Dir. Satoshi Kon
1997, Japan, 81 min
Japanese with English subtitles
Join us for a post-screening discussion with Olivia Norquay and Jillian Groening of Bikini Drive-in, a semi-monthly screening series discussing horror films through an intersectional feminist lens.
Rising pop star Mima has quit singing to pursue a career as an actress and model, but her fans aren’t ready to see her go… Encouraged by her managers, Mima takes on a recurring role on a popular TV show, when suddenly her handlers and collaborators begin turning up murdered. Harboring feelings of guilt and haunted by visions of her former self, Mima’s reality and fantasy meld into a frenzied paranoia. As her stalker closes in, in person and online, the threat he poses is more real than even Mima knows, in this iconic psychological thriller that has frequently been hailed as one of the most important animated films of all time.
Content warning: Animated sequences of graphic violence, sexual assault and nudity.
Generously sponsored by IATSE 856 Manitoba.
Perfect Blue’s success lies in the twisted, self-referential storyline that intercuts reality with fantasy so fluidly that viewers inevitably take on Mima’s shattered point of view, unable to distinguish the truth until the stunning conclusion.
– Tasha Robinson, Sci-Fi Weekly
Gorgeous little pseudo-slasher with plenty to say about the dangers of toxic fandom.
– Trace Thurman, Horror Queers Podcast
