Despite being renowned for his psychological tricks, Satoshi Kon also is famous for his portrayal of women. While in Perfect Blue we are shown the dark side of idol industry which Menma is forced to comply to the pressure, Millenium Actress completes the puzzle by giving us an example of how simple things can turn a shy and timid girl into a great actress who exerts her own aura and persona, retaining her personality. Millenium Actress takes us to experience the full power of Satoshi Kon's forte through space and time.

Details

• Directed by: Satoshi Kon
• Produced by: Taro Maki
• Screenplay by: Sadayuki Murai, Satoshi Kon
• Story by: Satoshi Kon
• Music by: Susumu Hirasawa
• Cinematography: Hisao Shirai
• Edited by: Satoshi Terauchi
• Production company: Madhouse
• Distributed by: KlockWorx
• Release date: 28 July 2001 (Fantasia Film Festival); 14 September 2002 (Japan)
• Running time: 87 minutes
• Country: Japan
• Language: Japanese

Synopsis

At the turn of the millennium, Ginei Studio's dilapidated buildings are set to be demolished. Ex-employee and filmmaker Genya Tachibana decides to honor this occasion with a commemorative documentary about the company's star actress: Chiyoko Fujiwara, the reclusive sweetheart of Shouwa Era cinema. Having finally obtained permission to interview the retired starlet, an enamored Genya drags along cynical cameraman Kyouji Ida to meet her, ready to put his lifelong idol back in the spotlight once more.

Hidden in this secluded mountain retreat is a thousand years of history condensed into one lifetime, waiting to be narrated. Chiyoko's recollections take them on an illusionary journey through Japanese cinematic history that transcends the boundaries of reality; the saga of her acting career intertwines with her filmography, the actors in her life blend seamlessly with the characters on screen, and the present melds with the past. Though the actress may have retired at the height of her career 30 years ago, the curtain on her life's stage has yet to fall.

Story

Millenium Actress is one of the few animated films told in a flashback sequence and in documentary setting. The main driving force of this film is how Kon seems to flawlessly weave an interconnected threads of stories using rudimentary concepts. One criticism can be made against its basic plotline which is self-realization. It has been done from time to time. A person tries something that he/she doesn't necessarily love but in the end has come to embrace it. Yet, in the end, it doesn't matter because Millenium Actress is not only a tale of self-realization, but also a tale of seeking, regrets, and most importantly adulthood.

The message that can be taken quite literally from the film itself is actually simple: "All things must pass." Chiyoko, the main character, realizes this and gets the epiphany minutes before her last breath. Satoshi Kon is actually inspired by a real life actress who until her death never married. She was rumoured to be in love with her own director, which at that time had already been taken by another woman. Just like the real actress, Chiyoko herself still clings to the past and refuses to move on, even though her flames of love had already gone long before she even knew it.

Like all of his work, it is not complete without the usage of interlocking scenes and blurred lines of reality. We are shown the world through the lens of three characters: Chiyoko, the director, and the cameraman. While Chiyoko tells us the story of her past, the director and cameraman are comically getting sucked into her world and reenact the events. With seemingly seamless transitions, Chiyoko recalls her tales of woes, starting with her childhood up to her retirement. Millenium Actress is best watched by young adults or older audiences. This is because it easily relates and deals with regrets, depression, war, and death. These things are quite the norms in adult life, but teenagers and kids will struggle to understand or ponder their meanings. I guess it's true how you only realize how precious something is when it disappears behind your door.

The pacing is really radical. It flows as it wants to be, dragging us even if we still want to cherish the memories in particular scenes. We don't really know if the scene is in a film or really happens. Just like Paprika, Kon once again demonstrates his love for duality and ambiguity. The ending is also open-ended, even if we are sure something does happen. All in all, I would say the story is intriguing at best, and typical at worst. But, the film's strength lies not in its story, but its visual.

Visual

Absolutely mind blowing. Satoshi Kon's natural instinct combined with Hisao Shirai's peculiar cinematography completely annihilate the visual aspect by demonstrating their mastery over audience. The whole film is almost entirely shown through cuts and transititions from one scene to another. Long establishing shot is a rare commodity in the film. Its constant shift and change make us doubtful of its existence. For example, there is a scene where Chiyoko actually tries to catch a train, but it quickly changes to a scene where she manages to board the train but in a completely different attire, signaling that it is in a film. I think I've never seen other animated films that use cuts and transitions as many as Millenium Actress. Wild goose chase happens all the time, unique and interesting interconnecting plot matched with the visual representation.

Audio

Susumu Hirasawa provides the electrical soundtrack. This is the first time Kon and Hirasawa collaborate. Their efforts will then produce another great work by itself: Paprika. The electrifying songs and even dramatic ones serve to be the film feel train. We are swept away by emotions such as anger, pity, and sadness. Then again, the purpose is to make us feel, not deprive us from all of those emotions. Wonderfully done. It is weird that I don't get the same feeling from listening to normal EDM.

Characters

The character designs and development are absolute stunning. The characters, no matter how absurd they are, have their own purposes and fulfill their roles. The cameraman is shown to be relatively young so he doesn't care about the past and being ignorant to the history. The director on the other hand is shown to be very enthusiastic and looking forward to meeting Chiyoko in the first place. He still reminisces the past and enjoys the whole interview while the cameraman is clearly bored. I love how each and every one of them has their own antics and quirks. That what makes Millenium Actress more unique than any of Kon's films.

Conclusion

If you don't want to watch it for the story, admire Millenium for its mastery of visual aspect. If you are a film editor or someone with similar professions, you can learn many things just by carefully studying its usage of cuts and transitions. Millenium Actress is a testament that animation can be more than just moving picture. It reaches the deepest aspect of human lives. I would definitely recommend you to watch it, because the story is quite simple and linear, but it has a whole lot surprises.