Audition Movie Review 1999

Director Miike successfully illustrates a middle-aged widower's worst nightmares about remarrying a younger woman. The benign first half of the film, in which businessman Aoyama (Ishibashi) is persuaded by a producer friend to stage a fake movie audition in order to find a new bride, belies the gruesome turn of events revealed later. Seven years single, Aoyama wants a traditional, submissive young girl, which he finds in one of the actresses, Asami (Shiina). Aoyama's smitten, but buddy Yoshikawa (Kunimura) is decidedly less so, sensing something a tad askew in the graceful beauty. Something definitely is amiss, as numerous flashbacks showing the girl's sadistic bent attest. Soon enough, Aoyama is on the business end of Asami's macabre doings. Based on a story by Ryu Murakami. In Japanese with subtitles.

Distribution

Ventura Distribution, 770 Lawrence Dr., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, Phone: (805)498-7800, Toll-free: 888-499-3700, Fax: (805)498-7842, URL: http://www.venturadistribution.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 115 minutes.
Originally from Japanese.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Sexcapades, Only the Lonely, Widows & Widowers

Screenplay

Daisuke Tengan

Cast

Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura, Miyuki Matsuda

Cinematography

Hideo Yamamoto

Director

Takashi Miike

Music

Koji Endo