In this interesting, very attractively drawn anime from Japan, a TV journalist gets to interview Chiyoko Fujiwara, a once famous actress who mysteriously became a recluse after retiring from acting some 30 years ago. As she is interviewed about her movies, she turns into the characters she played, in different eras and in different genres, and fantasy becomes confused with reality.
The movie's conceit is interesting. How it is carried out, not so much. At times, the story becomes a bit too confusing. A more straight- lined screenplay would have helped.
Note: Though she doesn't look terribly like her, Chiyoko Fujiwara is obviously inspired on Setsuko Hara (born in 1920), the beautiful actress who starred in many of the best films of Yasujiro Ozu (she was the understanding daughter in law in Tokyo Story), and also in some films of Akira Kurosawa and Mikio Naruse. Hara not only retired from cinema, but also has rejected any interviews for 50 years, living an apparently recluse life in Kamakura, the Tokyo suburb where many Ozu's films are set (and where Ozu himself is buried). In the movie, Fujiwara seclusion is due to an early romantic disappointment. As far as I know, no one knows the reason of Hara's disappearance from public life.
Interestingly, director Satoshi Kon was born in 1963, the same year Setsuko Hara retired from cinema (and also the same year Yasujiro Ozu died). Kon unfortunately died of cancer in 2010; Setsuko Hara incredibly, is alive as of 2015.
The movie's conceit is interesting. How it is carried out, not so much. At times, the story becomes a bit too confusing. A more straight- lined screenplay would have helped.
Note: Though she doesn't look terribly like her, Chiyoko Fujiwara is obviously inspired on Setsuko Hara (born in 1920), the beautiful actress who starred in many of the best films of Yasujiro Ozu (she was the understanding daughter in law in Tokyo Story), and also in some films of Akira Kurosawa and Mikio Naruse. Hara not only retired from cinema, but also has rejected any interviews for 50 years, living an apparently recluse life in Kamakura, the Tokyo suburb where many Ozu's films are set (and where Ozu himself is buried). In the movie, Fujiwara seclusion is due to an early romantic disappointment. As far as I know, no one knows the reason of Hara's disappearance from public life.
Interestingly, director Satoshi Kon was born in 1963, the same year Setsuko Hara retired from cinema (and also the same year Yasujiro Ozu died). Kon unfortunately died of cancer in 2010; Setsuko Hara incredibly, is alive as of 2015.