Perfect Blue is definitely one of the single scariest films I've ever seen in my life. This is psychological horror at its absolute finest. This is a film about the mental psyche of fame and how society puts us in a box and thinks we should perform for them like their pet monkey. This is a film about the dangers of tabloids. There's so many creepy people in the world and when you are up on stage in front of millions- you will gain the attention of scary people. Hopefully- you never have to confront that but sometimes people do. Think about what Rian Johnston gets on a daily basis for making a good Star Wars movie a bunch of edge lords whined about?
A lot of creative types like myself like to picture the story of our lives like a narrative. When we are first born is the first act and growing up and discovering where we belong- that's the film. For Mima however, she doesn't have to imagine this. She is on such a big spotlight in front of everyone that when she decides to leave the music business to discover where she belongs- her entire public growth is shown to millions of people. It's hard to tell what is a film and what is real after a while because everything you do ends up becoming a part of the narrative. We treat some celebrity types as just pieces of meat. Their stories no longer become theirs, they become ours. No wonder stars like Brittany Spears and Kanye West go absolutely insane- who wouldn't?
Perfect Blue does feature one of the most disturbing sequences of film I've ever seen. If you've seen the movie you know what I'm writing about. It's sickening and it's a devastating look on how actresses in particular can get manipulated by the perverted nature of the Hollywood business and how some rising talent want to do all they can to shed their old image and be a new person- they are willing to go along and compromise anything. It's quite disturbing stuff to see the struggle between keeping your own morality and wanting to advance your career. The saddest aspect is that several actresses have had to make this decision or have this decision forced upon them being in the entertainment industry and that is absolutely sickening to think about. This is why it is so good we've gotten justice against men who have continued to abuse their power to harass women for their own pleasure. This should not be the only way for success in entertainment. This film shows deeply the psychological breakdown and the existential horror that comes from genuine trauma and abuse. It doesn't get any more damning then that when it comes to film, this is a powerful film that I will never forget.
