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Paprika
Japan, 2006, 90 min, 35mm, Dir. Satoshi Kon, Rated R, Japanese with English Subtitles, Sony Pictures
For Satoshi Kon, animation is key to presenting the ideas and themes he explores in his films. No work exemplifies this better than his final film, Paprika. Set in the near future where a revolutionary form of therapy has been invented, doctors are able to enter their patient’s dreams using a device called a “DC mini.” What begins as a form of healing by Dr. Atsuko Chiba and her dream alter ego, Paprika, turns into a nightmare as a nefarious agent seeks to use the device to protect dreams from humanity and gain power. Released four years before Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster Inception explored the world of dreams and based on Yasutaka Tsutsui’s 1993 novel of the same name, the film was nominated for the Golden Lion at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival, where it also premiered. It has been listed in numerous best of lists, including Time Magazine, Time Out, and Newsweek. Even actor Elijah Wood is a fan, saying, “[Paprika] blew my mind.” Susumu Hirasawa’s score further blends dreams and reality by being the first made for a film to use a Vocaloid, a singing voice synthesizer developed by Yamaha.
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