The mailbox and the refrigerator will lead...
Ever since Satoshi Kon's passing, I haven't been able to watch any of his movies. Today, the guy next to me on the train was watching Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away) and for some reason, I felt this very strong urge to watch Paprika. So I did. And it was even better than I remembered.
The very first time I watched it was at the Honolulu Film Festival. Satoshi Kon was there - none of us had expected it. But there he was, looking like the very epitome of a film director with his glasses and ponytail. "Don't think too much about it," he said with some fondness during the speech he gave before the movie began. "Just enjoy it, like you would a spice of paprika." Well, that's not exactly what he said, but that message still remains with me, that idea of in the end and above all, this kind of thing - movies, art, life - should simply be enjoyed.
Of Satoshi Kon's movies, I love Paprika the most. It has a lot of elements that I've always been interested in - dreams especially - and also a lot of elements that I want to pursue in my writing. Not to mention, the lead character (characters?), Chiba Atsuko, is completely my type of heroine XD But if you look at it, Paprika is really a simple movie. But it's how it was made that really makes it special, and really, that's how special things get made, isn't it?
I guess I'm just feeling sentimental, or that I needed something to encourage me as I'm trying to write. I think it's also because it was after seeing Paprika that first time that I became inspired to continue to write. I really was thinking of just giving up back then. Even now I have those moments, but at least now, I have things like Paprika to remind me, to pick me up again.
Satoshi Kon will always be that person for me, that person who showed me that it really is wonderful to share that dream.
Wherever you are Kon-sama, I hope you're having a good dream.
The very first time I watched it was at the Honolulu Film Festival. Satoshi Kon was there - none of us had expected it. But there he was, looking like the very epitome of a film director with his glasses and ponytail. "Don't think too much about it," he said with some fondness during the speech he gave before the movie began. "Just enjoy it, like you would a spice of paprika." Well, that's not exactly what he said, but that message still remains with me, that idea of in the end and above all, this kind of thing - movies, art, life - should simply be enjoyed.
Of Satoshi Kon's movies, I love Paprika the most. It has a lot of elements that I've always been interested in - dreams especially - and also a lot of elements that I want to pursue in my writing. Not to mention, the lead character (characters?), Chiba Atsuko, is completely my type of heroine XD But if you look at it, Paprika is really a simple movie. But it's how it was made that really makes it special, and really, that's how special things get made, isn't it?
I guess I'm just feeling sentimental, or that I needed something to encourage me as I'm trying to write. I think it's also because it was after seeing Paprika that first time that I became inspired to continue to write. I really was thinking of just giving up back then. Even now I have those moments, but at least now, I have things like Paprika to remind me, to pick me up again.
Satoshi Kon will always be that person for me, that person who showed me that it really is wonderful to share that dream.
Wherever you are Kon-sama, I hope you're having a good dream.