The DVD Dissection: Audition (Collector's Edition)

Posted by Chad Webb on 10.06.2009

Kiri, kiri, kiri, kiri......

Ryo Ishibashi: Shigeharu Aoyama
Eihi Shiina: Asami Yamazaki
Tetsu Sawaki: Shigehiko Aoyama
Jun Kunimura: Yasuhisa Yoshikawa
Renji Ishibashi: Old Man in wheelchair
Miyuki Matsuda: Ryoko Aoyama
Directed By: Takashi Miike
Written By: Daisuke Tengan
Theatrical Release Date: August 8, 2001
DVD Release Date: October 6, 2009
Running Time: 115 minutes







Rated R for violence/torture and sexuality.

The Film

Audition is a horror film about loneliness and perception. When Shigeharu Aoyama first spots a picture of Asami, his perception is crucial to fully understanding the story and how it concludes. I had not seen Audition prior to receiving this DVD, but when I watched it I knew that it was modern masterpiece. I could not explain every scene, but what Takashi Miike made kept me contemplating where the story went. His film begins with a slow crawl and ends up becoming a full sprint until the viewer is out of breathe during the shocking final minutes.

What makes the initial restrained pacing so effective is that the beginning concept is intriguing and rather twisted. Shigeharu Aoyama's (Ryo Ishibashi) is still trying to lead his life as normally as possible seven years after the death of his wife Ryoko (Miyuki Matsuda). He raises his son well, and has enough money through a company he started. Everything is fine until his son Shigehiko (Tetsu Sawaki) makes a passing comment suggesting that his father get married again. When he mentions this to his friend, who works in the movie business, he proposes the idea of auditioning for a role in a film, while also auditioning for Shigeharu's new wife. He is told to select 30 possibilities from a stack of applicants. He does so, but has one in particular on his mind before she even enters the casting room. Her name is Asami, and Shigeharu is instantly infatuated with the attractive and shy girl. He has made up his mind to date and hopefully marry her, but his friend urges him not to be hasty. They cannot find any background information on Asami that will stick. Every reference she lists cannot be tracked down, and anyone that should know her is either missing or unable to be located. It appears that Shigeharu knows very little about the woman he is romancing.

Sadly I must confess that Audition is only the second Miike offering I have seen. The first was the original One Missed Call, a poorly constructed film that suffers from utilizing many of the cliches that inhabit J-horror. That also involved a female lead, but her role was far different than that of Asami in Audition. Miike has used female protagonists in his career, but Asami certainly does not fit that mold. She is unusual, possessing creepiness reminiscent of Matt Damon in The Talented Mr. Ripley. Until a heinous act is actually committed, it is hard to pinpoint just what bothers you about those two characters, but you know it exists.

When Audition gradually moved up the ladder to international fame, it was Takashi Miike's 35th effort in nine years. No small feat. However, Miike was not really known to anyone in America. With Audition, Miike finally made a name for himself outside of Japan, and today, he still pumps out films as if they are going out of style. All it took was one movie to stand out from the pack, and although Miike had delivered quality cinema in Japan before, this is one he will be remembered for. Audition grossed more money in New York than it did during its entire run in Japan the year before. If you were fortunate enough to see it in a theater, you might have a story to tell. Rumors of people fleeing the building in terror have circulated for some time.

What I observed about Audition was that both Aoyama and Asami are hiding something. They have genuine feelings for each other, but it is based on withholding the truth. Both are lying for the majority of the time they are in each other's company. The viewer knows that this mutual betrayal will result on a confrontation. Just how much or how little the two have in common is a mystery. It is clear that Asami has some jealousy issues. She wants Aoyama to love her and her alone, while Aoyama is enjoying the fact that he can be close to a woman again. His method of courting is quite old fashioned, and not the perfect mixture for Asami's wishes. Basically his goal is to have someone fills his deceased wife's shoes.

The initial reaction is to feel sympathy for Aoyama, and this is deserved, but do not forget what he is searching for in a woman. Aoyama's friend Yoshikawa gives a hint when he says "Where have all the good girls gone? Japan is finished." American viewers might not fully grasp a statement like that. The scene involves two middle aged Japanese men, who grew up with views and beliefs totally different than those who are younger. Women have aimed for careers of their own in higher numbers, and for people like Aoyama, that means it will be more difficult to find his ideal replacement. Aoyama and Yoshikawa want a standard housewife type that will keep quiet, do her work, and keep the husband satisfied. Since Asami is 24 years old, much younger than Aoyama obviously, she hardly qualifies as a suitable choice. She proves this in the final half hour of the picture.

Ryo Ishibashi exemplifies a wounded man who still clings to the traditional style of a wife brilliantly as Shigeharu Aoyama. The melancholy expression on his face that carries from sequence to sequence lays the ground work for emotionally stirring moments once Asami gets "down to business". Aoyama's influence on his son Shigehiku is evident when the boy brings home a pleasant young girl. His father gives him a “thumbs up” to display his approval. The chemistry between Tetsu Sawaka as Shigehiku and Ishibashi is excellent. Neither performer has trouble establishing a father-son bond that is convincing to the audience. The question arises of how Aoyama's opinion on women will affect his son in the future. The subtlety and organic nature of the scenes with Aoyama and Shigehiku were a joy to watch.

The image of Eihi Shiina holding that large needle is incredibly chilling. Shiina's portrayal of Asami is one of calmness, grace, and eventually force and callousness. The fact that something is not right with her is not a surprise, but Shiina does a fabulous job of creating the illusion that she is perfect for Aoyama. The gentleness of her first audition, and her enthusiasm when she meets Aoyama for dinner cause us to wonder how someone so peaceful could be anything but that. The frightening prop that causes a head tilt is that ominous bag, which of course houses a human. Who is it? What does it mean? These questions are answered, but the complexity of them will only be unveiled through multiple viewings.

To call Audition disturbing is an understatement. It is definitely not for the squeamish, despite the fact that most of the blood and violence occurs in the final portion of the story. One of the scarier moments in Audition does not include the torture. Instead, the first warning from Yoshikawa for Aoyama not to be hasty in pursuing Asami sends a tingle up the spine. In addition, the sudden absence of Asami after a love filled night is both perplexing and foreboding. The way Audition concludes will undoubtedly induce cringing, but will also leave many scratching their heads. Make no mistake, Miike has integrated his message and explanation under deeper layers. It is imperative not to take the film literally. Revealing the metaphorical and enigmatic facets of Audition would be doing a disservice to those who want to watch it over and over again.

The reason why Audition commonly gets roped into a grouping of the top horror films in recent memory is because it is not just horror. This is regularly the case with the best of that genre. Audition, like many others, absorb psychological and dramatic elements just as prevalently, if not more so, than scare tactics or thrills. One could also compare Audition to Misery or Hard Candy in obvious ways, and while both of those films are terrific, they lack the profundity and multifaceted meaning of Miike’s hair-raiser.

Miike's sense of pacing and timing in Audition is flawless. He exhibits the strengths of a filmmaker who has studied the classics of the horror genre, but also one who has the ability to unleash something inventive and shocking. What Takashi Miike accomplishes with Audition is instilling an undeniable sadness and tragedy to the tale, while also making sure people will want to come back for a second dose. Audition contains some uncomfortably graphic scenes, but the key is that it is not disgusting. It is a film that yes, I would compare to Psycho and Peeping Tom. It is a brazen piece of work that leave a permanent imprint in your mind.

The Video

This new edition presents a brand-new transfer from the negative, and the result is quite satisfactory. The audition room, and the inside of Aoyama's home are crystal clear with vivid colors and rich detail. However, I would not call this a flawless transfer. Some of the scenes struck me as a bit on the soft side, maybe even a little fuzzy. The grain is intentional, but it is never glaring, especially during the final greusome showdown. Still, the picture is more than fulfilling, and my guess is that this is the best it has looked to date. This film is presented in anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1.

The Audio

The audio is definitely an improvement over previous DVD editions. Audition is a fairly quiet story up until the end where screaming is involved. However, the sound of the huge bag moving around is outstanding. I had no trouble reading the subtitles, and as far as the speaking, everyone was loud and completely understandable. My volume knob rested at a comfortable position. The audio and video are fine, and have been augmented about as much as possible, but Audition is not a film one buys to hear through surround sound. This features subtitles in English that are non-removable.

The Packaging

Audition (Collector's Edition) is distributed by Shout! in a clear keep case with a slipsleeve cardboard cover on top of that. Both cover artwork is the same, but inside the case under the disc is a needle image. Inside is a booklet which contains an essay by Tom Mes that is a great read. The menu screens are images from the film with music and they are easy to navigate.

The Extras

Introduction - You can't select this on its own, but when you press play, a brief introduction with Miike and Eihi Shiina will appear. Miike seems like a neat guy, and says we may regret watching the film through to the end.

Audio Commentary - This commentary includes Director Takashi Miike, screenwriter Oasuke Tengan, and is moderated by film writer Masato Kobayashi, who tosses out questions every now and then. This is a fun commentary. I've listened to a few commentary tracks for foreign films by those who don't speak English, and it varies, but Miike and Tengan are full of good humor, intriguing tidbits, and worthwhile information about the film. The beginning acts as a history lesson of how the process started to make Audition, how they adapted it, and so forth. The discussion about hiring a screenwriter that does not specialize in horror is terrific. This is a new bonus as they address the anniversary and even the Oscar winning film Departures.

Interviews (1:13:44) - There are four separate interviews featuring the two leads, and then two older actors that have worked with Miike many times before. The first is Ryo Ishibashi (Aoyama), Eihi Shiina (Asami), Renji Ishibashi, and Ren Osugi (man in wheelchair). The questions appear as white text through intertitles. The three males each discuss their history as actors, how they got into the business, and some of their memorable moments in films. They also each mention their association with Miike, which is interesting. Each say he has an odd way of filming, but in a respectful manner. Ren Osugi and Renji Ishibashi even touch on doing low budget Nikkatsu porno films. Ryo goes into more detail about Audition itself, whereas the others focus more on the various roles they've played.

All four are asked about the final scene, but Shiina's interview stays on her modeling career, and continues to plug her new and upcoming films. These are riveting interviews, though I wouldn't recommend watching them all in one shot. You can appreciate them more if you watch them casually. You can view these using a "Play All" feature, or separately.

International Trailer (1:17) - This is pretty basic and short, but it does get you enticed to see the film.

Japanese Trailer (1:47) - As I understood nothing in this trailer, I went by the images, which included longer scenes of dialogue and more music.

The Film: 10.0/10.0
The Video: 8.0/10.0
The Audio: 8.5/10.0
The Packaging: 9.0/10.0
The Extras: 8.0/10.0

The 411: This is magnificent film, one that is definitely disturbing, and does not provide clear answers, but it still brilliant nonetheless. This new edition takes out a few of the extras from the first edition. Among them is a segment on Bravo's scariest moments, an interview with Miike, and a photo gallery. Still, the addition of a commentary, and brand new interviews with the excellent cast makes up for the loss of some of those special features. The technical specifications are up to par, and the cover artwork is extremely striking, in a good way. If you are a fan of horror films, or of Hitchcock films, and you haven’t seen Audition, do yourself a favor and rent it. Whether you love it or hate, you will not shake the ending from your head.

Final Score:  9.0   [  Amazing ]