Audition (Odishon, 1999)

Swedish Studio S Blu-ray edition - region B




The Japanese Miike Film Classic. Drama - Horror that takes you by surprise if you haven't
looked at the DVD cover that is, and this "sweet drama" about a middle-age family father and
widower looking for a young female companion will scare you for sure. Eihi Shiina is beyond nasty.
The DVD and Bluray covers shouldn't give away the plot though, every DVD or Blu-ray sleeve
of Audition i've seen reveals the true nature of Eihi Shiina's "sweet" Asami.
At the point in the film when the shift occurs, when Asami gets Aoyama's phone call and smiles
the following events should come as a surprise for the viewers.

Audition is one of Takashi Miike's best films and the one which made him an infamous favourite
director for the cult film crowds all over the world. From the height of the modern Japanese Golden
film era approx. 1995-2003. Lending it to someone who doesn't know what he or she are gonna
watch is always fun. The Miike punch.
The script was written by Daisuke Tengan and based on a story by Ryu Murakami

Above: The old 2007 US Lion's Gate unrated DVD edition

A lonely middle-aged man, Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) has lost his wife Ryoko and now
lives alone with his teenage son Shigehiko. His son suggests that he should re-marry and his
old friend Yasuhisa (Jun Kunimura) who works in the film industry has an idea of how to do it.
How to find a suitable woman for Shigeharu ? He arranges an audition for a film role and 30 young
women are chosen to participate, and Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina) is one of them. Yasuhisa
didn't like Asami as she made him nervous but Aoyama on the other hand was enchanted by her.

Yasuhisa has checked her CV and one of her references, a record company director, has been
missing for a year. Her stated friends can't be reached and her stated job at a restaurant don't
exist and he warns Shigeharu from being too hasty. But, in their first meeting she seemed to be a
submissive and well-behaved shy girl and Shigeharu is sure, and he calls her ....

Takashi Miike turns the table of the traditional japanese power position between men and women
with the woman being "submissive, shy and well behaved" and the man being the provider.
Sort of, yes i know Asami is a psychopath, but some feminist viewers liked the film due to Asami
being the one in possession of the power, and taking revenge on the one molesting her as a kid.

The film is presented in 2.35:1 widescreen with japanese audio and with swedish subtitles.
Extras: An introduction by Takashi Miike, International trailer, Japanese trailer, Interview with
Eihi Shiina (20 minutes, made in 2009), Interview with Ren Osugi (16 minutes, made in 2009),
Interview with Renji Ishibashi (21 minutes, made in 2009 - great interview with an actor legend),
Interview with Ryo Ishibashi (16 minutes, made in 2009), Picture gallery, other trailers

......................................................................................................
......................................................................................................

The Old US Lion's Gate DVD edition were presented in widescreen 1.85:1 and with the following extras:
An interview with Takashi Miike, an audio commentary to special scenes by Takashi Miike, the
introduction by Takashi Miike, a picture gallery, a scariest movie moments segment and an interview
with writer Ryu Murakawi

 

Back to Japan Film Page 1