A nice romantic, sick and twsited film! (Audition (DVD))

Member Name: kat23

Product:	Audition (DVD)
Date:	06/10/01 (96 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very surprising, Good acting, Looks great

Disadvantages: Too strong for some

I've not really had that much interest in Japanese films until recently when I heard a lot of good things (and some not so good) about Audition. I found that it was available on DVD for under £10 so thought, why not give it a try.

I'm pleased that I did, as it's a brilliant little romantic/horror/nasty film! And has certainly made me look more at Japanese films since.

It's basically the story of a man who's wife has died years earlier and his son suggests that maybe it's about time he looked for someone else instead of spending all of his time alone. With the help of a friend and his job he sets up an audition for an actress that is really a way to select a suitable woman.

There is a suitable woman and eventually a relationship starts to grow between them. Slowly they seem to get closer and everything seems to be going perfectly. She seems a little shy and secretive but it's all part of her charm, or at least that's what you first think. Then she disappears.

In an attempt to find out what has happened the man searches through the places she has been and follows and link he can to her. In doing so he unearths a lot of unnerving and disturbing things that suggest she isn't as first thought. I won't say too much, as I don't want to ruin the film. But this is where the film starts to get a little strange as you begin to wonder what is true and what is imagined. The story gets a bit confused and confusing but still extremely intriguing.

Up till now the film has been more or less a gentle romantic film with little in the way of horror. But towards the end it all changes, and it changes in a way that will almost certainly surprise and disturb you! There's one of the most horrific scenes I have ever watched, but all essential to the plot and not for shocks sake. Watch it and you will see what I mean, it's brilliantly done but a lot of people won't want to watch it a second t
ime!

This is a film that I came to with no real expectations and was pleasantly surprised. The acting is very good from everyone involved and really helps to make you believe the story all that more. The main female role (played by Eihi Shiina) is very well played, the differing aspects to her personality are brilliantly portrayed and you really get a feel of what she has been through.

The film looks great with some great imagery. Very gentle and soft at the start but much more bizarre towards the end with a lot of cutting from one scene to another, making it fairly confusing and uneasy to look at, but always stunning.

The director Takashi Miike isn’t well known for making horror films from what I can gather but here he has made a unique horror film, totally unlike any I have seen before or since and has brought a fresh style to a very old genre. I will certainly be looking out for other films he has made to see if they live up to this one.

For me this was a wonderful film that has a good story, great acting and surprises throughout. It won't be for everyone, perhaps a little too strong in places but go, on give it a go and see what all the fuss is about.

You won't regret it.

Actually you probably will!

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