Audtion - A Review (Japanese with English subtitles)

Filmed in 1999, “Audition” puts to shame every American horror movie ever made.

Shigeharu Aoyama has been alone for the last seven years, following the death of his wife. At his son’s urging, “Dad, you’re looking old”, Aoyama teams up with his friend Yoshikawa to find himself a new mate. Yoshikawa is in the film industry so the two of them decide to send out a casting call for a non-existent film. In Japan, apparently all you need to do is send in a resume with a picture attached if you’d like to be in a film. Once all the resumes are received, Aoyama sits down to choose the girls he’d like to screen.

Auditions begin in a very proper Japanese way. There is a lot of bowing and “Yes, Sir, No, Sir” as each girl is presented to the two men. Of the 30 women selected, only one has the characteristics that Aoyama is looking for. But is Asami Yamazaki really who she appears to be? Or is she the Japanese version of Glenn Close in “Fatal Attraction”?

This is no in your face blood and gore slashfest. Subtlety is the key word here and director Takashi Miike is a master. The first hour moves a little slowly as we watch the very formal courtship between the two main characters. However, it doesn’t take long for Aoyama to make up his mind that Asami is the girl for him. And that’s when all hell breaks loose.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film and would recommend it if for no other reason than it’s interesting to see the difference between American and Japanese horror. A very solid five stars out of five.