AUDITION - THE HALLOWEEN HORRORS COLLECTION
By Guest Reviewer Rebecca Barr
Though its initial release was over 20 years ago, Audition (1999) from director Takashi Miike still stands up now as an iconic work of Asian cinema with themes that remain relevant in the present day.
Set in Japan in the late 90s, the feature follows widower Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) as he seeks to find a new wife. Wanting to attract the ideal woman without the inconvenience of having to actually get to know them first, Shigeharu's friend suggests setting up a casting call for a faux feature film. The ruse allows the men to meet a host of beautiful, aspiring actresses whilst covertly ‘auditioning’ for the role of our protagonist’s new love interest.
The sense of entitlement from the men is enough to make your skin crawl, as one by one a series of hopeful women are paraded before them. Emboldened by their clever scheme, the questions asked get increasingly personal with the men pushing boundaries from their position of power. Shigeharu’s description of his ideal partner suggests he is seeking an intellectual counterpart. Someone not too young, ideally with a career and most importantly - confidence. Despite his asserted intention, Shigeharu is immediately entranced by the shy and reserved Asami, a stark contrast to his aforementioned ‘ideal’. Asami details her troubled past and something about her vulnerability entices Shigeharu. It’s a complex and problematic dynamic that sadly remains relevant today, the highly publicised ‘Me Too’ movement shining a light on the rampant exploitation prevalent across society.
Shigeharu may be drawn by an underlying ‘saviour complex’, seeking an opportunity to rescue the damsel in distress he was denied with the unpreventable death of his wife. Throughout ‘Audition’, Asami comes across as meek and subservient. She is frequently dressed in pale colours, evoking a sense of purity and innocence. The softly spoken young woman is often seen with her head bowed or shot from behind - both the viewer and Shigeharu unable to fully see her, in more ways than one. Given her difficult background and timid nature, the viewer feels for Asami, lured in by the false representations of men who are not what they claim to be. However, neither is she.
Where women across the globe routinely walk home with their keys grasped in their fists for protection, it doesn’t appear to even enter Shigeharu’s mind that he could possibly need to worry. After all, the sweet and innocent Asami couldn’t possibly be a risk, and the alarm bells are ignored. As the film progresses we begin to feel the dynamic shift and wonder if Shigeharu’s ego has in fact led him to a dangerous state of naivety.
Though Audition is predominately a slow burn, the subtlety of the feature is cut short with some razor-sharp piano wire as the brutal horror is unleashed. In the iconic torture scene, Asami’s calm and methodical manner is haunting and unforgettable.
Audition may begin with a tone of repulsive misogyny but it is undoubtably a feminist feature through and through. Acting as a cautionary tale for predatory men, and naive ingénues alike, Audition artistically illustrates that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
Content warning: Extreme depictions of psychological and physical torture.
Watch for free by clicking here AUDITION or click on W4FREE where you can watch all our monstrously good movies in THE HALLOWEEN HORRORS COLLECTION for free.