Audition (Collector's Edition) [DVD] [2001]

Product Description

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: LANGUAGES: Japanese ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), Japanese ( Dolby DTS 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Cast/Crew Interview(s), Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Documentary filmmaker Nick Davis, the grandson of famed Hollywood screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz (Citizen Kane), wrote and directed this comedy-drama about young New Yorkers at a party on New Year's Eve in the year 1999. The dawning millennium brings the partygoers to an existential precipice, where they look into a yawning canyon of angst, identity crises, insecurities, mood swings, doubts, dreams, and dilemmas. In the neat Greenwich Village apartment of Andrew Goldman (Matt McGrath), the party guests include neurotic Rufus Wild (Dan Futterman), aggressive lesbian Suki (Sandrine Holt), Andrew's self-stringent father Harold (Buck Henry), the mysterious, philosophical Goat Man (Steven Wright), immature and bookish Danny (David Gelb), and insecure vocalist Sylvia (Margaret Devine). To kick into the new millennium with a fresh outlook, Rufus attempts to end his relationship with girlfriend Annabell (Jennifer Garner), but he nevertheless feels they shouldn't cancel their plans to go to Andrew's apartment. At the party, Rufus sees Nicole (Amanda Peet), a woman he's wanted. He considers a confession to her of his desires, but a black-and-white flashback with accompanying internal monologue forces him into a reflective self-examination. The music track goes from the baroque (Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni) to alternative rock (Dandy Warhols). Shown at the 1998 L.A. Independent Film Festival. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Fantasporto Awards, Rotterdam International Film Festival, ...Audition ( Ôdishon ) ( Oodishon )

Product Details

Much of the controversy surrounding Takashi Miike's Audition centres on the disturbing nature of the later part of the film--understandable when you consider the imprint these admittedly horrific images leave on the viewer--but fails to note the intricate social satire of the rest. This is a film that offers insight into the changing culture of Japan and the generation gap between young and old. Shigeharu Aoyama is looking for an obedient and virtuous woman to love and asks, "Where are all the good girls?"--a comment that seals his fate. A fake audition is organised to find Aoyama a wife. Asami Yamazaki is introduced as the virtuous woman he is looking for, dressing for the majority of the film in white and behaving with the courtesy of an angel, especially when juxtaposed against the brash stupidity of the other girls at the audition. Although his friend takes an immediate "chemical" dislike to her, Aoyama begins a love affair to end all love affairs. But as Asami's history unfolds we see her pain and torture and slowly understand that the tortured in this instance holds the power to become the torturer. Aoyama is slowly drawn away from his white, metallic and homely environment into the vivid- red and dirty-dark environment of Asami's sadistic world.

Audition can be viewed on a number of levels, with important feminist, social and human rights issues to be drawn from the story. However, the real power of this film is its descent into the subconscious, to a point where reality is blurred and the audience is unable to decide whether the disturbing images on screen are real or surreal. This refined, hard-hitting and essentially Japanese style of horror is ultimately much more powerful than anything offered by Hollywood. This is a film that will get under your skin and infect your consciousness with a blend of fearless gore and unimaginable torture. It is not for the faint-hearted. --Nikki Disney