Audition (1999)

Audition: Directed by Takashi Miike. With Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura. A widower takes an offer to screen girls at a special audition, arranged for him by a friend to find him a new wife. The one he fancies is not who she appears to be after all.

“A class act horror film – not for anyone with a queasy stomach. Japanese subtitles donu0026#39;t deter from the fact that it can easily rank as a landmark in cinema horror, pushing back taboos. Like Sixth Sense, you could watch half the movie and not know it was going to be a shocker. When the shocks come they make you want to jump out of your seat right into the aisle and then crawl back under it with your face over your hands. More Hitchcock than Cronenberg, there is little in the way of special effects, but lots in the way of a very precisely crafted plot, great acting and editing, atmosphere and moments of evocative beauty as well as terror. The story concerns a Japanese businessman whose friend thinks of a novel way for him to look for a second wife. Thatu0026#39;s all Iu0026#39;ll tell you!”