Audition (Uncut Special Edition)
by Takashi Miike
Our Price: $19.47
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $8.38 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: Eihi Shiina, Jun Kunimura, Renji Ishibashi, Ryo Ishibashi, Tetsu SawakiDirector: Takashi Miike
Brand: Lions Gate
Cinematographer: Hideo Yamamoto
Producer: Akemi Suyama
Producer: Jun'ichi Shind?
Producer: Satoshi Fukushima
Producer: Toyoyuki Yokohama
Writer: Daisuke Tengan
Writer: Ry? Murakami
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: Japanese (Original Language); English (Subtitled)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 115 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-08-23
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Lions Gate
Movie Reviews of Audition (Uncut Special Edition)
Movie Review: Kiri kiri kiri kiriiiii
Summary: 4 Stars
With all the praise, I expected so much from Takashi Miike's breakout movie. More psychological thriller than horror, I was impressed and disturbed at the same time by Audition. Technically and creatively it is beautiful, but I've never been more pleased and disappointed by one movie.
According to Miike's commentary, the heart of Audition is about family, about discovering what makes a person function by examining the relationships that define their home-life. Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) is a Japanese Average Joe grieving his recently deceased wife. Aoyama bottles up his pain and loneliness, instead devoting himself to his son. Fast forward seven years into stability and a great father-son bond, and his son recommends that his father remarry.
With a casting director connection, Yasuhisa Yoshikawa (Jun Kunimura - the guy who got his head lopped off in Kill Bill), a plan is devised to find Aoyama's new woman through a fake audition. Before seeing the pool of applicants, the two men remark societal changes, the dwindling pool of traditionally subservient women who are "beautiful, classy and obedient". After reviewing several candidates, however, Aoyama sets his eyes on Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina), a pretty but haunted women whose previous aspirations to be a ballet dancer were crushed by an injury.
Immediately the two find a connection and dependency through loneliness. As intimacy increases, more of Asami's former life becomes suspect. She's incredibly sweet and demure, but the buildup progresses slowly enough that uneasiness develops amidst the foreshadowing and hints Aoyama ignores. Too bad for Aoyama.
The first 60 minutes slowly persuade viewers into forming their own mental endings, and then Miike, through his own admission, hoped that the twist would be a "psychological betrayal" leaving viewers shocked. Without going into the details of the gruesome ending, let me just say that I plan on buying a home alarm; I'll probably never go an acupuncturist; I'll always sniff my drinks before taking a gulp; and I'll always be haunted by a single Japanese word.
Ishibashi is superb as the depressed Aoyama, but Shiina absolutely blew me away. Per portrayal of a troubled psychopath is bloodcurdling. Her ability to display either apathy or glee towards what would normally elicit nausea was brilliant.
Both strength and weakness, the buildup for the final scene is difficult in two ways. One, it's excruciatingly long. It's probably the primary reason why this film is so polarizing. For over an hour, the movie drags so much that the characters' pure ennui causes boredom by proxy. On the other hand, the buildup is difficult because it allows a viewer to relate and empathize with Aoyama, to trust the rising sanguinity, making the jaw-dropping 180 so much more powerful. It's not just a gut-punch; it's a gut-punch from your father. It's completely unpredictable, and the surreal nature adds to the nauseous shock.
Once again, I'm pleased and disappointed. The beginning is agonizing; but, then again, that's what made me so susceptible to the surprise. Off-hand, I can't think of a movie that has made such a lasting impression.
Summary of Audition (Uncut Special Edition)
A middle-aged widower is urged by his teenage son & film producer friend to start dating again. They devise a plan to hold a phony film audition to meet new women. The widower falls for a beautiful ballerina with a suspicious past & their courtship veers from poilte romance to psychnightmare! Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 02/06/2007 Run time: 115 minutes Rating: UrIf you want the full sledgehammer-to-the-stomach effect of Audition, stop reading this review now. Just watch it and take the consequences. At first glance, Takashi Miike's jack in the box of a movie works like a romantic comedy: amiable widower Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) decides it's time to find a new wife, and a friend suggests holding a fake audition to find the right girl. It soon becomes clear that there is something wrong with Aoyama's choice. This is no ordinary Fatal Attraction-style thriller, however; Audition slowly and carefully builds into a wrenching exploration of both deep male fears and the stereotype of the cute, submissive Japanese woman. Audition is by no means an easy movie to watch--even hardcore horror fans may have trouble--but it will stay with you for a long, long time. --Ali Davis
Art House & International DVD Video
DVD Video
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness & Yoga
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Movies most talked about in My favorite Asian horror
The Machine GirlMedia Blasters; Release date: 2008-06-03; DVD
Best price: $10.54
Price in other shops:
Wishing StairsRelease date: 2005-07-19; DVD
Best price: $6.88
Price in other shops:
HRelease date: 2005-05-24; DVD
Best price: $15.72
Price in other shops:
The Eye 2Lions Gate; Release date: 2005-08-09; DVD
Best price: $5.98
Price in other shops:
PhoneRelease date: 2005-01-25; DVD
Best price: $5.95
Price in other shops:
A Tale of Two Sisters (One-Disc)Genius; Release date: 2005-03-29; DVD
Best price: $7.32
Price in other shops:
3 ExtremesLions Gate; Release date: 2006-02-28; DVD
Best price: $6.99
Price in other shops:
EpitaphRelease date: 2009-02-24; DVD
Best price: $8.95
Price in other shops:
Tokyo Gore PoliceMedia Blasters; Release date: 2009-01-13; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
Audition (Uncut Special Edition)Lions Gate; Release date: 2005-08-23; DVD
Best price: $19.96
Similar DVD Movies
Dead AliveLions Gate; Release date: 1998-09-09; DVD
Best price: $5.99
Price in other shops:
GozuPATHFINDER HOME ENTERTAINMENT; Release date: 2004-11-23; DVD
Best price: $6.02
Price in other shops:
Visitor QMedia Blasters; Release date: 2002-11-26; DVD
Best price: $17.69
Price in other shops:
Sympathy for Mr. VengeanceGenius; Release date: 2005-11-22; DVD
Best price: $2.48
Price in other shops:
Lady VengeanceGenius; Release date: 2006-09-26; DVD
Best price: $4.08
Price in other shops:
Suicide Club (Suicide Circle)TLA RELEASING; Release date: 2003-11-18; DVD
Best price: $8.39
Price in other shops:
A Tale of Two Sisters (One-Disc)Genius; Release date: 2005-03-29; DVD
Best price: $7.32
Price in other shops:
Battle Royale: Director's Cut (Collector's Edition)Release date: 2004-06-15; DVD
Best price: $11.99
Price in other shops:
OldboyOLDBOY; Release date: 2005-08-23; DVD
Best price: $14.89
Price in other shops:
Ichi the Killer (Unrated Edition)Media Blasters; Release date: 2003-11-18; DVD
Best price: $13.98
Price in other shops: