Obsession is a terrible thing
Shigeharu is a lonely man. He has tragically lost his wife and he has a son he must raise, all while surviving the normal day to day Japanese way of living; his personal life is pretty much at a stand still. Years after the death of his wife, his son encourages him to go out and meet someone so he can regain the happiness that he has lost. Not knowing how to find a girl that he can relate to, Shigeharu turns to his film producer friend who sets up an audtion for a fake movie. The point of the audition is so that Shigeharu can find the perfect woman, tell her that the movie has failed and court her properly. It sounds a little insane, but so is the girl he meets and likes, Asami. Normal on the outside, Asami hides many dark secrets from her past that build her up to form what she presently is; a killer.
This movie is both fascinating and sick. I know that there have been some horror movies to pass through Japan and onto American shores in the last decade, and all have been positively horrifying. Unlike other movies (such as The Grudge) that have been remastered for American audiences and have lost the ‘pizazz’ that they once help, Audition comes to us untouched after 10 years. Most Americans/movie-goers have held an opinion of Japanese society. For me, I always saw it as clean and organized. With that said, that type of mindset is exactly what gets you in trouble when you watch Audition. The innocence of the Japanese society, or at least the stereotypical innocence, only makes the surprise of the underlying ugliness of the film that much tougher to watch. What’s great about the film is that it sets you up by introducing the main character, Shigeharu, who only wants to be happy and not lonely. He meets a perfect match with Asami, who is also looking for the same ‘out’. When you think the drama between the two builds, you begin to see a slow separation of the two characters and the true intentions underneath. Seeing the ‘cuckoo’ Asami is both subtle and powerfully frightening. She scares me to death in this movie. There is no denying how sadistic and utterly sick the situation between Shigeharu and Asami turns out to be, but the process of uncovering clues about her past is probably the most disturbing. For example, the dance teacher that she worked with pretty much branded her. How that is presented is nothing short of perverse. Moments like this are what build Asami into what she is today, which makes her even more frightening onscreen.
Are there any problems with the film? Unlike American horror movies, this one takes its time presenting the issues and building the characters up. Most horror films say, “Hey, this is why this person is screwed up! Good luck!” and move on to nearly two hours worth of horror. Much like a nice warm bath on a very cold day, the movie lets you slowly sink into the situation until you’re fully immersed in it. I envy growing up on this type of horror method, but honestly I do wish the pace would pick up a just a bit. This is my only complaint about the movie.
As for the blu-ray and DVD portion of it, it looks beautiful in HD. For a movie that is a decade old it has been taken care of and transferred properly to the blu-ray format. I think the way it was shot and the lighting in general lends itself well to the blu-ray format. The nightlife of the Japanese landscape really lends a lot to the HD upgrade. The audio is simple and creepy at the same time. Mostly piano, you get a variation of slower paced music that matches the speed of the film. It’s remastered beautifully and perfectly. One other thing to note on the presentation is the instant addition of subtitles. I like that Shout! Factory assumes you want the original Japanese track; that says a lot about a studio listening to its followers.
As for features, here’s what you’re looking at:
– Audio commentary on the Blu-ray
– New Interviews with cast
– International trailers
– Booklet Essay by Tom Mes
Not a lot here for a movie that deserves some praise, but enough to keep you happy.