Rent Helter Skelter (2012)
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Top model and fashion idol Lilico (Erika Sawajiri) is used to being the centre of attention - the living epicentre of her own universe and of a multimedia-saturated hyperreality in which everything is airbrushed and colour-adjusted to perfection. When she begins to suffer traumatic side effects from her repeated illegal cosmetic surgery sessions, she finds fame comes at a cost, as she is plunged into a nightmarish world where her sense of self-image and identity begins to fracture. This lurid body horror, based on a manga by Kyoko Okazaki and directed by critically acclaimed photographer and filmmaker Mika Ninagawa (Sakuran), is a candy-colored nightmare, presenting both an assault to the senses and to the picture-perfect world of the fashion and advertising. - Actors:
- Erika Sawajiri, Nao Ômori, Shinobu Terajima, Gô Ayano, Kiko Mizuhara, Hirofumi Arai, Anne Suzuki, Susumu Terajima, Shô Aikawa, Kaori Momoi, Mariko Sumiyoshi, Narumi Konno, Mieko Harada, Rirî Furankî, Yumiko Hara, Shôhei Hino, Yô Kobayashi, Fumiyo Kohinata, Kyôko Koizumi, Daimaô Kosaka
- Directors:
- Mika Ninagawa
- Producers:
- Morio Amagi, Mitsuru Uda
- Writers:
- Kyôko Okazaki, Arisa Kaneko
- Aka:
- Herutâ sukerutâ
- Genres:
- Drama, Horror
- Countries:
- Japan
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 23/03/2026
- Run Time:
- 127 minutes
- Languages:
- Japanese LPCM Stereo
- Subtitles:
- English
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.85:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Audio Commentary by Tori Potenza and Amber T
- Interviews with Erika Sawaji and Director Mika Ninagawa
- Behind the Scenes Footage of the Making of 'Helter Skelter'
- Production Site Press Conference
- Japanese Premiere Stage Greeting
- Opening Day Stage Greeting
- Taipei Film Festival Introduction by Mika Ninagawa
- Stills Gallery
- Teasers and Trailers
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Reviews (1) of Helter Skelter
Flawed, Unsettling but Visually Stunning - Helter Skelter review by griggs
Helter Skelter is a visually striking, chaotic descent into the pressures of fame, beauty, and self-destruction. It follows Liliko, Japan’s top model, whose surgically enhanced perfection is her greatest weapon and inevitable downfall. Aware that time is running out and that younger models are waiting to take her place, she’ll do anything to stay at the top. But beneath her glamorous façade, she is deeply miserable, trapped in a system that exploits and abuses her. Her agency controls every aspect of her life, forcing her to undergo extensive plastic surgeries while keeping the procedures secret. She’s manipulated, gaslit, and pushed to exhaustion, with no real autonomy over her body or career. The film’s feverish energy, surreal imagery, and dazzling colours create a nightmarish, almost fairy-tale atmosphere, immersing the viewer in Liliko’s fragile, crumbling world.
It reminded me of The Substance in how it explores the impossible pressures placed on women to maintain youth, beauty, and relevance. Both films delve into body horror, but Helter Skelter is more theatrical and melodramatic. In contrast, The Substance is brutal and direct, blending psychological horror with dark satire. It doesn’t fully develop all its ideas, and its chaotic structure can be overwhelming. Still, Erika Sawajiri’s intense performance holds it together. Her portrayal of Liliko’s increasing desperation and volatility makes her both tragic and terrifying. Flawed but fascinating, Helter Skelter is an unsettling, visually stunning exploration of the cost of beauty and the inevitable downfall of those who chase perfection at any cost.