Cult 101: Audition (1999) 25th Anniversary
Director: Takashi Miike Run Time: 115 min. Rating: R Release Year: 1999
Starring: Eihi Shiina, Jun Kunimura, Renji Ishibashi, Ryo Ishibashi, Tetsu Sawaki
Country: Japan, South Korea
Language: Japanese with English subtitles
Cult 101 at Gateway Film Center
A celebration of the best cult films of all time.
See more Cult 101About the film:
One of the most infamous, impactful, and gut-wrenching Japanese horror films ever made.
Recent widower (and movie producer) Shigeharu is looking for a new wife. But instead of going the usual route, he decides to hold “auditions” for a movie that doesn’t exist. Shigeharu quickly becomes enchanted with Asami, a spooky twenty-something who is responsive to his charms. But things aren’t what they seem.
“It gnaws on your mind like a famished larva, and you can fully expect to have a rough time of it later, when you close your eyes and try to sleep.”
—Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle
Audition (1999) was the turn-of-the-millenium flash point that signaled the talent of Takashi Miike. With this movie, Miike delivers a nerve-shredding exploration of male fears and the stereotype of submissive Japanese women. Shocking audiences worldwide with its white-knuckle finale and ingenious slow-burn build-up, Audition (1999) was responsible for creating a fresh new wave of Asian horror.
About the filmmaker:
Takashi Miike is an iconic Japanese film director, producer, and screenwriter. He began his career in television and directing low-budget films for the Japanese direct-to-video market. His cinematic debut, Shinjuku Triad Society (1995) gained a nomination from the Director’s Guild of Japan, and its extremely violent depiction of underworld gang wars would become a recurring theme in his work. Since then, Miike has made over 100 films and has gained a strong cult following. His international breakthrough Audition (1999) won the international film critics’ award at the Rotterdam Film Festival in 2000. His other features include Ichi the Killer (2001), Gozu (2003), One Missed Call (2003), the Dead or Alive trilogy, and 13 Assassins (2010). His films have screened at festivals all over the world, with Hara-kiri (2011) and Straw Shield (2013) premiering in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2019, Fantastic Fest honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
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