I actually watched this movie yesterday and as a fan of Takashi Miike I was really impressed. I was expecting the campy over the top gore thats prevalent in a majority of his films, and at one point I had to pause to check the genre labels because I was honestly confused because the movie felt more like a gentle slow burn romance. The way the tone shifts suddenly really made my gut drop and I absolutely adored it.
I just watched Audition for the first time this morning and it was strange to say the least. I laughed because it felt uncanny, but the brutal parts got me to cringe quite a bit. The way you described how the audience members reacted during your viewing made me reflect on my reaction, which made me feel a little normal. Then I thought back to seeing Midsommar in theaters and I laughed quite a bit (in shock) at one of the more serious and bizarre scenes (umm... the group scene... not sure how to describe that without spoilers). Maybe that’s normal, but it was just something that I thought when you posed your questions. Great review though. You’re one of my favorite film reviewers.
I just watched it, and your point about it seeming tame is spot on, though I think its more because of the film's reputation as a horror/Gore classic rather than modern film's being more extreme. The last 20 minutes are still supremely uncomfortable, but I was expecting a lot more because of its reputation than what is actually shown. I think the shift in tone from before the dream sequence to after also pushes it further than other straight up horror film's, as the tone in those is set near the beginning and only fluctuates more or less "horror", and Auditions very light drama at the beginning contrasting with it's extreme end is why it has the power it does. If 90% of the runtime happened on that floor it wouldn't be considered tame by modern standards, but it would be far less impactful.
Though this film is old I personally don't think it's dated, I think the disturbing factor does not come from the on-screen violence but rather the subject matter, as there really isn't a lot of blood or visible gore. Audition is a film that deals with very dark, taboo subjects such as child abuse and the psychological damages that come as a result of child abuse.
I was thinking about the increased need for shock and gore after watching the new(er) Suspiria. Small spoilers ahead -- it was an interesting reimagining, but the director felt the addition of an all-out circus of blood was somehow needed (it wasn't and almost ruined the film in my opinion). I could see from many reviews that the added gore was enjoyed. Go figure! One scene in Suspiria featuring a mutilated body crawling around immediately brought Miike's Audition to my mind. But the Audition is a quiet story told with restraint from beginning to end, it lets you get comfortable when you really shouldn't be! I still really enjoy the subtlety and atmosphere of this film.
It is interesting how remakes push a whole other level of violence. If I had wanted to make this video actually long, I would have started talking about that. One of the things that I thought about while I was writing it was the remake of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The original is really pretty low key, but I have seen exactly three minutes of the remake and in it they showed a person having a chainsaw pushed through them and I was like cool no thanks. In defense of Guadagnino's Suspiria, though: the really intense gore (that circus) happens in nauseating low shutter speed blur, so you know what is happening but it's difficult to really comprehend properly; it's not being really thrown into your face the way it could have been. That movie's most horrific violence is definitely the dance sequence and there's no blood in that. But oh gosh is that difficult to watch (my girlfriend walked out, which I've never seen her do before).
@@TheWeekIReview You're absolutely right, the dance scene may be one of the most disturbing of all time. I wouldn't blame anyone for walking out. Well good point about the low shutter/blur. Maybe it's my own personal associations. I felt like I had just watched a cinematic masterpiece punctuated by bad death metal music video imagery. I really want to love it. It felt timeless. I need to rewatch without having expectations that it would end on a somewhat more mysterious note!
I get that. I'll be honest that I didn't love that ending mostly because even though it was obscured the CG head explosions just didn't look very good and it took me out of the very physical feeling that the rest of it had. I would be curious to hear about your thoughts after a rewatch. It's something I intend to check out again at some point... but it's long, and longer movies are easier for me in theaters (case in point: going to see the Final Cut of Apocalypse Now tomorrow).
I know, it's a bit distracting. At first I thought it was meant as some type of shout out to the horror element of the movie but man it just brought to attention how animated the speaker is as he gesticulates, which in turn brings attention to how jittery the speaker seems due to the constant adjusting to keep focus
I just watched it for the first time. I think the slow burn works just fine for it. It reminded me of the pace of Drive My Car, although it’s two completely different genres. I personally am not a fan of people being too hung up on “it’s a girl power” movie, whenever the perpetrator is a woman. While in real life men commit more violent crimes than women per capita, there’s women serving time in prison, very much capable of equally messed up things. I don’t think those women were thinking of “girl power” when they committed those heinous crimes. Women can be just as capable as men of being self serving, and commit violent crimes for selfish reasons like financial gain, vengeance, because of drugs, psychopathy, etc. Whenever I watch a movie, I am not focused on the gender of the person. I am far too aware that the perp can be any gender and any age even. I don’t need a label with my movie. If anything, I think thinking politically all the time will rob you from the artistry of a film. If I know a correlation to exist in real life (i.e. disturbed women), I don’t need further explanation to make sense of it. It’s no different than male serial killers. Disturbed and attaching violence to sex. What the FBI labels sexual sadists. That’s what Asami was. I enjoyed the film, but it played with mr emotions way too much. Whenever I thought “Oh, that was a fantasy. Now we are back to reality”, it kept yanking me back and forth. It left me thinking and trying to make sense of what I had just watched 👍🏼
I actually watched this movie yesterday and as a fan of Takashi Miike I was really impressed. I was expecting the campy over the top gore thats prevalent in a majority of his films, and at one point I had to pause to check the genre labels because I was honestly confused because the movie felt more like a gentle slow burn romance. The way the tone shifts suddenly really made my gut drop and I absolutely adored it.
It's a masterpiece personally
I just watched Audition for the first time this morning and it was strange to say the least. I laughed because it felt uncanny, but the brutal parts got me to cringe quite a bit. The way you described how the audience members reacted during your viewing made me reflect on my reaction, which made me feel a little normal. Then I thought back to seeing Midsommar in theaters and I laughed quite a bit (in shock) at one of the more serious and bizarre scenes (umm... the group scene... not sure how to describe that without spoilers). Maybe that’s normal, but it was just something that I thought when you posed your questions. Great review though. You’re one of my favorite film reviewers.
Intelligent analysis, I appreciate your thoughtful and in-depth take.
I finally watched this movie and I went in it blind knowing only that it was influential in quote unquote “torture porn” movies and whoa…
RE: the creepy producer guy getting off scott free. Creeps recognize each other.
I just watched it, and your point about it seeming tame is spot on, though I think its more because of the film's reputation as a horror/Gore classic rather than modern film's being more extreme. The last 20 minutes are still supremely uncomfortable, but I was expecting a lot more because of its reputation than what is actually shown. I think the shift in tone from before the dream sequence to after also pushes it further than other straight up horror film's, as the tone in those is set near the beginning and only fluctuates more or less "horror", and Auditions very light drama at the beginning contrasting with it's extreme end is why it has the power it does. If 90% of the runtime happened on that floor it wouldn't be considered tame by modern standards, but it would be far less impactful.
Though this film is old I personally don't think it's dated, I think the disturbing factor does not come from the on-screen violence but rather the subject matter, as there really isn't a lot of blood or visible gore. Audition is a film that deals with very dark, taboo subjects such as child abuse and the psychological damages that come as a result of child abuse.
Good review buddy
I was thinking about the increased need for shock and gore after watching the new(er) Suspiria. Small spoilers ahead -- it was an interesting reimagining, but the director felt the addition of an all-out circus of blood was somehow needed (it wasn't and almost ruined the film in my opinion). I could see from many reviews that the added gore was enjoyed. Go figure! One scene in Suspiria featuring a mutilated body crawling around immediately brought Miike's Audition to my mind. But the Audition is a quiet story told with restraint from beginning to end, it lets you get comfortable when you really shouldn't be! I still really enjoy the subtlety and atmosphere of this film.
It is interesting how remakes push a whole other level of violence. If I had wanted to make this video actually long, I would have started talking about that. One of the things that I thought about while I was writing it was the remake of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The original is really pretty low key, but I have seen exactly three minutes of the remake and in it they showed a person having a chainsaw pushed through them and I was like cool no thanks.
In defense of Guadagnino's Suspiria, though: the really intense gore (that circus) happens in nauseating low shutter speed blur, so you know what is happening but it's difficult to really comprehend properly; it's not being really thrown into your face the way it could have been.
That movie's most horrific violence is definitely the dance sequence and there's no blood in that. But oh gosh is that difficult to watch (my girlfriend walked out, which I've never seen her do before).
@@TheWeekIReview You're absolutely right, the dance scene may be one of the most disturbing of all time. I wouldn't blame anyone for walking out. Well good point about the low shutter/blur. Maybe it's my own personal associations. I felt like I had just watched a cinematic masterpiece punctuated by bad death metal music video imagery. I really want to love it. It felt timeless. I need to rewatch without having expectations that it would end on a somewhat more mysterious note!
I get that. I'll be honest that I didn't love that ending mostly because even though it was obscured the CG head explosions just didn't look very good and it took me out of the very physical feeling that the rest of it had.
I would be curious to hear about your thoughts after a rewatch. It's something I intend to check out again at some point... but it's long, and longer movies are easier for me in theaters (case in point: going to see the Final Cut of Apocalypse Now tomorrow).
Is your camera zooming in and out slightly? Focusing problem?
Probably. I stopped using the autofocus after this video, I think.
I know, it's a bit distracting. At first I thought it was meant as some type of shout out to the horror element of the movie but man it just brought to attention how animated the speaker is as he gesticulates, which in turn brings attention to how jittery the speaker seems due to the constant adjusting to keep focus
It s funny to think that it s a girl power movie. She is a basket case.
I just watched it for the first time. I think the slow burn works just fine for it. It reminded me of the pace of Drive My Car, although it’s two completely different genres.
I personally am not a fan of people being too hung up on “it’s a girl power” movie, whenever the perpetrator is a woman. While in real life men commit more violent crimes than women per capita, there’s women serving time in prison, very much capable of equally messed up things. I don’t think those women were thinking of “girl power” when they committed those heinous crimes. Women can be just as capable as men of being self serving, and commit violent crimes for selfish reasons like financial gain, vengeance, because of drugs, psychopathy, etc.
Whenever I watch a movie, I am not focused on the gender of the person. I am far too aware that the perp can be any gender and any age even. I don’t need a label with my movie. If anything, I think thinking politically all the time will rob you from the artistry of a film. If I know a correlation to exist in real life (i.e. disturbed women), I don’t need further explanation to make sense of it. It’s no different than male serial killers. Disturbed and attaching violence to sex. What the FBI labels sexual sadists. That’s what Asami was.
I enjoyed the film, but it played with mr emotions way too much. Whenever I thought “Oh, that was a fantasy. Now we are back to reality”, it kept yanking me back and forth. It left me thinking and trying to make sense of what I had just watched 👍🏼
audition sounds as demented as that flick "Candy" where some nutty broad does sick stuff to people. horrible. horror is horrible.
Gosh, every sentence in this is worse than the one before. "Nutty broad"? What is this, 1945?