Audition is often found topping lists celebrating the greatest horror movies of all-time; having sat through Takashi Miike's bizarre creation, it isn't difficult to see why. Audition is a plainly creepy film, but it doesn't start out of such - the first 45 minutes have the feel of a romantic comedy, as a bachelor played by Ryo Ishibashi attempts to use his friend's professional position as a TV producer to "audition" women for a fake production in order to test their girlfriend potential. Just when he thinks he's found "the one," things take an unexpected twist of the tone shift kind. And then comes all the stuff to melt your brain. During a festival screening of Audition, a woman famously shouted "You're evil!" at Takashi Miike and stormed out. Going by the last reel of the movie (you'll never look at piano wire in the same way), it's hard to blame her. Audition keeps people coming back, time and time again, because it's a weird and intricate movie that gets better with multiple viewings. That's not to say you'll ever figure out what the heck is really going on - still, what a ride!
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
