10 Horror Movies That Don't Start As Horror Movies
9. Audition
Takashi Miike's Audition is one hell of a wild ride, and to the filmmaker's eternal credit, he plays the initial romantic drama setup incredibly straight for a shockingly long time.
For the first half of the movie, it appears that Audition is merely about a middle-aged widower, Shigeharu (Ryo Ishibashi), who stages a fake casting audition in order to find a new wife, Asami (Eihi Shiina). But near the end of the second act, it becomes increasingly clear that something isn't right with Asami, before we learn that she's actually a deranged serial killer with a penchant for torturing her victims.
The third act, in which Asami drugs and mutilates Shigeharu, is absolutely nauseating and runs in staggering contrast to the melodramatic style of the opening hour.
Props to Miike for refusing to wink at the audience and letting the dramatic scenes play out earnestly, before letting loose with one of the most unforgettably effed-up finales of any movie ever - horror or not.