Fantastic Film Fest 2023 Review - Audition (2K Restoration)

Images courtesy of Fantastic Film Festival Australia.

Showing as a part of the Fantastic Film Festival Australia (FFFA) is the newly restored version of Takashi Miike’s Audition, a gruelling criticism of  Japanese filmmaking culture that will send shivers up your spine and help you develop an unhealthy fear of needles.

The film centres on Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi), a widower who decides to conduct an audition to find a new bride at the request of his teenage son. He falls in love with Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina), a young, reserved, and stunning woman who seems to be his ideal match. But as Shigeharu comes to know her more, he begins to learn unsettling details about Asami's past and true character. The many intertwining elements of the film are crafted together to present a masterful piece of Japanese horror that, despite its unwelcoming release, has become a cult hit internationally.

For the most part, Miike’s Audition doesn’t follow the recommended path. Reviews and posters use buzzwords like "gory," "disturbing," and "gut-wrenching," but for the larger portion of the movie, you could easily chop it up to be a weird romance film, besides the interjections of a seemingly out-of-context body bag wriggling around in an apartment. The film explores many complex subjects, one of which is Asami’s character and his abusive past. Miike explores these themes not judgmentally but rather asks whether society's pressure for purity and obedience in women has disheartened people and allowed them to wear a mask of conformity, as Asami does in the movie. This isn’t limited to her character; Aoyama consistently tries to live up to expectations, most obviously in others' insisting that he’s obligated to remarry. The film culminates in what deservedly gets called a “disturbing” ending, allowing the tension to explode in a scene that makes you want to scream at the characters to run!

The disturbing horror classic captivates audiences with its unique premise and outstanding acting. With gut-wrenching violence and disruptive themes, and its critique of gender roles and cultural norms in Japan, cinephiles and fans of the more gruesome side of life ought to catch this slow-burning, thought-provoking thriller.

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Audition (2K Restoration) screened at the 2023 Fantastic Film Festival Australia, running 14th to 30th April. Check out the festival website for tickets and more info here.