Runtime:
81 minutes
Directed
by: Satoshi Kon
Starring:
This is a Japanese anime
From:
Several different Japanese companies
All the praise this movie has received throughout the years: it was well-deserved:
As this can't be streamed online (at least legally), is highly
regarded and Fathom Events had a subtitled screening of the movie last
night with a remastered print, giving this a shot seemed like a good
idea... holy cow it definitely was.
I knew little about the story beforehand and that was fine by me; I will give the basics and it's not the type of film which can be ruined by stating some plot points as this is one of those tales where both the lead and the audience eventually aren't sure what is going on and how much of what you seeing is in the character's head. Mima is a member of a J-Pop band which is not doing so well, at least when it comes to record sales. Her management decides that she should become an actress instead. Her clean-cut image is quickly destroyed with the characters she has to play and some shocking scenes she has to be a part of, so some obsessive fans can't handle it. Mima seemingly can't handle it either as she soon starts seeing herself following her, only that other entity calls themselves “The real Mima”, i.e. still a pop singer. And then the gruesome murders begin...
The first part of the movie is relatively straightforward as the plot is set up. Once things become weird, you realize it will take multiple viewings to try and piece together the puzzle of what is real and what is imagined as Mimi plunges further into the maelstrom and she has no idea what is going on. The ending, it can be taken literally or perhaps it it just fantasy... either interpretation works for me, and if literal it is a great finale. There are some horrifying moments throughout and at times there are some rather graphic images.
The movie and its soundtrack looked rather nice in its remastered form, and that includes a few catchy 90's J-Pop songs. The movie packs a lot into a brisk 81 minutes and various topics are broached, including the price of fame, how disposable Far East Asian pop acts really are, obsession, and even the Internet... that is actually an important plot point. While it was different in '97 (Netscape Navigator makes an appearance! That brought back memories), what it says about that then-new way of expressing yourself and the persona you use online is far more relevant now when you have such mediums as Twitter, Facebook, and what have you. As an aside, boy have a lot of people exposed themselves for being lousy human beings because of such platforms; that has caused problems for many.
Anyhow, whether you call this a psychological thriller, a psychological horror, or something else... I'll put this in the horror category and I am happy I got to see a great film at this time of year, and on the big screen no less. That this is the feature debut of Satoshi Kon said a lot about this talent, and it's tragic his career was far too short, let alone passing away due to pancreatic cancer. Anyhow, I say this is a must-see. As others have astutely mentioned, Aranofsky in general and Black Swan in particular were highly inspired by this motion picture.
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