Revisiting AUDITION in 4K

AUDITION Limited Edition (4K UHD)

1999 / 115 min

Arrow Video

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

I first saw Takashi Miike’s Audition a few years ago when I reviewed Arrow Video’s Blu-ray edition. My main takeaway was that it was very good, though not a film I’d want to experience again. For me, it wasn’t the film’s notorious violence and repellent imagery I found tough to take (those scenes are actually few and far between). However, an overall air of sorrow hangs over the entire film, with stretches of sadness that are downright claustrophobic, though beautifully rendered. 

But with this new 4K Limited Edition, it looks like I’ll have to dive into despair one more time.

Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) is a widower whose loneliness is overwhelming. When he decides he'd like to start dating again, producer-friend Yasuhisa suggests setting up fake auditions for a non-existent film. Though he has ethical misgivings, Shigeharu goes along with it and becomes fixated with Asami (Eihi Shiina), a young ex-dancer whose resume reflects a kindred spirit. The two begin seeing each other, Asami's affection for him growing with each encounter. But after Shigeharu promises to love nobody else during a weekend getaway, Asami disappears. 

Unfortunately, this friendship comes with strings attached.

Asami turns out to be batshit crazy and her eventually retribution on Shigeharu is twisted, vicious and graphic. But I stand by my original assessment that what renders the entire sequence truly harrowing is the first half of the film. Miike takes great care in establishing Shigeharu as a supremely sympathetic family man we care deeply about. Similarly, Asami is a victim herself, a product of an abusive upbringing. This renders the climax more mournful than terrifying, its violence merely amplifying the overall tone of despair.

Arrow’s 2019 Blu-ray was an impressive release with good picture and sound, along with a load of bonus features. Those features are ported over for his limited edition version, with some good new ones added (see below). The film itself has been given an impressive 4K restoration for an improved overall image, especially regarding the color. There are also three audio options, lossless stereo, 4.0 audio and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround. All three are solid, though the latter is arguably the most immersive. 

But that’s enough for this guy. Enduring Audition twice is plenty, so please Arrow…no 8K version. However, fans of the film should certainly consider upgrading.

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.  

INTERVIEWS - Individual interviews with director Takashi Miike, actor Ryo Ishibashi.

2 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By biographer Tom Mes; 2) by director Takashi Miike.

INTRODUCTION BY TAKASHI MIIKE

DAMAGED ROMANCE - An appreciation by film historian Tony Rayns (the guy's quite knowledgeable and interesting to listen to). 

DEEPER DEEPER INTO AUDITION - Audio essay by author/critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas.

ARCHIVAL INTERVIEWS - With actors Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Renji Ishibashi, Ren Osugi.

TRAILERS

IMAGE GALLERY