Audition DVD Review:

Audition DVD Review:
Though relatively unknown in this country, Takeshi Miike has been making films in Japan for several years. Originally released in 1999, Audition landed on U.S. shores two years later and it is because of this film MiIke is slowly becoming recognized in this country.

Audition is not like the other films Miike is known for. There are no dizzying fits of ultra violence and this is not over the top filmmaking by any stretch. The film is slow in the beginning, almost to the point of being boring. We open with the death of Aoyama’s wife and then we jump forward seven years to see that he is still coping with her death. With that comes the loneliness of not having someone to share his life with. There is a telling line early in the film when, while editing his latest project, Aoyama’s assistant says, "The whole of Japan is lonely."

Loneliness is ultimately what drives Aoyama to do what he does. Over drinks one evening with his friend Yoshikawa (Kunimura), Aoyama says that he is thinking of remarrying. Yoshikawa gets the idea of holding a fake audition to find a wife and Aoyama slowly begins to accept the idea. The process begins with Aoyama looking at an endless slew of headshots and resumes, and here occurs one of those Hitchcockian coincidences: Aoyama spills coffee on one of the resumes, and as he is cleaning it off, he sees Asami (Shiina) for the first time. She is everything he is looking for. She even resembles his dead wife.

Aoyama auditions her and Asami "gets the part." Everything is based on a lie, but we never fault him for it. There is a sense that he would not be able to meet girls any other way and when he tells Asami that the studio has canceled the project, she isn’t hurt by it. She is happy just to have met him. The lie is one of those harmless little fibs that does not harm anyone.

Up to this point, the film has been slow, quiet, and banal enough that the viewer probably knows how the film is going to end. But it’s all a set up and the film spins 180 degrees into absolute horror. What happens to Aoyama makes Fatal Attraction look like a simple misunderstanding. Miike plays on male fear and the stereotype of the traditional, quiet, submissive Japanese female. Good intentions will only get you so far and your lies will always catch up with you. You cannot take a person’s feeling for granted or this is what will happen. Everything was so simple in the beginning—"Let’s have an audition"—but getting out of it is another story. Asami was at Aoyama’s mercy during the audition, but now the tables have turned.

Audition is a superbly crafted film and Miike is one of the freshest voices in film today. He is also one of the most prolific, averaging three to four films a year. Some of his other films include Fudoh: The Next Generation, Visitor Q, The City of Lost Souls, Ichi the Killer, and Dead or Alive. All are incredibly vibrant films and available on DVD.

10 out of 10

Audition Video:
This is probably the best transfer we are going to get. Miike’s photographic technique is admirable and that translates well here, but the actual picture leaves something to be desired. If there is anything lacking in this DVD it is the video quality. The transfer is just not as crisp as it could be, especially in the dark scenes.

8 out of 10

Audition Audio:
Audition is presented in Japanese 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround sound. This is a quiet film so there is not a lot that would tax your system. The sound is crisp, though, and you will really appreciate it later in the film as the relationship begins to unravel and during the final scene.

9 out of 10

Audition Extras:
- Widescreen (aspect ratio 1.85:1)

- Audio: Japanese 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound

- New digital transfer with removable English subtitles

- Theatrical trailers (U.S./International and Japanese)

- Theatrical trailers for upcoming Chimera/American Cinematheque titles

- Interview with director Takashi Miike at the American Cinematheque theatre conducted by Dennis Bartok and Chris D. (24 minutes)

- Director’s commentary (32 minutes)

- Biography/Filmography of Takashi Miike

- Tour of the Egyptian Theatre (9 minutes)

- Photo gallery

- Liner notes by Chris D.

This DVD has some great packaging and there are some excellent features here. The viewer gets a grand introduction into the world of Miike’s films; how it is that he is so prolific and some of his thoughts on the moviemaking process. The interview is the real gem here and the trailers give a glimpse at some of Miike’s other work. The liner notes are also well written.

10 out of 10

Audition Overall:
Audition is an amazingly well executed film. This is the kind of movie you should watch if you want to see something totally unlike anything else being made today. Takashi Miike has injected some adrenaline back into cinema. Do not miss this film.

Overall DVD rating: 10 out of 10

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