Watch horror Movies for free with Amazon Prime

Audition

Audition
1999
9
Director: 
Takashi Miike

SYNOPSIS: 

This disturbing Japanese thriller follows Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi), a widower who decides to start dating again. Aided by a film-producer friend (Jun Kunimura), Aoyama uses auditions for a fake production to function as a dating service. When Aoyama becomes intrigued by the withdrawn, gorgeous Asami (Eihi Shiina), they begin a relationship. However, he begins to realize that Asami isn't as reserved as she appears to be, leading to gradually increased tension and a harrowing climax.

REVIEW: 

 

Direction is just as important as story and even more important than acting. For this reason I probably have more favorite directors than I do actors or actresses. Takashi Miike is easily in my top five all time favorite directors. Before there was Imprint(Masters of Horror Season 1 Episode 13), there was Ichi the Killer andHappiness of the Katakuris. And before those two cinematic gems there was Audition; an absolute masterpiece of Japanese horror film making.

Taken from a novel written by Ryu Murakami, Audition starts by introducing us to a widower, Shigeharu Aoyama, and his teenage son Shigehiko. Shigehiko doesn’t want his father to be alone any more. Aoyama’s friend, Yoshikawa, doesn’t want him to be alone any more either and devises a way to let Aoyama pick someone. They will put together a fake audition for a script and put out a casting call for the lead female character. During the hours of interviews, in walks Asami Yamazaki, an attractive and soft spoken young woman that seems to strike a chord with Aoyama.

The two have a very awkward first night out but seem to open up to each other after awhile. While parting ways Asami says that she will be waiting for Aoyama’s call. When we see Asami next, she is sitting on the floor in her apartment impatiently waiting by the phone for that call. It is this scene in Audition that first gives us the idea that something is not quite right with Asami.Aoyama Eihi Shiina using piano wire in Audition (1999)

Takashi Miike continues to set up the story on a slow but deliberate pace that’s sole purpose is to lead you to the final 15 minutes of controlled chaos.

Oh my!!! Takashi Miike is an expert story teller. His directing style has inspired many yet is matched by none. He knows exactly where his limit is and deliberately attempts to push himself beyond it. Most of his films have been called disturbing but not because of the subject matter but because of his detail of realism. When a scene calls for a foot to be cut off Takashi Miike wants it to look as close to the real thing without actually cutting the foot off.

The acting is incredible also. Ryo Ishibashi is the epitome of a middle aged widower looking for another chance at companionship. His subtle changes in demeanor bring Aoyama to life which is a necessity for the viewer to feel an emotional bond to him.

Phone and large burlap sack in Audition (1999)
Eihi Shiina does a fabulous job as Asami also. She seems to become Asami to the point that you begin to question yourself as to whether or not the feelings that you had for her were real because if they were then you could easily find yourself in the same predicament of Aoyama.

This film works on so many levels. It plays with every emotion. It heightens every sense. It disturbs the mind. And all of it was done on purpose

Our Ratings - 9.0/10

 

OTHER MOVIES REVIEWS

The Woman in Black

2012

There are films that scare you while you watch them. The Woman in Black haunts you afterwards. It’s not just fleeting apparitions or sounds in the mist—it’s a sense of inescapable death that clings to you, a cold that doesn’t fade with daylight. This film doesn’t seek shock. It seeks obsession. It creeps in slowly, like fog that seeps into your bones and never leaves. When the credits roll, one malignant doubt remains: what if she’s still with you, now, behind the screen? Motionless. Patient. Waiting.

Thirst

2009

Thirst, directed by the South Korean master Park Chan-wook, is a bold and disturbing cinematic work that blends existential drama with gothic horror in a visually striking and morally complex way. Loosely inspired by Émile Zola's novel Thérèse Raquin, the film reinterprets the original story with a decidedly modern and subversive erotic and spiritual charge. Park Chan-wook masterfully uses cinematic language: elegant framing, hypnotic use of color, and violent contrasts between the sacred and the profane. The direction is refined, never indulgent. Blood—a recurring... Read More

Nocturne

2020

“Nocturne” is an elegant and unsettling psychological thriller that delves into the shadows of artistic ambition and the dangers of sibling rivalry. Directed by Zu Quirke in her debut feature, the film is part of the "Welcome to the Blumhouse" series and stands out for its refined and eerie aesthetic, reminiscent of Black Swan, yet with a voice of its own. The film explores female rivalry in a highly competitive setting, addressing themes of identity, jealousy, and the cost of genius. The atmosphere is cold and composed, with shots as precise and symmetrical as piano... Read More

Incantation

2022

Incantation is a Taiwanese horror film directed by Kevin Ko, which has attracted particular attention for its found footage approach and strong folkloristic component. Strengths. Disturbing and immersive atmosphere: The film manages to build a growing tension through the skillful use of found footage, which gives realism and direct involvement to the viewer. Original cultural elements: The inclusion of rituals and beliefs from Taiwanese folklore gives it a rare freshness in the international horror scene, distinguishing itself from many Western productions. Non... Read More

The House with Laughing Windows

1976

The House with Laughing Windows is an unconventional masterpiece of Italian cinema—a film suspended between psychological thriller, rural horror, and gothic tradition, showing how true terror can stem more from suggestion than from explicit violence. Directed by a masterful Pupi Avati, the film stands out for its deeply unsettling atmosphere and its expert use of suspense. Avati builds horror with surgical precision, using a slow pace to generate anxiety and opting for a restrained yet elegant direction. The film's true protagonist is what remains unsaid: the... Read More