“Are you all right? We’re going back to Mima’s Room.”
-Rumi
Directed by: Satoshi Kon
Starring: Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto, Shinpachi Tsuji, Masaaki Ōkura
Trailer/Video: Kinda downplays the horror aspect, makes it look more like a drama film.
The premise: Mima Kirigoe, singer in a pop band called CHAM! (no, not these guys), quits the group to persue an acting career...only to find herself having to deal with a stalker...or does she?
My Familiarity With the Movie: My DVD of The Castle of Cagliostro had a montage of trailers for other movies released by Manga Entertainment, and Perfect Blue was one of them. Never really had much of an interest in watching it until I started this project.
Random thoughts as I watch it:
- Madhouse did this? Oughta have some good animation.
- Are those the Zeo Power Rangers?
- Stage fright?
- “dokidoki” in the song. I recognize that word from the title of the game that got converted into Super Mario Bros. 2!
- Not only did three douchebags show up to ruin the show, then Mima had to announce her departure from the group. I understand that Mima’s upset, but it’s gotta suck for the crowd, too.
- Home phones and fax machines. This is definitely the 90s.
- And someone’s explaining the internet to Mima...yep, definitely 90s.
- A booby-trapped letter?
- I’m assuming this movie has an English dub somewhere. I wonder how it is? I’m watching the subbed version.
- The idea of getting a new computer and going online for the first time and exploring all that’s out there, even if you’ve been without internet access for a while, or never at all. I kinda miss that feeling.
- Looks like Mima’s got a stalker.
- “Why do all psycho-thrillers made in Japan turn out that way?” Woah, this movie’s getting meta…
- Woah, jump scare!
- I do like how the actors are all being professionals at this, with the guy playing the rapist apologizing to Mima before shooting the scene.
- Even though it’s obviously fiction, I can imagine why Rumi finds it hard to watch, especially with Mima playing it so realistic.
- Aw, her fish are dead. This is more emotional than one would expect it to be.
- Woah, okay, Mima. I know you loved your fish and all, but that’s no reason to be wrecking your apartment because of it.
- Oh. That’s not why she’s crying.
- Creepy stalker-guy is even more creepy. I wonder if he’s the guy mentioned in the newspaper article.
- Creepy stalker-guy’s actions online towards the object of his affections sadly still has some resonance today.
- I remember this shot of Mima watching her CHAM! self go hopping from lamppost to lamppost from the aforementioned trailer montage.
- Holy crap, that elevator murder!
- Sadly, the idea of a dissatisfied fan killing the writer of a piece of fiction is also sadly relevant to today’s world of Twitter death threats.
- I think the pop star Mima might be creepier than the stalker-guy.
- Did Mima actually go to the show?
- So, he’s seeing the pop idol hallucination, too?
- I remember this chase through the rain from the trailer montage, too.
- So, uh...how much of that was a dream?
- Honestly, the TV show Mima is acting in looks pretty entertaining.
- I don’t know if this is real or part of the show any more. I guess that’s the point, considering how Mima’s struggling with identity.
- She just went all “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” on him.
- ...or did she? I don’t know what’s going on any more!
- Another one dead…
- Wait, the hallucination was Rumi all along?!
- A surprisingly happy ending, all things considered...
The Good:
- Fantastic animation. It’s a great-looking movie.
- It’s an intelligent, vicious deconstruction on the concept of public image and fandom.
- Very unsettling and disturbing.
- The voice work is fantastic, especially Junko Iwao as Mima.
- It’s mind-screwy, bizarre and confusing...but in a good way.
The Bad:
- Some people might find the plot convoluted and confusing. I did, but I felt like it was supposed to be.
- Not everything’s explained by the end. I’m okay with this, since it leads to discussion and everyone’s got their own take on it, no doubt.
- Also, it might get a bit too pretentious for some people. Again, it didn’t bother me.
The very last bit, with Mima talking in Rumi’s voice doesn’t make any sense and feels tacked-on to serve as one last mind-screw.[EDIT: turns out that it IS actually Mima's voice. She's just speaking with her real accent, the one she used earlier while talking to her mother. If anything, it drives home that she's who she says she is]
Best Scare: The chase at the climax. Had me on the edge of my seat.
What Did We Learn Today? The internet can be a strange and terrifying place...just kidding. We ALL already knew that.
Recommended? Yes.
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