Rent Audition (1999)
3.6 of 5 from 259 ratings
1h 51min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Recent widower Shigeharu Aoyama is advised by his son to find a new wife, so he seeks the advice of a colleague having been out of the dating scene for many years. They take advantage of their position in a film company by staging an audition to find the perfect woman. Interviewing a series of women, Shigeharu becomes enchanted by Asami, a quiet, 24-year-old woman, who is immediately responsive to his charms. But soon things take a very dark and twisted turn as we find that Asami isn't what she seems to be...
- Actors:
- Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura, Renji Ishibashi, Miyuki Matsuda, Toshie Negishi, Ren Ôsugi, Shigeru Saiki, Ken Mitsuishi, Yuriko Hiro'oka, Fumiyo Kohinata, Misato Nakamura, Yuuto Arima, Ayaka Izumi, Nattsu Tanabashi, Kimiko Tachibana, Tatsuo Endô, Koshio Jindôji, Kanji Tsuda
- Directors:
- Takashi Miike
- Producers:
- Satoshi Fukushima, Akemi Suyama
- Writers:
- Ryû Murakami, Daisuke Tengan
- Aka:
- Ôdishon
- Studio:
- Tartan
- Genres:
- Horror
- Collections:
- Top 10 Films By Year, Top 10 Films of 1999
- Countries:
- Japan
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 29/02/2016
- Run Time:
- 115 minutes
- Languages:
- Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Subtitles:
- English
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.85:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Audio Commentary with Director Takashi Miike and Screenwriter Daisuke Tengan
- Brand new commentary by Miike biographer Tom Mes examining the film and its source novel Introduction by Miike
- Ties that Bind: A brand new interview with Takashi Miike
- Interviews with stars Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Renji Ishibashi and Ren Osugi
- Damaged Romance: An appreciation by Japanese cinema historian Tony Rayns
- Trailers
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Reviews (5) of Audition
A masterpiece of Japanese horror - Audition review by CP Customer
Director Takashi Miike could not have structured this film better. Early scenes are quite light hearted, gentle, and include some quirky comical bits but as the film progresses the tone of the film gradually moves from light to dark. The tone shift is so naturally implemented that it never feels sudden or out of place, and by the time all hell breaks loose, the film really has you in its grip, won't let go, sucking you into the truly disturbing and horrific final scenes. Audition is easily Takashi Miike's best and most unsettling film to date, and for the most part, he does it without all the shock and gore he's normally associated with. Enough praise cannot be heaped upon this film, one of the best Japanese horrors ever made.
5 out of 6 members found this review helpful.
Excruciatingly good. - Audition review by NP
The film has been heralded for inciting the ‘torture porn’ style of projects like ‘Saw (2004)’ and ‘Hostel (2005)’, and yet remains more effective than any of them for not giving any clue or indication as the depths of the depravity unleashed toward the close. Truly shocking, hauntingly beautiful and not easily forgotten.
2 out of 4 members found this review helpful.
Well made but disappointing given the reviews - Audition review by CD
I found this film very well acted with a good plot, but ultimately a bit unsatisfying. Having built up the characters well, the second half then moves into a rather bewildering set of hallucinations and flashbacks (a bit reminiscent of the 1987 Micky Rourke film "Angel Heart"), including some gruesome scenes. Interesting alone for the 1990s low tech far eastern context and the very fine acting and direction on display, but not a truly great film in my view.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.