouse Studios (Ninja Scroll), bring Yoshikazu Takeuchi's thrilling suspense novel to the screen, in a tour de force that brings animation to a bold new level. A brilliant psychological thriller which breaks the mold of anime films, Perfect Blue was conceived in 1993 when Yoshikazu Takeuchi (Author) and Koichi Okamoto (Original Producer) approached Rex Entertainment with a 90-minute live-action video project based on Takeuchi's novel. Production was delayed during early 1994 due to the Kobe earthquake and the decision to animate the film was made. However, given the unique nature of the project it was agreed to employ the best names currently working in the industry. Okamoto and Takeuchi employed Hiroaki Inoue as line producer, who in turn approached Madhouse Studios with the project. Although skeptical of what he initially described as "no more than a reckless idea", Masao Maruyama (Mad House, CEO) was inspired by the passion of both producer and author and decided to back the project. Word of the forthcoming production reached Katsuhiro Otomo who had previously illustrated Takeuchi's work. Otomo read the script and suggested that Satoshi Kon (Jojo's Bizarre Adventures, Roujin Z); a supervisor on his latest project (Memories) should direct the feature. Perfect Blue premiered at the ‘Fant-Asia Film Festival' where it proved an instant hit. Its initial screening sold out within 30 minutes and two further shows were scheduled in order to meet public demand. As a result, Perfect Blue was awarded the Public prize for ‘Best Asian Film'. The impressive imagery within the film found it's way into both Darren Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream (2000) and Madonna's 2001 Drowned World concert tour.
0 comments:
Post a Comment