"Who are you?" That is the question that lies at the heart of 1997's Perfect Blue. As it follows a young woman's journey from successful singer to struggling actress this psychological drama blurs the lines between fiction and reality and the boundaries between the private life and the public persona to ask if any of us are really who we think we are. Through its twisting, almost surreal, plot the film explores the high price of fame, the cost of creative pursuit, and the fragility of the human psyche in a manner that is nothing short of haunting. Embark upon the dangerous pursuit of perfection with Perfect Blue.
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| I always feel like somebody's watching me... |
The story begins in 1990's Japan with pop singer Mima relenting to pressure from her agent to leave her girl group, Cham, and pursue an acting career. The transition from music to movies proves a difficult one, which is made even worse when her agent begins pushing her to accept racy roles and engage in risque photo shoots. Making matters worse, her struggle between her conflicting desires to succeed in her new career and maintain her principles plays out in full view of the public eye, drawing ridicule from her former fans. In the midst of her internal ordeal she is confronted with the external threat of a fan turned stalker, who is determined that she return to her former pop glory at any cost. What ensues is a mind bending journey into the darkest depths of the human psyche with Mima driven to the brink of insanity as she finds herself fighting for her career, integrity, and even her very life.
The film sets itself apart from the youthful adventures and slapstick antics Westerners have come to associate with anime by delivering a psychological drama of Hitchcockian proportions. The film offers plenty of chills courtesy of the cat and mouse dynamic between Mima and her stalker's horrific efforts to preserve his ideal vision of her. What could have been an apt but standard suspense story, however, is transformed into psychological horror through the film's exploration of the terrifying puzzle that is Mima's increasingly fractured mental state as she crumbles beneath the weight of internal and external pressures. Even as it takes viewers on a mind bending journey into its heroine's broken psyche the film offers commentary on the entertainment industry and the price of fame. The portrayal of the ways in which Mima is forced to compromise herself and her principles in order to pursue acting highlights the predatory nature of the entertainment industry that was present long before the 'Me Too' era. Similarly, the backlash from her fans following her career change captures the fickle nature of celebrity and the ways in which fandom can turn into fanaticism. The film's depiction of the use of the internet to create false narratives about, harass, and even surveil Mima eerily mirrors the dangers of internet celebrity and social media decades before their inception. Find the perfect blend of suspense, social commentary, and psychological drama in Perfect Blue.
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| Every breath you take, every move you make, I'll be stalking you |
Mima's haunting journey is brought to visceral life thanks to Satoshi Kon's animation. In keeping with his signature style the characters are designed with a realism that is rarely seen in a genre dominated by characters with enormous eyes, impossible proportions, and hair colors in every shade of the rainbow. Instead of the fantasy ideals that populate most anime, Kon's characters are designed in the various shapes, ages, and sizes of actual people. As a result, the characters feel like they belong in our own world, making their stories that much more resonant. This is particularly felt during the film's many scenes of graphic violence, which are every bit as disturbing as if they were performed by live actors. This stark realism in turn adds to the film's sense of suspense and is sure to leave viewers leaving the lights on in the real world. Even as it keeps the characters grounded in realism the animation allows the film to move between reality, the fictional world of Mima's roles, her stalker's fantasies, and her own paranoid delusions with seamless fluidity. This constant, almost instantaneous, change in perceptions leaves viewers experiencing the film from a disorienting, fractured, view that perfectly mirrors Mima's shattered perspective. As a result, the animation effectively places viewers into Mima's mind, forcing them to experience her confusion and terror along with her. If you've ever doubted that animation could be for adults look no further than Perfect Blue.
At once an utterly unique exploration of one woman's journey to the brink of madness and back and a universal cautionary tale of the dangers of celebrity Perfect Blue is never less than unforgettable. Through its original approach to storytelling the script expertly transports viewers into the glaring spotlight of modern celebrity and the darkest corners of Mima's fractured mind. Through its blend of the realistic and the fantastic the film's animation brings its tale of media, murder, and madness to visceral, haunting, life. Step into the spotlight in Perfect Blue...if you dare.
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