Blu-Ray Review: Takashi Miike’s ‘Audition’ More Effective 10 Years Later

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CHICAGO – Takashi Miike’s controversial and terrifying “Audition,” recently released in a ten year anniversary Blu-Ray edition, feels even richer and more dramatically interesting than it did ten years ago as the dating world has become so much more reliant on technology. And it remains just as effective as as when it was first released in terms of genuine, chill-inducing scares. The Blu-Ray is a bit disappointing in terms of technical presentation and the special features are merely so-so, but the film itself is still a must-see and the release a must-own for foreign film or horror fans.

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

“Audition” is not a typical horror movie. If you want traditional scares this Halloween, check out the great “Drag Me To Hell” or go see “Paranormal Activity”. “Audition” is a domestic horror tale, more in the vein of something like “Fatal Attraction” than anything supernatural (or even typical Miike insanity). It is a cautionary tale cut from a classic structure of the genre - be careful who you mess with because they might be crazy.

Audition was released on Blu-Ray on October 6th, 2009.
Photo credit: Shout Factory

The great Ryo Ishibashi stars as the lonely Shigeharu Aoyama, a man looking for companionship in his later years and coming up short. He’s a middle-aged widower, urged by his teenage son and film producer friend to hold an actual audition for a new girlfriend. What better way to meet Ms. Right than to interview prospective candidates under the guise of needing a leading lady for a new project? And what an amazing precursor to the modern obsession with websites and services that promise to provide you with your perfect match.

Shigeharu finds what he thinks will be his perfect match, a submissive, beautiful, sweet girl named Asami (Eihi Shiina), a former ballerina with a dark past. And a few cards missing from her mental deck. It’s not long before the sweet romance of “Audition” turns very, very twisted and the finale of the movie stirred controversy on the film’s release. A film that some have read as misogynistic and some have read as feminist, “Audition” has been dividing audiences for years and seems a perfect fit for a lavish tenth anniversary edition.

On the new release, Miike himself introduces the film, although he doesn’t have much to say other than how much he likes it and the cryptic announcement that he thinks “Japanese films will be more interesting in the future.” Eihi Shiina (Asami) also introduces the film, advising male viewers to put themselves in the hero’s shoes and female viewers in Asami’s shoes. Hopefully, those viewers are not in the same room.

As for the movie itself, the video transfer is a bit disappointing, looking much flatter and less remastered than it should. The picture’s not bad but it’s doubtful that it’s any better than the DVD version you already own upconverted on your Blu-Ray player. The audio mix in Japanese 5.0 Dolby Digital is similarly satisfactory but not notable.

As for special features, the Blu-Ray disc includes a commentary by Miike and screenwriter Daisuke Tengan. Oddly, the other special features are included on a separate standard DVD, making a two-disc set that feels a bit unnecessary. Even if they’re in standard definition, isn’t it more logical to include the bonus material on the Blu-Ray disc? It may be oddly organized, but what’s featured is an interesting hour-plus of new interviews with cast members Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Renji Ishibashi, and Ren Osugi. The international trailers and a very interesting booklet essay by Tom Mes (author of “Agitator: The Cinema of Takashi Miike”) round out the package for one of the best horror films of the ’90s.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com [email protected]