For many years, Chiyoko
Fujiwara was a very popular actress in Japan. 30 years ago, she
quit, never to be seen again. Now at age 70, she has granted an
interview with Genya Tachibana from "Studio Lotus". It is
obvious that Genya has a crush on this former starlet, and hurries out to
her secluded estate to see her. He also bring with him a
key.
Little does he know that this key will unlock tales of her hopes,
dreams, and sorrows. This key will take Tachibana and his cameraman Koyji
on a wonderful journey that transcends space and time. A
journey that will show them the soul of a great actress, and an even
greater woman.
REVIEW
Take one part
"Citizen Kane", one part "Hamlet", two parts
"Slaughterhouse Five", add a dash of the mind altering reality
from "2001", and you may have a rudimentary idea of what
Millennium Actress is like. It's a compelling, well crafted story,
that makes you forget this is an animated film.
Right from the start, I
found myself caught up in Chiyoko's story. Writers Satoshi Kon and Sadayuki Murai did an
excellent job at keeping me
involved. Genya and Koyji act as both observers and participants,
allowing us to become a part Chiyoko's world. The further we go, the more we learn.
This story was so compelling, I could not wait
to see what happened next.
I liked how Kon and Murai used earthquakes to
identify major events in the characters lives. Like throwing a rock
into a pond, every quake would causes a ripple effect that changed the course
of a characters life. A good rule of thumb is, if there is an
earthquake, something life altering is about to happen.
You have to pay
attention to this film. Like many things in Japanese culture, subtlety
is a key ingredient. A word or a phrase will give you an
insight into another facet of Chiyoko's story. There were several
times where I had to re-wind the tape to catch something I had missed.
Cinema
fans will find many references to popular films. From
"Ran" by Kurasawa, to the Toho "Godzilla" movies, it
seems that Chiyoko was quite the prolific actress. Genya is a true
movie fan, remembering some of her "classic" lines, and
many times acts as her leading man.
I
give Dreamworks credit for not dubbing this movie. Many of the
emotional reactions are very Japanese in nature and they would not
translate well into English. While there are some English voice
actors that could do a wonderful job, no dub could do this film
justice.
This movie is very similar in tone to "Spring and
Chaos". This is truly an "art house" project, and
consequently, that "moniker" may hurt it's general
appeal. It's a shame, because it's such a wonderful film. Do
yourself a favor, and give it a chance. You will not be disappointed.
To
gain further insight on this movie, it would be a good idea to acquaint yourself with the following:
For many years, Chiyoko
Fujiwara was a very popular actress in Japan. 30 years ago, she
quit, never to be seen again. Now at age 70, she has granted an
interview with Genya Tachibana from "Studio Lotus". It is
obvious that Genya has a crush on this former starlet, and hurries out to
her secluded estate to see her. He also bring with him a
key. 
Take one part
"Citizen Kane", one part "Hamlet", two parts
"Slaughterhouse Five", add a dash of the mind altering reality
from "2001", and you may have a rudimentary idea of what
Millennium Actress is like. It's a compelling, well crafted story,
that makes you forget this is an animated film.
You have to pay
attention to this film. Like many things in Japanese culture, subtlety
is a key ingredient. A word or a phrase will give you an
insight into another facet of Chiyoko's story. There were several
times where I had to re-wind the tape to catch something I had missed.
I
give Dreamworks credit for not dubbing this movie. Many of the
emotional reactions are very Japanese in nature and they would not
translate well into English. While there are some English voice
actors that could do a wonderful job, no dub could do this film
justice.