This 26-Year-Old Japanese Gem Starts as a Love Story and Ends as Extreme Body Horror
The movie that became a gateway to the world of Japanese extreme sports for many is still surprising, not so much with its visual cruelty, but with its narrative treachery.
26 years after its release, Takashi Miike's Audition remains a benchmark for cinematic betrayal. The movie begins as a quiet melodrama about a widower seeking a new wife but takes one of the most dizzying turns in cinematic history.
Audition seamlessly and mercilessly transforms into a detective story, which then turns into a piercing psychological and physical horror.
What Is 'Audition' About?
Urged on by his friend and son, widowed businessman Aoyama decides to find a new wife. His friend, a film director, organizes fake auditions so that Aoyama can meet potential candidates under the guise of a casting call.
He chooses the mysterious and fragile Asami. Consumed by fantasies of the perfect companion, Aoyama ignores all the red flags.
After their first encounter, Asami disappears without a trace, prompting Aoyama to begin an investigation to find her. However, the further he delves into it, the more fragmented and surreal reality becomes.
'Audition' Is a Unique Mix of Melodrama, Detective and Body Horror
The first half of Audition is crafted in the style of an intimate, even sentimental, melodrama. It meticulously develops Aoyama's character and his manipulative search for the "ideal" partner.
This period is a clever trap for viewers, lulling them into a sense of familiarity with genre conventions. The movie then transitions into a detective thriller as Aoyama attempts to uncover Asami's secret.
Finally, Audition takes a leap into pure psychological and physical horror, where pain becomes the only language through which the characters can understand each other.
'Audition' Isn't as Extreme a Body Horror as People Say It Is – It's More Frightening in Other Ways
Despite its reputation as one of the most shocking movies in history, Audition is surprisingly restrained in its depiction of violence, especially by Takashi Miike's standards.
Miike doesn't just frighten viewers with physical violence, he shatters their trust by trapping them in one story and then thrusting them into an entirely different one.
Miike creates an atmosphere of mounting, unbearable anxiety where the main horror stems from the complete loss of control over reality and the realization that none of the characters are innocent victims.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Audition'?
-
Audition has 81% from critics and 80% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
-
On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.1/10.
-
On Letterboxd, Audition scored 3.8/5.0.
Where to Watch 'Audition'?
Audition is available to stream on Shudder.
