Director: Takashi Miike, Novel: Ryu Murakami, Script: Daisuke Tengan Cast: Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura
This is the first(and only so far) film I have seen by Takashi Miike. I have heard about many of his films: Visitor Q , Ichi the killer and the like as well as this. Needless to say, when I came across this at our local video store I rented it with much anticipation. This film is about a widowed film maker whose 17 year old son encourages him to date again. One night, over drinks at a bar, his co-worker(a fellow film producer) comes up with the idea of doing a faked 'audition' for a girl to play a part in a upcoming movie. The character they are looking for will be based on what kind of traits he wants in a women. After going through a series of auditions, he is immediately drawn to this particular girl. However, his co-worker senses something very wrong about her and advises him to choose someone else but he does not follow this advise.
This was a very effective film. Miike does a good job of allowing for character development. This film starts off almost as a romantic love story. At the beginning of this film, we know very little about this girl or her background. As we proceed through the film we come to realize that this girl is a very unstable character. Through various dream sequences, we start to learn more about this girl's past. How she was abused by her step-father, and uncle etc. This all leads us to the horror that is to be revealed by the end of the film. This girl tortures this poor guy in some pretty nasty ways: acupuncture, dismemberment of the foot etc. His son comes in to witness all this. What I really liked about this film was the contrast between the subtle romantic like beginning and the horror that is revealed at the end. Before I saw this film, the only other Japanese films I had seen are the Grudge and the Ringu both of which are exceptional as well. I would not say Audition is scary per se. It is more of a drama/thriller than an all out scare fest. When she starts to torture him it gets a little uncomfortable but really not that bad compared to what's out there today.
This is the first(and only so far) film I have seen by Takashi Miike. I have heard about many of his films: Visitor Q , Ichi the killer and the like as well as this. Needless to say, when I came across this at our local video store I rented it with much anticipation. This film is about a widowed film maker whose 17 year old son encourages him to date again. One night, over drinks at a bar, his co-worker(a fellow film producer) comes up with the idea of doing a faked 'audition' for a girl to play a part in a upcoming movie. The character they are looking for will be based on what kind of traits he wants in a women. After going through a series of auditions, he is immediately drawn to this particular girl. However, his co-worker senses something very wrong about her and advises him to choose someone else but he does not follow this advise.
This was a very effective film. Miike does a good job of allowing for character development. This film starts off almost as a romantic love story. At the beginning of this film, we know very little about this girl or her background. As we proceed through the film we come to realize that this girl is a very unstable character. Through various dream sequences, we start to learn more about this girl's past. How she was abused by her step-father, and uncle etc. This all leads us to the horror that is to be revealed by the end of the film. This girl tortures this poor guy in some pretty nasty ways: acupuncture, dismemberment of the foot etc. His son comes in to witness all this. What I really liked about this film was the contrast between the subtle romantic like beginning and the horror that is revealed at the end. Before I saw this film, the only other Japanese films I had seen are the Grudge and the Ringu both of which are exceptional as well. I would not say Audition is scary per se. It is more of a drama/thriller than an all out scare fest. When she starts to torture him it gets a little uncomfortable but really not that bad compared to what's out there today.