Perfect Blue

Roger Corman is quoted as considering this a cross between Walt Disney and Alfred Hitchcock, whilst others have referenced Argento and Lynch. Whilst I'm not particularly keen on any of these comparisons, it is certainly true to say that this film, even though it is animated, is much closer to live action than what we normally consider animation. There are times when you forget you are watching animation, the urban shots of Tokyo are mesmerising, and I have certainly never seen so much blood in an animated film. I was going to say violence but I guess there is plenty of that in a Tom and Jerry short. This, of course, is much harder edged and although it begins in pink, girlie, teen idol territory it is not there for long and there are delirious sequences towards the end when it will not only be the person on screen who is having an identity crisis!