Ôdishon (1999)
Genre: Thriller / Horror
Duration: 115 minuten
Alternative titles: Audition / オーディション
Country:
Japan
Directed by: Takashi Miike
Stars: Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina and Tetsu Sawaki
IMDb score:
7,1 (99.342)
Releasedate: 6 October 1999
Ôdishon plot
"She always gets a part."
Seven years after his wife's death, Aoyama finally thinks he's ready for a relationship again, but wonders if he can still get in touch with the opposite sex. His friend Yoshikawa therefore invites him to attend an audition so that he can find a suitable partner. When Aoyama reviews the candidates' resumes, he is struck by Asami, a young, stunningly beautiful ballet dancer. After the interview, he is instantly hooked on her and decides to ask her out. After a while, however, he doubts whether he has made the right choice.
Actors and actresses
Shigeharu Aoyama
Asami Yamazaki
Yasuhisa Yoshikawa
Shigehiko Aoyama
Old Man in Wheelchair
Ryoko Aoyama
Rie
Michiyo Yanagida
Toastmaster
Director
Reviews & comments
FillumGek
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- 8987 messages
- 3420 votes
About twelve years ago, Audition made quite an impression on me. You often read that this would be Miike's best film, and while the cult status is deserved, I didn't expect to rate the film itself slightly lower than I did years ago.
The story is about a widower who is urged by everything and everyone around him to find a new wife. He decides to comply and through a fake audition he comes into contact with the beautiful and shy Asami. You don't come across them much, but this is a more serious Miike without screaming acting, colorful filters or experimental sound effects. His characteristic dry humor has also been largely omitted. This also means that the film sometimes feels a bit long-winded and there is not much to enjoy graphically. That audition was fun to watch, really just a meat inspection, which is exactly the reason why some women shave their heads overnight and start moaning about everything and everyone.
In a country like Japan where the man takes care of the woman, it was a relief to see a film in which the roles were reversed. In the second film, Miike has placed the power entirely with the women and through flashbacks and other visual tricks he makes it clear that it has to end with seeing women as sex objects. It is precisely in the final part that the Miike that the enthusiast comes for comes out of its shell again. The colors change, a little bit of Miike weirdness appears, storylines follow each other quickly and what the film is known for: torture. Now the latter is certainly not as shocking as one would believe, especially not when you see what he manages to do with Ichi two years later.
A film with a clear message and a violent ending, but with a slightly too long-winded middle part with a tension that is too small.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Onderhond
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- 87679 messages
- 13026 votes
Nice review.
And I was actually quite surprised about that, since I was afraid of this film before. Audition is very dependent on its set-up, whereby the first hour is deliberately rather boring and unobtrusive. The first time it's really nice to see the film run and feel the impact of the contrast, but how much this would still be the case, knowing what's coming, was a big question mark for me.
The first hour is indeed just a bit boring, although it is nice to see how Miike really manages to contain himself here, not immediately a quality for which he is known. Once the turning point, the film crawls back to its now famous peak and then it turned out that Miike apparently can conjure the same rabbit out of his hat again. Few are given that.
It is therefore not surprising that 20 years later this film is known as one of the best Miike's. Personally, I'm still much more a fan of his wilder/crazier work, but as an introduction to Miike this is a perfect film that can appeal to a wide audience.
4.0* and a extended review
Translated from Dutch · View original
ZAP!
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- 5556 messages
- 3676 votes
"I never felt unhappy... Because I have been unhappy all the time."
Also in the review. It's been a long time since I saw it and it showed. I just had it in my mind a little differently. It remains a very entertaining film, but it is not so good that the nine remains.
What I really like is that it is initially a straight-forward drama, without bells or whistles. But things aren't going quite right with things starting to derail faster than I remembered. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it grabs me a little less than previous viewings - with the exception of the final.
What remains is quite a unique viewing experience with an excellent acting lead actor (the son does just as well) and of course Eihi Shiina is the blood red-radiant icing on the horror cake here. "Kiri kiri kiri kiri kiri kiri!" 
From a big nine to a big eight.
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