MM34 - Fame & Psychosis: The Red Shoes & Perfect Blue (Patreon)

In a perfectly paired color-based double feature programed by Hesse, Movie Mindset examines two very different films about women in the entertainment business and the psychologically distorting effects of pursuing art and fame.

First up from 1948 is The Red Shoes, a Powell and Pressburger joint about an aspiring ballerina who joins a renowned company and faces a choice between living for love or art. This one ranks among Martin Scorsese’s favorites, and if he thinks that highly of this picture, who are you to question?

Next, from 1997 is Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue, a terrifying and disorienting examination of the mental dissolution of a young J-Pop star, Mima, who decides to quit music for a career as an actress. As she is stalked in both the real world and online, a series of grisly murders begin to take place around her and both Mima and you the viewer will begin to question your sanity.