The world’s most prolific director Takashi Miike achieved new heights of terror with this stunning, terrifying and wholly original slice of J-horror.
Widower Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) is encouraged by his teenage son to reconnect with the world and even embark on a new relationship. A film producer friend comes up with a plan of advertising a fictitious drama to enable Aoyama to ‘audition’ a prospective bride. Entranced by Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina), he decides she is the woman he wants to date, but when she demands his total commitment, Aoyama has no idea what lies in store. Miike employs a slow-burn first act to build up suspense to the gruesome surprises that follow. Not a film for the faint-hearted, ‘Audition’ is shocking and like Paul Verhoeven’s more recent ‘Elle’, is guaranteed to spark heated debate over its sexual politics. Just don’t ask what’s in the sack…
BBFC Certified 18 - Contains scenes of strong psychological horror and gore
★★★★★ An outstanding, terrifying horror picture" - Kim Newman, Empire
★★★★★ "A stomach-turning masterpiece" - Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
18
115 minutes
1999
Horror
Japan
Japanese
English
Arrow Films