"Kiri, kiri, kiri, kiri..."
After seeing it ranked #11 on Bravo's list of the 100 scariest movie moments, I'd been wanting to see the Japanese movie Audition. And thanks to the wonder that is Netflix, I finally got that chance. Directed by notorious filmmaker Takashi Miike, the movie tells the story of widower Shigeharu Aoyama (as played by Ryo Ishibashi). Deciding to put himself back out on the market but unsure of how to meet a woman, a friend in the filmmaking business suggests holding a fake audition to find the right woman. After an exhaustive audition process, Aoyama ends up falling for a meek, mysterious girl named Asami Yamakazi (Eihi Shiina). Everything seems great for a while, but things soon fall apart. In short: boy meets girl, boy dates girl, boy ends up discovering the girl's hellish past, girl brutally tortures boy. It really tugs at the heartstrings, folks.
The movie is wonderfully acted by Ishibashi and Shiina, and brilliantly directed by Miike. The movie rocks the slow burn for nearly an hour, and while those with shorter attention spans may find it boring, it's all a buildup for the horrific finale. So horrific, in fact, that Audition held the dubious honor of the most audience walk-outs ever at its premiere. Although Miike denies it, the movie also seems to make a social commentary on the stereotypical subservient Japanese bride. We spend the entire movie thinking Asami is a timid, quiet young lady, but by the end of the movie, we see that she's been in charge the entire time.
The finale is unrelenting in its desire to torture its viewers, proving why Miike has earned a reputaion as one of Japan's most extreme directors. His odd camera angles, along with the way he has edited the movie, make for a unique method of storytelling. At the end of the movie, scenes we saw in the early going are repeated, only with far different, darker dialogue. This is most likely done to show how far Aoyama’s preconceived notions are from the truth. He’s so blinded by his affection for Asami that he never realizes just how messed up she is. Miike teases us as well, showing us quick bits that at first make us believe that the horrors are just a dream. But we're soon jolted back to reality, yanked back into the torture of the finale.
Audition is most certainly a movie not made for all audiences. If you're squemish or don't like having your head screwed with, I'd suggest renting another movie. But if you do, go check out Audition. I'll give it a solid four stars and a recommendation.
The movie is wonderfully acted by Ishibashi and Shiina, and brilliantly directed by Miike. The movie rocks the slow burn for nearly an hour, and while those with shorter attention spans may find it boring, it's all a buildup for the horrific finale. So horrific, in fact, that Audition held the dubious honor of the most audience walk-outs ever at its premiere. Although Miike denies it, the movie also seems to make a social commentary on the stereotypical subservient Japanese bride. We spend the entire movie thinking Asami is a timid, quiet young lady, but by the end of the movie, we see that she's been in charge the entire time.
The finale is unrelenting in its desire to torture its viewers, proving why Miike has earned a reputaion as one of Japan's most extreme directors. His odd camera angles, along with the way he has edited the movie, make for a unique method of storytelling. At the end of the movie, scenes we saw in the early going are repeated, only with far different, darker dialogue. This is most likely done to show how far Aoyama’s preconceived notions are from the truth. He’s so blinded by his affection for Asami that he never realizes just how messed up she is. Miike teases us as well, showing us quick bits that at first make us believe that the horrors are just a dream. But we're soon jolted back to reality, yanked back into the torture of the finale.
Audition is most certainly a movie not made for all audiences. If you're squemish or don't like having your head screwed with, I'd suggest renting another movie. But if you do, go check out Audition. I'll give it a solid four stars and a recommendation.
posted by Matt Sutton at
11:47 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home