I’m going to review Audition? Well, I’ve seen it before, so would it technically be a re-review? Why do my feet hurt all of a sudden?
When we were handing out assignments for our Halloween themed segments, I immediately volunteered to review Takashi Miike’s Audition. I had seen the film ten years prior and the film has become a bit of a blur since then, though the scar it made on my psyche still lingers. I’ve seen several of Miike’s films afterwards (including an odd samurai western hybrid), but the film that introduced me to the twisted world of Miike has been long forgotten by me. As I’ve grown older, I’ve seen some pretty f*cked up sh*t (pardon my language, but I really couldn’t describe it any other way) and have built up my tolerance as far as what fazes me. With that in mind, I couldn’t help but wonder if Audition would have the same effect on me as it did on 16-year-old Andres.
I’m going to review Audition? Well, I’ve seen it before, so would it technically be a re-review? Why do my feet hurt all of a sudden?
When we were handing out assignments for our Halloween themed segments, I immediately volunteered to review Takashi Miike’s Audition. I had seen the film ten years prior and the film has become a bit of a blur since then, though the scar it made on my psyche still lingers. I’ve seen several of Miike’s films afterwards (including an odd samurai western hybrid), but the film that introduced me to the twisted world of Miike has been long forgotten by me. As I’ve grown older, I’ve seen some pretty f*cked up sh*t (pardon my language, but I really couldn’t describe it any other way) and have built up my tolerance as far as what fazes me. With that in mind, I couldn’t help but wonder if Audition would have the same effect on me as it did on 16-year-old Andres.
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To the uninitiated, Audition tells the story of widower Shigeharu Aoyama(Ryo Ishibashi). Seven years earlier, he lost his wife to a fatal illness and was left to raise his son by himself. As his son grows up and finishes school, he urges his father to start dating before he moves out. Dejected and doubtful he’d find a wife, he reaches out to friend and they devise a plan to hold an audition. He finds a perfect fit in young dancer Asami Yamazaki, but Asami (Eihi Shiina) has a violent past and a dark secret.
First off, Takashi Miike is one warped bastard. If you’ve seen any of his other works (namely Ichi The Killer or Visitor Q), you will know exactly what I’m talking about. Though Audition is tamer compared to the previously mentioned films, that doesn’t make it any less terrifying. Audition is more cerebral than it is a conventional. Rather than relying on loud noises and a bit of the ultra violence, Miike builds up tension to a point where it’s maddening.
The film starts out highlighting the lonely life of Aoyama. It’s tragic yet oddly beautiful as Taskashi Miike captures the mundane routine of a lowly widower. Once Asami Yamazaki is introduced, it turns into this odd romance that’s both awkward and unsettling, setting off an alarm in the audience that something definitely off balance. It’s when we start delving into Asami’s past that things take a horrifying turn for the worse.
Audition is a beautiful film, one that makes use of amazing lighting and shot design. One can appreciate that it’s set to a slow burn that builds up to the climax of the film. With that being said, the film’s biggest flaw is its pacing, as Audition admittedly moves at a slow crawl. The first hour of the film is spent following this odd courtship of Shigeharu and Asami and their dry interactions. The film picks up once Asami disappears and Shigeharu searches for her, slowly discovering her dark secrets along the way. The proverbial sh*t doesn’t hit the fan until there’s about 20 minutes left of the film. It’s a beautiful film, don’t get me wrong, but it still takes its sweet ass time.
The payoff, however, is well worth it. The final scenes of this film are just as visceral as they were the first time I saw this movie. Though I knew what was going to happen, the “bag” scene delivered the first fright I’ve experienced in years. The final scene (the one scene that put this film on many scariest movies lists) is one that is still cringe worthy to this day. It’s not so much the blood, but more so the sound of that wire and the glee on actress Eihi Shiina’s face as she commits this unspeakable act. Though the pacing is off throughout the movie, it explodes at the end leaving quite the impression on you.
Overall Score: 8.10 — Great. (Movies that score between 8.00 and 8.50 are great representations of their genre that everyone should see in theaters on opening night.)
There’s a beautiful madness about this film. It’s elegant yet horrifying, cerebral yet violent. Though it moves at a slow crawl, it doesn’t take away from the psychological damage it will inflict. The very thought of piano wire used to reduce me to putty, and I am here to tell you that even after repeat viewings it’ll still make you cringe.
