Millenium Actress

Production
Madhouse, Project Millennium Actress
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Film
Running time
87 mins
Year
2001

Millenium Actress

By Mark McPherson
20th May 04

Chiyoko Fujiwara has been known in Japan for her brilliant film work as an actress in some of Japan's top movies. One day, during the destruction of her old studio, filmmaker Genya Tachibana and his camera man Kyoji Ida come to visit and interview her, but there is more to it than that. When they first meet her, she feels that the Earth moves everytime someones want to interview her. After she explains that feeling, Genya gives Chiyoko a key he found at the studio and the story begins.

The story starts off with Chiyoko explaining she was born in the Japanese earthquake of 1923, which explains why she beleives that the Earth shakes for her. During her life as a school girl, she is offered the chance to become an actress to benefit the nation's cinema world. However, her mother disagrees with this decision. To complicate matters even worse, Chiyoko runs into a fugitive painter and falls in love with him. Later on, the painter gives her a key and rushes off. During the rest of Chiyoko's life, she tries as hard as she can to find her mystery man, even to the day she dies.

This movie was directed by Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue) and it shows. It's sort of been a trademark of Satoshi to seemlessly translate from one scene to another and leave the audiance guessing. Millenium Actress is no exception. Almost every moment of the flashbacks you are left wondering whether or not this actually a part of her real life or just another movie or sometimes both. It's easily not for the smaller thinkers of the audiance. So what roles do the two filmmakers Genya and Kyoji play in these flashbacks? Why they just follow Chiyoko around much like Scrooge did in A Christmas Carol. However, there is more to Genya then lets on as it is soon revealed that Genya was actually a member of Chiyoko's staff and saved her life once.

Yes, this is a flashback movie, but I have to say it's one of the greatest past-tense movies I've ever seen. Genya also provides some comic relief to the flashbacks by taking on roles of the supporting cast. Kyoji also provides some comedic contributions by constantly questioning Genya's roles in the films. I guess my only turn-off about this film would be the quick ending that goes along with her last film she did. It's not bad, but it felt to abrupt.

Millenium Actress has recieved a PG rating which suits it very well. There isn't any blood, hardly any cursing and no adult situations. However, the plot is extremely complicated so children may not want to watch this film for lack of interest. Also, the film has no English dub track so only a select few might actually sit down and pay attention to it. The DVD features are pretty slim. There is a trailer and a nice behind the scenes with the filmmakers which includes Satoshi Kon gleefully trying on Japanese armor and testing out Japanese weaponry in order to get a feel for each film Chiyoko would be appearing in.

The bottom line is Millenium Actress is something different, something interesting and something intelligent. You could place this in the drama category, but that would belittle it's impact. Millenium Actress is just something that has to be experienced, despite your taste in Japanese cinema. On that note, I would like to say that much like a few other titles I've seen like Roujin Z, I really can't find anything wrong with this film. It's, simply put, perfect.

10/10

-- Mark McPherson 20th May 04

Millenium Actress Images