Audition (2000)

Written by Happywax     June 2011

Rating 8 out of 10

Director - Takashi Miike

Cast

Ryo Ishibashi - Shigeharo Aoyama

Eihi Shiina - Asami Yamazaki

Tetsu Sawaki - Shigehiko Aoyama

Jun Kunimura - Yasuhisa Yoshikawa

 

Hey Guys and Gouls , Happys here with an  awsome Takashi Miike movie that my good friend Johnny was telling me and old Axmaster about when he was at Happys House of Horrors(thats where I live) on the weekend,I have to say I am a horror movie buff. Jaded to say the least. For a film to scare me it takes quite a bit. But this film, although not able to eject me from my seat, gave me a run for my money. The worst part about it is you don't even know it's going to be a horror movie for the first hour or so.

The film is about Aoyama. A lonely middle aged widower movie producer whose been alone too long. Thinking it's time to get remarried (even his teenage son thinks it's time, when this happens you know its gotta happen) he begins to think of ways to find a suitable bride. His friend comes up with the crackpot idea of holding a fake audition for a movie. Seems pretty far fetched. Amazingly it works!  It is here we meet Asami, a very cute, pretty young girl with a chip on her shoulder and a mysterious past. We all know she is going to win Aoyama's heart from the beginning because he was quite smitten with the profile of her given to him. The two get together and have some very sweet moments with each other. At first.

Does this sounds like the beginning of a crappy romantic-comedy to you or what? I can just see the American version of this now. All they need is for her to be married or engaged to some rich jerk. It will star either Meg Ryan or Julia Roberts as the cute and troubled audition. Have Richard Gere as the lonely widower (a part he has perfected). Some random, handsome, snobby British guy as the rich jerk. It will be set in a major metropolitan city, and it will be directed by Penny Marshal.

Fortunately, this is the set in the East. Anything goes over there. The film goes from being a cute little snorefest to a nightmarish apparition that could give David Cronenberg a run for his money. There is no really messy gore in this movie at all, well sort of in one scene. Something that surprises me after seeing some of the other lunatic category 3 horror movies from the East I've seen in recent times (Entrails of the Virgin, anybody) . The movie relies on hallucinogenic images and unsettling scenery to get it's scares. Something it does very well. The sets are very dark and foreboding. The lighting is kept to a minimum while color is brought in shades so the characters seem to be encompassed by them. Red seems to the flavor of the day here. But it is a good choice, red means dread, and that becomes the feeling that comes over us as the film reaches it's sadistic climax.

 If you are a horror fan and haven't seen Audition, I recommend you take a look at this little gem. However, I must warn you of one thing. Audition is not for pussies who watch Scream and think crap like The Sixth Sense is the scariest movie of all time. Also, it can be a bit confusing at first. But stick with it and give it a chance or two. Not a movie for recommendation on how good the plot is, though I found it quite good. I'm just gonna recomend it cause of  how fucked up it is. Bless you Takashi Miike you sick basterd!!!!!!!!