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Audition (Unrated) (Dir Sub)
Audition

Art House & International and Cult Movies movie directed by Takashi Miike

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Japanese always do horror films with exceptional flair.

  • Jun 3, 2006
  • by
Rating:
+1
It's difficult to know what my reaction to this film is. I have several, they're strong and they're pulling me in different directions

Based on a novel by Ryu Murakami, director Takashi Miike's Audition is surprisingly "deliberate" and straightforward for much of its length. It's not a bad film at all, but most of it is in the realm of realist drama, even becoming something of a romance at one point. There are a few brutal images and scenarios, but they arrive primarily towards the end of the film, and they tend to be more conceptually disturbing than graphically violent.

It's a good hour, at least, before anything very out of the ordinary happens in the film, and even when that time does arrive, the strange occurrences are extremely subtle at first. The pacing and tone of this first half of the film is more similar to Hideo Nakata's style as displayed in films like Ringu (1998) and Dark Water (Honogurai mizu no soko kara, 2002). This is only the third Mike film I've seen so far (I had difficulty tracking them down for purchase or rental before I joined Netflix), and the directorial style of Audition was surprising to me. That's because so far, every Miike film I've seen has a completely different style (the other two I've watched to date are Ichi the Killer (Koroshiya 1) and Happiness of the Katakuris (Katakuri-ke no kôfuku), both from 2001).

It would be easy to read this film as a misandrist/gynophobic horror. It might be taken as a more specifically culturally Japanese lament for the passing of a way of life, a la 'Tokyo Story'. You could note that the jumbled chronology or hallucinatory structure of the horror segment could indicate uncertainty. Did it really happen or are those his fears?
You could do all of these things however, I think it's a cut and shunt job. I like both sections on their own, but stick 'em together and it feels like I can still see the tape holding the two sets of spliced film stock together. These themes deserve exploration and I'd love to see the missing two halves to the two parts we've seen. Together it's a dislocated joint in my brain, albeit a well-executed and compelling one.

Imagine the sensation if the loss and hope in the first half could have made it through to be confronted by the psychosis and nightmares of the second. Instead they're misplaced somewhere in the confusion of a drugged glass of whisky and the director's desire to stupefy us into submission.

Despite Asami's philosophy of getting at reality through pain, I don't think this film was painful enough, although I can't think of any part of it I didn't like. My reactions to the film may be contrary but they don't hurt enough.

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More Audition reviews
review by . October 04, 2009
posted in ASIANatomy
DVD
   Whenever someone who has no knowledge of Japanese director Takashi Miike asks me what I can recommend from his works, I say “AUDITION” about 99 % of the time. Miike has become very famous in the West because of this film, it paved the way for his other works to be released in America and Europe. I would not go as far to say that it is his finest film, but it is arguably his most famous. “Audition” is based on the book by Ryu Murakami of the same name. Most people …
review by . August 20, 2010
posted in ASIANatomy
A MUST OWN, MUST BUY, GET IT NOW TYPE OF FILM
      AUDITION      If there ever was a movie that I would no doubt say is one of the best movies ever if I was asked this would be it, in fact I would say that this is in the top 10. To those who have yet to see this film know now that you are in for a ride that you will never forget. J-Horror has become a very popular thing here in the states lately but let me say that these American remakes are nothing compared to the real deal productions from Asia. If …
Quick Tip by . November 23, 2009
Truly, AUDITION boasts some of the creepiest scenes committed to film. I'd say more, but I just can't watch that ending again. Ever.
Quick Tip by . August 21, 2009
Frightening and disturbing, and really the kind of the movie for true horror fans. Can't say I have the stomach for it most of the time.
review by . February 06, 2006
posted in Movie Hype
There is a huge difference between this film and other horror films and that is it has more story than gore. There's not that much violence but this girl still freaks you out with her insane secrets. The beginning is a little long but it's put to good when you see how it all comes together at the end. I started watching Audition expecting a very scary movie meaning excessive gore and things that really aren't needed but instead I got a thought provoking film and that's how it gets in your head. …
review by . September 22, 2004
posted in Movie Hype
Audition was recommended to me by an Amazon friend, Claude777 and I am glad that I heeded his recommendation! This movie and the visuals that take place were quite disturbing and haunting and even more so than "Ringu" (which others like to compare this movie to).     Director Takashi Miike's movie starts out like any other run of the mill romantic comedy - milquetoast, sweet and recently widowed Shigeharu (Ryo Ishibashi), his son, Tetsu Sawaki (Shigehiko Aoyama) and housekeeper …
review by . December 31, 2002
posted in Movie Hype
I just rented Audition a couple days ago, it's still here, and I will probably watch it at least 4 times by the time I have to return it. Then I plan on buying it when I get a DVD player.Ordinarily I am not even that much into "thriller" or "horror" types of movies. Seen a bunch, didn't get much out of them. Thus it's not really my preferred genre. After seeing Audition it turns out that the only reason I'm not too into this genre is because none of the other examples are as nightmarishly believable …
review by . December 30, 2002
posted in Movie Hype
I just rented Audition a couple days ago, it's still here, and I will probably watch it at least 4 times by the time I have to return it. Then I plan on buying it when I get a DVD player.Ordinarily I am not even that much into "thriller" or "horror" types of movies. Seen a bunch, didn't get much out of them. Thus it's not really my preferred genre. After seeing Audition it turns out that the only reason I'm not too into this genre is because none of the other examples are as nightmarishly believable …
see all Audition reviews (9)
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Jen-Jay AKA:JJI ()
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Married into the military for over a decade and it does has itpros andcons. The lifestyle is great and Ido enjoy it. I'm able to do things and see things that I thought I wouldn't dream of. My kids loves … more
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About this movie

Wiki

If you want the full sledgehammer-to-the-stomach effect ofAudition, stop reading this review now. Just watch it and take the consequences. At first glance, Takashi Miike's jack in the box of a movie works like a romantic comedy: amiable widower Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) decides it's time to find a new wife, and a friend suggests holding a fake audition to find the right girl. It soon becomes clear that there is something wrong with Aoyama's choice. This is no ordinaryFatal Attraction-style thriller, however;Auditionslowly and carefully builds into a wrenching exploration of both deep male fears and the stereotype of the cute, submissive Japanese woman.Auditionis by no means an easy movie to watch--even hardcore horror fans may have trouble--but it will stay with you for a long, long time.--Ali Davis
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Tags

Movies, Drama Movies, Film, Horror, Thriller, Asian Cinema, Thriller Movies, Japanese Cinema
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Details

Director: Takashi Miike
Screen Writer: Daisuke Tengan, Ryû Murakami
Runtime: 115 minutes
Studio: Chimera
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