Broadcasting's picture

I love Takashi Miike [the director of Audition] and I had read some great reviews on this movie so I decided I'd give it a try and all I can say after watching it is "what the fuck" I don't know if I missed something though translation or something but what the fuck was going on in that movie during the end? with all the flashing back and forth between different woman? I don't think it was just showing how that girl was crazy and he was still in love with his wife, I'm sure it's deeper than that. And what was that man in the trash bag? I'm just so confused.

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trollgirldawn's picture

Not sure about the movie, but your text is really hard to read (imo)... Almost gave me a headache trying to read it. Just thought I'd let you know. :)

kaiser soze's picture

I have not watched this in a few years, but i remember thinking it was a great horror/thriller if you understood that it was in Japan.  I will not claim to know all of the perverted peccadillos that Japan has, but i know they have many.  I think this was Minke's way of turning the table, showing one of these men who had no real problem "screening" women without their knowledge (peeping and sneaking upskirt pics is common) then turns the tables on him. And the guy was not bad, he just thought it was ok to do so because that is how it is done.


The movie is good world wide in my mind, but if you understand a little bit of the culture i think it is more impactful or even more scary then just some crazy woman, it a little more like an indictment on how men can treat women in Japan.

Broadcasting's picture

Yes, I remember watching an interview with him and he said that was the theme. How Japanese men become unatracted to their wives after only a few years and such. I usually catch on fast, even Japanese films. Me being interested in anime kind of gives me an upper hand but I guess this one was just meant to beee confusing in a way and it was also probably me not knowing their culture completely. I think if I watch it again it'll become clearer

kaveman1969's picture

I didn't read too deeply into the movie. I just love horror. Without analyzing it, because I'm lazy like that, I loved it.

But I love most Japanese horror films I see, and for a change it's the chick that's the sadistic, brutal one. Great movie.

doe333's picture

That's the great part about that ending: even if you don't quite get why it's happening, it's still brutal enough to leave an impact.

Lady_deSade87's picture

I have a real problem when people label Audition as "torture porn". Firstly, the phrase itself is a misguided pronouncement against something that they really don't understand. Secondly, how can it be called "torture porn", when the actual torture only makes up a small part of the movie?

In fact, most of the "torture porns" that I've seen follow this same schematic: 95% non-torture 5% torture. Okay, so I'm pulling these figures out of my ass, but you all know what I am trying to say.

People find the most brutal parts of films, get offended, then try their hardest to let others feel their offence. The argument, "this is insensitive becuase people really do get tortured" does not hold water. By that logic, no one couldn't depict anything...because there's always at least one person who has experienced it. Countless died in the holocaust, but people seldom bat an eye when movies are made about that, and that is, arguably more brutal because it affected so many. 


These films aren't made for people who have been tortured. That much should be obvious.

Anyway, that's my little rant on so-called "torture porn".


There is something deep to observe in these films. People usually just choose not to see it.


no tongue...drinking hard!

twistedstoryteller123's picture

From what I've learned from watching these movies, the horror is inspired by emotion, trust and on occasion, love. It is an emotional storyline with horror aspects thrown in there. It is not meant as " Torture porn", but something deeper and unnerving. That's one thing I like about Asian horror, and that it's grounded in emotional mythology, not just for the sake of doing something creepy or disturbing. Take " The Red Shoes" for instance, it is about a woman going through emotional stress based on the environment around her, and the story is about cursed shoes she finds.

Another valid example would be the " Ringu" movies. They're based on a neglected child that was mistreated and taken advantage of by the world around her. If you take away the creepy elements, you will see that it is nothing more than a dark drama around mother and child.

klownz's picture

i love audition it really is a great film. I dont understand why people find it so confusing?

ok i am going to try & explaine this film as clear as i can so bear with me  SPOILER ALERT!!! right i think people start getting confused at the point when Aoyama drinks from the drugged whisky & passes out what happens is when he passes out there is s sequence about Asami & her past & present, this can be interpreted as Aoyama dreaming because of what he had recentlly descoverd about her when he was trying to find her, it is however not actually ment to be viewed as a dream sequence.

the sequence is ment to confirm things about Asami like the fact she was abused when younger & that she has killed & tortured before, the guy in the sack is the boyfriend of the woman who was killed (by Asami). The "diffrent women" in the sequence are Aoyamas wife/the woman Asami has killed & asami herself (there might have been another woman but i havent seen the film in a few years so am not 100% sure)

The sequence ends with Aoyama waking up from the drugged whisky & proceding to him being tortured by Asami. Right what happens next is Aoyamas son comes home when this happens Aoyama signals to his son that Asami is behind him then passes out, this is when he has a actual dream sequence that what has happened was just a dream! lol!  he then wakes up to see his son escape from Asami then throw her down some stairs. At the bottom of the stairs Asami has a broken neck & is muttering to Aoyama things she had said earlier in the film it film ends with Aoyama remembering something he said to Asami in his dream sequence that basicly she is going to be ok & that her life will turn out good.

Ok the last thing i will point out is that this film in my opinion is intended to be a study of lonliness & love, now i have explained the way the film is intended to be viewed hopfully is should make it easier for anyone reading this to view the film & appreciatd the intended depth & meaning of the film.


HorrorHeroine's picture

This film is amazing and one of my favourites :) it really is a masterpiece.

If you get to the end of this film and dont understand it or find it confusing then -_- WOW, you just havnt payed enough attantion at all, its not complicated in the slightest. Just like many asian horror movies its very in depth and slow paced but i found the falsh backs at the end pretty much explain anything that may have been confusing for people.

undescriptyell's picture

Thanks for the clarification of the dream stages. I like how in Miike's movies he shows you that there is no black and white. No good/bad characters at the end, we all have our demons and can relate in some way to those who respond to theirs in a more blunt and open way, even when we won't admit it.


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