Audition

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Singleton</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="549" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 23 WIDTH="545"><div> An acceptance of death</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="580" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Shigeharu: Ryo Ishibashi</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Asami: Eihi Shiina</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Shigehiko: Tetsu Sawaki</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Yoshikawa: Jun Kunimura</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Director: Takashi Miike</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="304" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>30 Second Bottom Line</B>: A widower with a teenage son decides to use actress auditions at his video production company to find a new bride. What begins as a tender love affair, morphs into a psychological thriller. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Story Line:</B> I got fooled on this one in a good way. After an hour into the picture, I did not see how this film could have anything to do with the promotional gimmick of theaters passing out vomit bags. Press releases touted that you would leave the theater in shock, like people did after seeing the shower scene in <I>Psycho </I>for the first time.<I> </I>The story develops at a good pace, yet not the traditional Hollywood timing of a quick set-up and then cut to the chase…the action. All the characters are fully developed before the tortuous truth is revealed of who Asami, the actress chosen from the auditions, really is.</div> <bR> <div> Shigeharu's wife died of an illness seven years prior, and since that time he has lived with his only child, a son named Shigehiko, who is now16-years-old. Shigeharu's time is totally occupied with the production company he owns. His sex life is limited to a woman at work that he's not smart enough to develop beyond an occasional, one-night stand relationship. She's ready but he's not. His son finally suggests that he finds a woman and remarry, and with the help of his business associate Yoshikawa, they devise a plan to find Shigeharu the perfect woman.</div> <bR> <div> They decide to dust off a script that has already been rejected and is going nowhere. The pretext is to bring in women to audition for a leading part. Soon they are overflowing with willing applicants, some with talent and others almost none. The men see every type of woman with respect to looks, personality and skill. Some are timid and others outgoing, willing to show their breasts, strip to a bikini, just anything to make them stand out from the crowd. When Shigeharu spills coffee on the edge of a model's portfolio and looks at the woman on that page, he is predisposed to pick her from the crowd regardless of what she says or does in her audition.</div> <bR> <div> Shigeharu is immediately smitten with Asami during her audition, but Yoshikawa does not have a comfortable feeling about her. Shigeharu's first meeting alone with Asami quickly moves from the pretense of an acting job to that of a date. Asami alludes to a less than happy childhood and they begin a slightly off kilter relationship, which reaches a climatic moment when they go away for the weekend to a seaside resort. He's so nervous that all he can talk about are nearby attractions and places to eat. She makes her desires clear when she takes off her clothes and tells him, "Come to me." </div> <bR> <div> We learn that Asami suffered an abusive childhood and has been influenced by the manipulation of men as a grown woman. These revelations strike at the heart of the skewed male/female, socio-psycho framework on which this bit of cinema is hung. The results are devastating. When the mayhem happens, it occurs so quickly that your eyes tell you a story that your mind has trouble keeping up with. </div> <bR> <div> Before the fateful trip, Shigehiko suggests that his father bring Asami by the house to meet him because he has a good feel for people. By the time the story is played out, Shigeharu wishes he had listened more carefully to his son and business associate. Shigeharu is not a bad person, but he prefers his women beautiful, classy and obedient. What you see may not be what you get.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell Me More About It</B>: This film reminds me of <I>Alien</I> and <I>Psycho</I>; each has the ability to get your attention. You know that there is going to be a major change in the tone and pace of the story, and when it comes, it's immediate and you are not expecting it…even though you are. You are not quite sure you understand what you are seeing and when you do, what it means.</div> <bR> <div> Without trying to provide excuses for why people can become twisted and do evil things, <I><B>Audition</B></I><B> </B>is very much a strong feminist film. Our past does influence our future and those close to us. </div> <bR> <div> The post card that promotes the film shows Asami with a serious look and a long hypodermic needle in her black gloved hand. Just what is she up to and why? We start to get a hint as we find out what she has done to her foster parents. Unlike the Japanese film <I><B>Brother,</B></I> <I><B>Audition</B></I><B> </B>has violence with a twisted morality, more along the lines of <I><B>Eyes of the Spider,</B></I> except, this is much easier to look at<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Symbol" >¾</FONT>until the very end. And like <I>Psycho,</I> you won't forget it!</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="621" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> Not Rated but clearly for adults only</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> George O. Singleton © 2001</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> <A HREF="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com"><U><U>George@reelmoviecritic.com</U></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>