by: Melissa Frolich

Takashi Miike is one of the finest Asian Horror Film markers, yet not many American’s would know his name. His first film that pushed him into the public eye in Japan was Shinjuxu Tridd Society in 1995. It was also this film that was labeled “ Black Society Trilogy”, but it was not until 1999 that the “romantic horror” film Audition was released that audiences begin to take notice.

Audition is the story of a lonely middle age widower, Shigharu Aoyama. He is urged by his son to begin to date again. Aoyama’s coworker convinces him to hold a mock audition in which young impressionable woman Audition unbonest to them to be Aoyama’s wife. Aoyama is completly drawn to a young woman by the name of Asami Yamazake, who was once a ballerina but due to an injury was forced to retire. Aoyama’s coworker and friend has a bad feeling, none of her references check out and her last employer has gone missing. Aoyama is blinded by her beauty and love and refuses to acknowledge her flaws.

One of the most memorable scenes in this film is Asami is waiting for a callback from the fake audition, as she sits by the phone, there is a sack in the background. Finally the phone rings, the sack lunges across the room and begins to make gurgling sounds.

As the film goes on we find out Asami suffered terrible abuse as a child and shows Aoyama her burn scars. Throughout the movie the audience sees flashbacks of Asami’s childhood. The final fifteen minutes of this film is more intense than any other film out there now. Hold off on this movie though if you get queasy easily. One of the final scenes involves a feetless, fingerless, earless, and tongue less man being feed vomit from a dog dish. Compared to his other films this is tame.

I believe that is exactly what American horror films lack. Either today’s films are remakes or they are way over the top to even be realistic at all. If blood and gore and original ideas are you idea of good horror, you have hit the jackpot with Takashi Miike, Japan’s version of Stephen King.

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