Sometimes we can’t help but start binging the movies of a single genre one by one, having some sort of a marathon. And while I can relate to those who binge rom-coms because they’re sweet and innocent, it seems that horror nights are getting more popular among others.
For example, redditors quite often get together online to happily share their favorite horrors and discuss them. So here are three horror movies that are considered their all-time favorites.
1. Audition (1999)
Audition is a psychological horror film directed by Takashi Miike featuring Ryo Ishibashi and Eihi Shiina. The movie revolves around a hopeless widower who is trying to come back in the dating game again. With the help of his friend, he stages a phony audition to find a perfect girl for him. And so he thinks he does.
His chosen one is Asami, a girl with a dark past who...
For example, redditors quite often get together online to happily share their favorite horrors and discuss them. So here are three horror movies that are considered their all-time favorites.
1. Audition (1999)
Audition is a psychological horror film directed by Takashi Miike featuring Ryo Ishibashi and Eihi Shiina. The movie revolves around a hopeless widower who is trying to come back in the dating game again. With the help of his friend, he stages a phony audition to find a perfect girl for him. And so he thinks he does.
His chosen one is Asami, a girl with a dark past who...
- 5/4/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Rachel Bailey)
- STartefacts.com
Despite having directed some excellent films, as in the case of “Dog Bite Dog” and “Love Battlefield” and a masterpiece in “Limbo”, Soi Cheang's filmography is actually filled with titles of questionable quality, to say the least. “Shamo” which is based on the homonymous manga written by Izo Hashimoto and illustrated by Akio Tanaka definitely lies in the second category.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
In an expectedly failed effort to fit 34 volumes of a manga into a 105 minutes movie, the script revolves around Ryo Narushima, a young man who ended up in prison for killing his parents. While inside, he is being tortured and abused, with the permission of the notorious warden, Principal Saeki, who seems at least as sinister as the convicts. Just before he commits suicide, though, Ryo is saved by Kenji, a karate master who is in prison for killing the Japanese Prime minister,...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
In an expectedly failed effort to fit 34 volumes of a manga into a 105 minutes movie, the script revolves around Ryo Narushima, a young man who ended up in prison for killing his parents. While inside, he is being tortured and abused, with the permission of the notorious warden, Principal Saeki, who seems at least as sinister as the convicts. Just before he commits suicide, though, Ryo is saved by Kenji, a karate master who is in prison for killing the Japanese Prime minister,...
- 4/11/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
“Words create lies. Pain can be trusted.”
Few things in this world are more frightening than dating. In addition to the fear of getting stood up or rejected, women have the added bonus of worrying that the person they’ve matched with might turn out to be a serial killer. It’s just smart to text your location and the photo of your blind date to a friend while asking for advice on which earrings best complement your impossibly sexy First Date Dress. Women talk about our hopes for a romantic adventure in the same breadth that we relay justifiable fears that we might end the evening as a collection of dismembered body parts in a trash bag at the bottom of a ravine.
Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) learns about this terrifying dichotomy the hard way in Takashi Miike’s insightful masterpiece Audition. Tired of the single life but terrified of women,...
Few things in this world are more frightening than dating. In addition to the fear of getting stood up or rejected, women have the added bonus of worrying that the person they’ve matched with might turn out to be a serial killer. It’s just smart to text your location and the photo of your blind date to a friend while asking for advice on which earrings best complement your impossibly sexy First Date Dress. Women talk about our hopes for a romantic adventure in the same breadth that we relay justifiable fears that we might end the evening as a collection of dismembered body parts in a trash bag at the bottom of a ravine.
Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) learns about this terrifying dichotomy the hard way in Takashi Miike’s insightful masterpiece Audition. Tired of the single life but terrified of women,...
- 2/22/2024
- by Jenn Adams
- bloody-disgusting.com
Horror has come into its own in the 21st century. This is not to say that the genre has ever not been one of the most interesting and creative in the long history of cinema. Since nearly the beginning of the art form, using moving images to scare audiences has been a gateway for aspirin filmmakers to break into the industry—or for even veterans to creatively something about the greater world by painting a landscape of anxiety.
Nonetheless, the 21st century (particularly beginning in its second decade) has brought a renewed appreciation for scary movies’ abilities to speak to audiences with more than just “boo.” With that in mind, we at Den of Geek have polled our staff and collected the below list of what we generally consider to be the best chillers of the fast quarter-century or so. Enjoy.
42. Land of the Dead (2005)
Land of the Dead does...
Nonetheless, the 21st century (particularly beginning in its second decade) has brought a renewed appreciation for scary movies’ abilities to speak to audiences with more than just “boo.” With that in mind, we at Den of Geek have polled our staff and collected the below list of what we generally consider to be the best chillers of the fast quarter-century or so. Enjoy.
42. Land of the Dead (2005)
Land of the Dead does...
- 10/31/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
By Earl Jackson
For a long time, Japanese cinema of the 1980s was a closed book to me. I just could not engage with the soft-focus, candy-pastel dreamscapes, the ubiquitous permed hair for both sexes, the relentless innocence of the idols who seemed to have learned acting from hostage ransom videos, and the ramshackle macho veneer concocted with crayons and a bullhorn. But in 2004 I attended an immense and beautifully curated 1980s retrospective sponsored by the Japan Foundation held in an upscale shopping mall in Seoul. That intense exposure was a real education which included an introduction to the almost preternatural, haunting countercharm of Yusaku Matsuda, amplified by the devoted Korean Matsuda fans I met there.
In recent years, international attention to the work of Shinji Somai and Nobuhiko Obayashi has filled in vital pieces of the 1980s, however Matsuda's cult status in Japan has yet to spread beyond domestic screens.
For a long time, Japanese cinema of the 1980s was a closed book to me. I just could not engage with the soft-focus, candy-pastel dreamscapes, the ubiquitous permed hair for both sexes, the relentless innocence of the idols who seemed to have learned acting from hostage ransom videos, and the ramshackle macho veneer concocted with crayons and a bullhorn. But in 2004 I attended an immense and beautifully curated 1980s retrospective sponsored by the Japan Foundation held in an upscale shopping mall in Seoul. That intense exposure was a real education which included an introduction to the almost preternatural, haunting countercharm of Yusaku Matsuda, amplified by the devoted Korean Matsuda fans I met there.
In recent years, international attention to the work of Shinji Somai and Nobuhiko Obayashi has filled in vital pieces of the 1980s, however Matsuda's cult status in Japan has yet to spread beyond domestic screens.
- 5/16/2023
- by Guest Writer
- AsianMoviePulse
J-horror films, the Japanese chillers that swept the globe at the turn of the millennium, could guarantee two things – ghastly ghostly apparitions, and sleepless nights for the viewer. Among the pinnacle of J-horror are the Ju-on films, a trilogy of terror named after a deadly curse spawned when someone dies in the grip of a violent rage – all who come into contact with it are doomed! The J-horror genre proved so popular, and so scary, that numerous titles were remade for the US market, including Ju-on, which so impressed Evil Dead director Sam Raimi that he invited the director to helm two Hollywood remakes.
To celebrate the release of Arrow Video’s Ju-on: The Grudge Collection on Uhd & Blu-ray, here are six of the best scenes from the most terrifying J-horrors – watch if you dare!
Ringu (The Ring) – 1998
Based on the bestselling book by Kôji Suzuki, and directed by Hideo Nakata,...
To celebrate the release of Arrow Video’s Ju-on: The Grudge Collection on Uhd & Blu-ray, here are six of the best scenes from the most terrifying J-horrors – watch if you dare!
Ringu (The Ring) – 1998
Based on the bestselling book by Kôji Suzuki, and directed by Hideo Nakata,...
- 12/23/2022
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Dates can go very wrong in horror movies. Carrie White's prom date with Tommy Ross goes up in flames before the last dance, in both Stephen King's novel "Carrie" and Brian De Palma's film adaptation. In Sean Byrne's Aussie horror movie "The Loved Ones," poor Brett doesn't even make it to his school dance after rejecting Lola, who hosts a macabre dance of her own. All grotesqueries of romantic relationships find screen time in the genre.
So when Takashi Miike signed on to adapt Ryū Murakami's 1997 novel "Audition," he picked up on its themes of voyeurism, sexism, and exploitation in the entertainment industry -- its leading man Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) holds a shady "audition" for his next wife, launching the story's events into motion -- but left its nastiest moments for the finale, long after audience is embedded into the mysterious allure of Aoyama's chosen bride,...
So when Takashi Miike signed on to adapt Ryū Murakami's 1997 novel "Audition," he picked up on its themes of voyeurism, sexism, and exploitation in the entertainment industry -- its leading man Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) holds a shady "audition" for his next wife, launching the story's events into motion -- but left its nastiest moments for the finale, long after audience is embedded into the mysterious allure of Aoyama's chosen bride,...
- 9/19/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for the film "Audition."
Based on the 1997 novel by Ryu Murakami, Takashi Miike's 1999 film "Audition" begins as a light, sweet, delightful romantic comedy about a widower named Shigeharu (Ryo Ishibashi) who, as a means to look for a potential new girlfriend/wife, stages a fake acting audition. The idea is that Shigeharu and his friend would be able to talk to a great number of women in a single day, giving them an excuse to learn about them, size them up, and judge them worthy of a date. Like speed dating, just staged with a little bit of harmless (?) subterfuge. Shigeharu...
The post One Of Audition's Most Disturbing Moments Wasn't In the Script appeared first on /Film.
Based on the 1997 novel by Ryu Murakami, Takashi Miike's 1999 film "Audition" begins as a light, sweet, delightful romantic comedy about a widower named Shigeharu (Ryo Ishibashi) who, as a means to look for a potential new girlfriend/wife, stages a fake acting audition. The idea is that Shigeharu and his friend would be able to talk to a great number of women in a single day, giving them an excuse to learn about them, size them up, and judge them worthy of a date. Like speed dating, just staged with a little bit of harmless (?) subterfuge. Shigeharu...
The post One Of Audition's Most Disturbing Moments Wasn't In the Script appeared first on /Film.
- 6/24/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
“I can’t put my finger on it but there’s something wrong with her.”
When writer Tony Rayns met Japanese director for one of the first times in the 1990s, he spoke to him about his incredible output per year, which sometimes ranged somewhere between six to seven movies. According to Miike, the answer was obvious for he liked to keep himself busy with his films through the year. Additionally, rejecting a producer’s proposal, especially for an interesting idea, was something Miike could (and probably still can) not do, and in the end the people involved would find the right time and right place in his busy schedule to work everything out.
“Audition” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
Interestingly, the year this encounter took place marks a significant milestone in Miike’s career. The Rotterdam Film Festival not only showed three of his movies – “Audition...
When writer Tony Rayns met Japanese director for one of the first times in the 1990s, he spoke to him about his incredible output per year, which sometimes ranged somewhere between six to seven movies. According to Miike, the answer was obvious for he liked to keep himself busy with his films through the year. Additionally, rejecting a producer’s proposal, especially for an interesting idea, was something Miike could (and probably still can) not do, and in the end the people involved would find the right time and right place in his busy schedule to work everything out.
“Audition” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
Interestingly, the year this encounter took place marks a significant milestone in Miike’s career. The Rotterdam Film Festival not only showed three of his movies – “Audition...
- 4/25/2022
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
One Shot is a series that seeks to find an essence of cinema history in one single image of a movie.It’s one of those scenes whose pronouns get italics; that scene, the one at the end of Takashi Miike’s Audition in which the vengeful Asami (Eihi Shiina), wooed by Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) after an ersatz audition, pierces her lover’s skin with needles and slices off his left foot. She describes what she is about to do to him in calm, sweet tones (“This is a very painful spot”), and her coos are warnings to us too; this is what I’m about to do, are you going to watch? At the climax of the unflinching scene, Asami winds a wire saw around his ankle then swipes happily until, with a flourish, it’s off. For a moment, the camera shifts, and we are outside looking in...
- 4/23/2021
- MUBI
“I can’t put my finger on it but there’s something wrong with her.”
When writer Tony Rayns met Japanese director for one of the first times in the 1990s, he spoke to him about his incredible output per year, which sometimes ranged somewhere between six to seven movies. According to Miike, the answer was obvious for he liked to keep himself busy with his films through the year. Additionally, rejecting a producer’s proposal, especially for an interesting idea, was something Miike could (and probably still can) not do, and in the end the people involved would find the right time and right place in his busy schedule to work everything out.
“Audition” is streaming on Mubi
Interestingly, the year this encounter took place marks a significant milestone in Miike’s career. The Rotterdam Film Festival not only showed three of his movies – “Audition”, “Dead or Alive” and...
When writer Tony Rayns met Japanese director for one of the first times in the 1990s, he spoke to him about his incredible output per year, which sometimes ranged somewhere between six to seven movies. According to Miike, the answer was obvious for he liked to keep himself busy with his films through the year. Additionally, rejecting a producer’s proposal, especially for an interesting idea, was something Miike could (and probably still can) not do, and in the end the people involved would find the right time and right place in his busy schedule to work everything out.
“Audition” is streaming on Mubi
Interestingly, the year this encounter took place marks a significant milestone in Miike’s career. The Rotterdam Film Festival not only showed three of his movies – “Audition”, “Dead or Alive” and...
- 2/21/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
The classic whodunit genre is seeing a revival of sorts, with tentpole Hollywood blockbusters like “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Knives Out” leading the way and recently even Netflix jumping on the bandwagon with the Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston starring “Murder Mystery” and the Hindi-language film “Raat Akeli Hai” proving to be hits for the streaming platform. Yet another project in the same genre which saw a fair amount of success was 2019’s “Masquerade Hotel” by Masayuki Suzuki, which is based on a Keigo Higashino book and was produced and released, like many Higashino adaptations, after a long drawn-out bidding battle over the book’s rights.
A serial killer is on the loose in Tokyo, three seemingly random murders only having a code left at the scene being the connecting factor between them. The code, when decoded, tells of the location of the next murder...
A serial killer is on the loose in Tokyo, three seemingly random murders only having a code left at the scene being the connecting factor between them. The code, when decoded, tells of the location of the next murder...
- 8/10/2020
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
If one was to make a Low Ten of Miike’s films, “Waru: Kanketsu-hen” would have a very high place in the list, since it managed to be even worse than the original (which would also be included in the list alongside “Silver” and a number of other Hisao Maki-written films), something that can only be perceived as a true “accomplishment”.
As the film begins, Himuro is nowhere to be found, with his woman even visiting his grave, and Sakuragi roaming the streets trying to investigate a new case about a bunch of right-wing terrorists with ties to the corporate world. Eventually and expectedly, Himuro reappears, to almost everyone’s joy, and resumes his duties as a teacher of kendo, while having to face a young man who is also a master of the sword, yakuza members, and eventually scores of enemies near the finale of the film.
As the film begins, Himuro is nowhere to be found, with his woman even visiting his grave, and Sakuragi roaming the streets trying to investigate a new case about a bunch of right-wing terrorists with ties to the corporate world. Eventually and expectedly, Himuro reappears, to almost everyone’s joy, and resumes his duties as a teacher of kendo, while having to face a young man who is also a master of the sword, yakuza members, and eventually scores of enemies near the finale of the film.
- 4/10/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
After watching “Silver”, I was actually wondering if Miike have reached his nadir with this film, and whether his collaborations with Hisao Maki could turn out even worse. “Waru” provided an answer to both questions.
The once more paper-thin script is based on a manga by Hisao Maki and revolves around Himuro, an expert martial artist who fights enemies with a bokken, and his boss, Sarashima, whom he has formed a bond with during their common stay in prison. The two of them are targeted by a rival yakuza gang named Kyokuto. The leaders of the faction are obsessed with their targets, and have assigned one of their henchmen to this goal, who ends up with an eyeball gouged after his first failed attempts. The rest of the movie actually revolvesaround these repeated assassination efforts that result in various, mostly absurd action scenes, while a number of flashbacks introduce Himuro’s story,...
The once more paper-thin script is based on a manga by Hisao Maki and revolves around Himuro, an expert martial artist who fights enemies with a bokken, and his boss, Sarashima, whom he has formed a bond with during their common stay in prison. The two of them are targeted by a rival yakuza gang named Kyokuto. The leaders of the faction are obsessed with their targets, and have assigned one of their henchmen to this goal, who ends up with an eyeball gouged after his first failed attempts. The rest of the movie actually revolvesaround these repeated assassination efforts that result in various, mostly absurd action scenes, while a number of flashbacks introduce Himuro’s story,...
- 8/6/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Because of the rising amount of felonies, the number of trials has also increased all over Japan, resulting in a drastic change of the judicial system. Instead of a traditional trial in the new bench trail system, prosecution and defense face each other in an open trail and have three days to present evidence as well as cross-examine witnesses before on the last day a sentence is made. Young attorney Phoenix Wright (Hiroki Narimiya) is a very ambitious, but inexperienced attorney when he takes over his second case: the defense of Maya Fey (Mirei Kiritani) who is the prime suspect for the murder of her sister Mia (Rei Dan). During the trail, Phoenix also has to face his childhood friend Miles Edgeworth (Takumi Saito) who is the prosecutor, an infamous figure among his colleagues since he has never lost a case in court.
However, as the trial proceeds, Wright finds...
However, as the trial proceeds, Wright finds...
- 8/5/2019
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Audition
Blu ray
Arrow Video
1999 / 1:85:1 / 115 Min. / Street Date – February 12, 2019
Starring Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina
Cinematography by Hideo Yamamoto
Directed by Takashi Miike
It could be described as lyrically sadistic but de Sade himself might flinch at Audition – like its fragile leading lady, Takashi Miike’s film treads ever so softly before lowering the boom on its stupefied audience.
Ryo Ishibashi plays Shigeharu Aoyama, a middle-aged widower tired of sleeping in a single bed but ill-equipped for the dating game. Like the desperate anti-heroes of so many noirs, Aoyama makes just one mistake but it’s a doozy – he stages a sham audition as his personal matchmaking service. Into that not-so-tender trap steps Asami, a supernaturally shy ballerina with secrets all her own.
Miike spins their gauzy-lensed courtship with kid gloves and compassion and by the time the happy couple set sail for a seaside rendezvous we’re aching...
Blu ray
Arrow Video
1999 / 1:85:1 / 115 Min. / Street Date – February 12, 2019
Starring Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina
Cinematography by Hideo Yamamoto
Directed by Takashi Miike
It could be described as lyrically sadistic but de Sade himself might flinch at Audition – like its fragile leading lady, Takashi Miike’s film treads ever so softly before lowering the boom on its stupefied audience.
Ryo Ishibashi plays Shigeharu Aoyama, a middle-aged widower tired of sleeping in a single bed but ill-equipped for the dating game. Like the desperate anti-heroes of so many noirs, Aoyama makes just one mistake but it’s a doozy – he stages a sham audition as his personal matchmaking service. Into that not-so-tender trap steps Asami, a supernaturally shy ballerina with secrets all her own.
Miike spins their gauzy-lensed courtship with kid gloves and compassion and by the time the happy couple set sail for a seaside rendezvous we’re aching...
- 2/23/2019
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Love is certainly in the air this week, especially with our horror and sci-fi home releases, as we have plenty of tainted love on tap for those of you who tend to enjoy the darker side of romance. Scream Factory is ready to put you in the mood with both the Collector’s Edition of Valentine and their Poison Ivy box set, and Arrow Video has assembled an impressive Special Edition of Audition that fans are definitely going to want to pick up on Tuesday.
For those of you looking for some less romantically-inclined entertainment, Popcorn is getting the SteelBook treatment, and you can take a ride aboard the Horror Express as well. Other notable releases for February 12th include Possum, Killer Campout, Doom Room, Haunted Hospital: Heilstätten, Purgatory Road, and Nightflyers: Season One.
Audition: Special Edition
One of the most shocking J-horror films ever made, Audition exploded onto the...
For those of you looking for some less romantically-inclined entertainment, Popcorn is getting the SteelBook treatment, and you can take a ride aboard the Horror Express as well. Other notable releases for February 12th include Possum, Killer Campout, Doom Room, Haunted Hospital: Heilstätten, Purgatory Road, and Nightflyers: Season One.
Audition: Special Edition
One of the most shocking J-horror films ever made, Audition exploded onto the...
- 2/12/2019
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Takashi Miike’s Audition will be available on Blu-ray From Arrow Video February 12th
One of the most shocking J-horror films ever made, Audition exploded onto the festival circuit at the turn of the century to a chorus of awards and praise. The film would catapult Miike to the international scene and pave the way for such other genre delights as Ichii the Killer and The Happiness of the Katakuris.
Recent widower Shigeharu Aoyama is advised by his son to find a new wife, so he seeks the advice of a colleague having been out of the dating scene for many years. They take advantage of their position in a film company by staging an audition to find the perfect woman. Interviewing a series of women, Shigeharu becomes enchanted by Asami, a quiet, 24-year-old woman, who is immediately responsive to his charms. But soon things take a very dark and...
One of the most shocking J-horror films ever made, Audition exploded onto the festival circuit at the turn of the century to a chorus of awards and praise. The film would catapult Miike to the international scene and pave the way for such other genre delights as Ichii the Killer and The Happiness of the Katakuris.
Recent widower Shigeharu Aoyama is advised by his son to find a new wife, so he seeks the advice of a colleague having been out of the dating scene for many years. They take advantage of their position in a film company by staging an audition to find the perfect woman. Interviewing a series of women, Shigeharu becomes enchanted by Asami, a quiet, 24-year-old woman, who is immediately responsive to his charms. But soon things take a very dark and...
- 1/25/2019
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The third part and final part of the trilogy, follows the basic rules of the other two, having Ryo Ishibashi and Sho Aikawa in the protagonist roles and no other connection in terms of story, since this one takes place in the future.
The setting is Yokohama (although the film was actually shot in Hong Kong), a city which, in 2346, has closed its borders completely, essentially becoming a city-state. Furthermore, Mayor Wu runs it as a dictatorship, with his harshest law forces the overwhelming majority of the citizens to take a birth control drug, essentially canceling births and the creation of new families. His laws are applied by a police force headed by Suzuki, an extremely harsh but very capable individual, who also happens to be a family man, having a wife and a son. As the story begins, we are introduced to Ryo, a man who...
The setting is Yokohama (although the film was actually shot in Hong Kong), a city which, in 2346, has closed its borders completely, essentially becoming a city-state. Furthermore, Mayor Wu runs it as a dictatorship, with his harshest law forces the overwhelming majority of the citizens to take a birth control drug, essentially canceling births and the creation of new families. His laws are applied by a police force headed by Suzuki, an extremely harsh but very capable individual, who also happens to be a family man, having a wife and a son. As the story begins, we are introduced to Ryo, a man who...
- 10/4/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Suicide Club is a Japanese 2001 horror thriller that makes you as an audience ask what happened during production? With a story that doesn't hold up, with bloods and gore fest mix with detective crime thriller, and with a cute pop group singing songs that are not what it seems. Story: Detective Kuroda (Ryo Ishibashi) and his team are investigating a troublesome case about multi suicide cult that plague the nation. 54 schoolgirls together holding hands and commit suicide together by jumping down the subway station while the train run through them. More suicide victim appears the next days, with all different ages and profession of work. The only clue Kuroda has is a rolled skin puzzle. The puzzle contain 200 pieces of human skin...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 9/6/2016
- Screen Anarchy
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Our monthly round up of horror DVDs and Blu-rays, led by the wonderful and terrifying Audition...
So, it seems to be time once again to ask that age-old question: what’s your favourite cinematic depiction of conjoined twins? Ranging from the mutoid majesty of That Guy In Total Recall With The Talking Stomach Baby through to the Farrelly brothers’ gross-out gubbins Stuck On You, Hollywood has carved a progressive path in its depiction of wretched freaks of nature, magical otherworldly beings and monstrous killers. Following in this glorious tradition of stigmatising the disabled (insert Iain Duncan Smith reference here), this month sees the Bluray release of Frank Henenlotter’s classic splatter comedy Basket Case trilogy.
The director of the equally subtle Frankenhooker cut his teeth with his 1982 cult favourite Basket Case, which told the tale of the Bradley brothers, bemulleted Duane (Kevin van Hentenryck), the ostensibly ’normal...
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Our monthly round up of horror DVDs and Blu-rays, led by the wonderful and terrifying Audition...
So, it seems to be time once again to ask that age-old question: what’s your favourite cinematic depiction of conjoined twins? Ranging from the mutoid majesty of That Guy In Total Recall With The Talking Stomach Baby through to the Farrelly brothers’ gross-out gubbins Stuck On You, Hollywood has carved a progressive path in its depiction of wretched freaks of nature, magical otherworldly beings and monstrous killers. Following in this glorious tradition of stigmatising the disabled (insert Iain Duncan Smith reference here), this month sees the Bluray release of Frank Henenlotter’s classic splatter comedy Basket Case trilogy.
The director of the equally subtle Frankenhooker cut his teeth with his 1982 cult favourite Basket Case, which told the tale of the Bradley brothers, bemulleted Duane (Kevin van Hentenryck), the ostensibly ’normal...
- 3/15/2016
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Stars: Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura, Renji Ishibashi, Miyuki Matsuda, Toshie Negishi, Ren Ôsugi, Shigeru Saiki, Ken Mitsuishi, Yuriko Hiro’oka | Written by Daisuke Tengan | Directed by Takashi Miike
Takashi Miike’s Audition will always be a special movie to me, because it sparked off my obsession with Takashi Miike. It also put me off the meal I was eating when I first watched it, so it impressed me too. The fact that Arrow Video have given it a special edition should be enough to make it a must buy, but do they do the film justice with their release?
Audition (Ôdishon) is the story of Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) a widower who “auditions” prospective women to date under the rues of a film role. When Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina) is interviewed she catches his eye, and he takes her on a first date. Little does he...
Takashi Miike’s Audition will always be a special movie to me, because it sparked off my obsession with Takashi Miike. It also put me off the meal I was eating when I first watched it, so it impressed me too. The fact that Arrow Video have given it a special edition should be enough to make it a must buy, but do they do the film justice with their release?
Audition (Ôdishon) is the story of Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) a widower who “auditions” prospective women to date under the rues of a film role. When Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina) is interviewed she catches his eye, and he takes her on a first date. Little does he...
- 3/3/2016
- by Paul Metcalf
- Nerdly
There are some films that once seen are never forgotten. Audition is one of these films. Having first seen Takashi Miike’s arguably most famous and notorious movie some fifteen years ago, the memory of how it quite simply stunned me back then has never quite faded, and so returning to it for the first time in a decade and a half it was a pleasant surprise to discover that not only has Audition lost none of its power to shock and horrify in the intervening years, but that it’s actually a much deeper, entertaining and, yes, funnier film that I’d remembered.
For those unfamiliar with the film it works best going into it knowing as little as possible, but the basic plot revolves around widower Shigharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) being persuaded by his son Shigehiko (Tetsu Sawaki) that seven years of being alone is long enough and...
For those unfamiliar with the film it works best going into it knowing as little as possible, but the basic plot revolves around widower Shigharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) being persuaded by his son Shigehiko (Tetsu Sawaki) that seven years of being alone is long enough and...
- 2/29/2016
- Shadowlocked
A demonic femme fatale, who tortures her male would-be oppressor, made Takashi Miike’s vengeance tale the horrifying launchpad for an entire genre
Japanese film-maker Takashi Miike pretty well invented the genre of J-horror as it came to be understood with this shocking, scabrous, satirical movie from 1999; adapted by Daisuke Tengan from the 1997 novel by Ryû Murakami. Above everything else, it has something which makes it very different from the vast majority of horror movies – a female evil-demon figure who terrorises the male.
Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) is an ageing widower in the film business who hits on an underhand ruse for finding a new wife; he will audition for a non-existent female supporting role in a movie – which will attract the right kind of submissive, non-diva woman, whom he can let down gently and ask out on a date. This premise on its own would be enough for a smart comedy,...
Japanese film-maker Takashi Miike pretty well invented the genre of J-horror as it came to be understood with this shocking, scabrous, satirical movie from 1999; adapted by Daisuke Tengan from the 1997 novel by Ryû Murakami. Above everything else, it has something which makes it very different from the vast majority of horror movies – a female evil-demon figure who terrorises the male.
Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) is an ageing widower in the film business who hits on an underhand ruse for finding a new wife; he will audition for a non-existent female supporting role in a movie – which will attract the right kind of submissive, non-diva woman, whom he can let down gently and ask out on a date. This premise on its own would be enough for a smart comedy,...
- 12/10/2015
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
The jump scare is a uniquely horror movie convention. Where some movies use it as an excuse to play peekaboo and assault you with noise, others use it as a way to shatter your complacency as a viewer. It’s the purest form of scare: something bursts out of a dark corner, a loud noise cuts the tension, or a jolt to the plot comes on so unexpected, you don’t know what hit you. It may just be a momentary fright, but a good horror movie will put you on edge and keep you there.
****
Alien (1979)- No blood, no Dallas
Horror purists are of the mind that jumps are cheap, and, for the most part, they are. Yet, in those nerve-wracking scenes, when a director knows exactly what they are doing, it’s riveting. I’ve always prided myself on not being one of those people who gets jumpy during a horror movie,...
****
Alien (1979)- No blood, no Dallas
Horror purists are of the mind that jumps are cheap, and, for the most part, they are. Yet, in those nerve-wracking scenes, when a director knows exactly what they are doing, it’s riveting. I’ve always prided myself on not being one of those people who gets jumpy during a horror movie,...
- 10/28/2015
- by Staff
- SoundOnSight
Here we are at what is a surprisingly modern list. At the beginning of this, I didn’t expect to see so much cultural impact coming from films so recently made, but that’s the way it goes. The films that define the horror genre aren’t necessarily the scariest or the most expensive or even the best. The films that define the genre point to a movement – movies that changed the game and influenced all the films after it. Movies that transcend the horror genre. Movies that broke the mold and changed the way horror can be created.
10. El laberinto del fauno (2006)
English Language Title: Pan’s Labyrinth
Directed by: Gullermo del Toro
It’s more a dark fantasy film than a horror film, but it would be tough to make a list of 50 of those. Plus, it has enough graphic, nightmarish images to push it over the threshold.
10. El laberinto del fauno (2006)
English Language Title: Pan’s Labyrinth
Directed by: Gullermo del Toro
It’s more a dark fantasy film than a horror film, but it would be tough to make a list of 50 of those. Plus, it has enough graphic, nightmarish images to push it over the threshold.
- 10/24/2015
- by Joshua Gaul
- SoundOnSight
With Halloween fast approaching, EW is picking the five best films in a variety of different horror movie categories. Each day, we’ll post our top picks from one specific group—say, vampire movies or slasher flicks—and give you the chance to vote on which is your favorite. On Oct. 31, EW will reveal your top choices. Today, we’re ready to talk about those movies that hit a little too close to home. All horror movies prey on the psychological premise that there's beastliness roiling within everyone. But let's get real: You don't see news reports about werewolves, vampires,...
- 10/23/2014
- by Lanford Beard
- EW - Inside Movies
** Spoilers ahead **
I am not a horror film fan. I appreciate the genre but considering that my over-amped imagination will turn a sight of a little girl with long hair in ghostly white attire into a full epileptic seizure within me, I try to stay as far away from scary films as much as possible. But trying to be a well-verse film critic requires me to explore uncharted territories especially that of the horror realm and thoroughly challenge my threshold. Granted I haven’t seen films like the Japanese Ringu, A Serbian Film, It or even Cannibal Holocaust, but I know scary when I see it. Ahem, The Chainsaw Massacre and The Orphanage. But I can confidently say that these five films that I am about to list is still a terrifying film experience for the majority of viewers and one that cornered me to confront my fear resulting in...
I am not a horror film fan. I appreciate the genre but considering that my over-amped imagination will turn a sight of a little girl with long hair in ghostly white attire into a full epileptic seizure within me, I try to stay as far away from scary films as much as possible. But trying to be a well-verse film critic requires me to explore uncharted territories especially that of the horror realm and thoroughly challenge my threshold. Granted I haven’t seen films like the Japanese Ringu, A Serbian Film, It or even Cannibal Holocaust, but I know scary when I see it. Ahem, The Chainsaw Massacre and The Orphanage. But I can confidently say that these five films that I am about to list is still a terrifying film experience for the majority of viewers and one that cornered me to confront my fear resulting in...
- 10/23/2014
- by So Yun Um
- SoundOnSight
Here we are at what is a surprisingly modern list. At the beginning of this, I didn’t expect to see so much cultural impact coming from films so recently made, but that’s the way it goes. The films that define the horror genre aren’t necessarily the scariest or the most expensive or even the best. The films that define the genre point to a movement – movies that changed the game and influenced all the films after it. Movies that transcend the horror genre. Movies that broke the mold and changed the way horror can be created.
10. El laberinto del fauno (2006)
English Language Title: Pan’s Labyrinth
Directed by: Gullermo del Toro
It’s more a dark fantasy film than a horror film, but it would be tough to make a list of 50 of those. Plus, it has enough graphic, nightmarish images to push it over the threshold.
10. El laberinto del fauno (2006)
English Language Title: Pan’s Labyrinth
Directed by: Gullermo del Toro
It’s more a dark fantasy film than a horror film, but it would be tough to make a list of 50 of those. Plus, it has enough graphic, nightmarish images to push it over the threshold.
- 8/10/2014
- by Joshua Gaul
- SoundOnSight
Japanese horror Audition will receive an English-language remake.
Mario Kassar, who previously executive produced Terminator and Basic Instinct, is involved in the American project based on the 1999 film, reports Deadline.
Based on Ryu Murakami's novel of the same name, Audition follows a widower named Shigeharu Aoyama who puts out a fake casting call for a new wife.
Shigeharu is enchanted by one of the auditioning girls, who isn't what she appears to be.
The remake will be directed by Australian director Richard Gray, who previously worked on Mine Games, and is said to follow the novel but will take place in an American setting.
The original Audition, which starred Ryo Ishibashi and Eihi Shiina and was directed by Takashi Miike, is considered a cult classic.
Watch a trailer for the Japanese version of Audition below:...
Mario Kassar, who previously executive produced Terminator and Basic Instinct, is involved in the American project based on the 1999 film, reports Deadline.
Based on Ryu Murakami's novel of the same name, Audition follows a widower named Shigeharu Aoyama who puts out a fake casting call for a new wife.
Shigeharu is enchanted by one of the auditioning girls, who isn't what she appears to be.
The remake will be directed by Australian director Richard Gray, who previously worked on Mine Games, and is said to follow the novel but will take place in an American setting.
The original Audition, which starred Ryo Ishibashi and Eihi Shiina and was directed by Takashi Miike, is considered a cult classic.
Watch a trailer for the Japanese version of Audition below:...
- 6/29/2014
- Digital Spy
"I'm ready for anything - bring it on!" says the ever-confident lead of Yûya Ishii’s latest film, Mitsuko Delivers. In a similar vein to his 2010 film, Sawako Decides, Ishii explores quirky characters learning to take control of their lives.
The heroine, Mitsuko (an excellent Riisa Naka), is heavily pregnant and left to deal alone with the imminent birth of her son after her American boyfriend dumps her. She doesn’t dwell on the past, fleetingly looking at a photograph of near naked guys partying and later matter-of-factly commenting "He was kind of big and really black". Her new neighbour rejects her offers of kindness and when she tries to sell items to make money to pay for medical bills, she ends up being charged a removal fee. Moving out with nothing more than a suitcase to her name, Mitsuko remains remarkably calm, giving her last remaining coins to a...
The heroine, Mitsuko (an excellent Riisa Naka), is heavily pregnant and left to deal alone with the imminent birth of her son after her American boyfriend dumps her. She doesn’t dwell on the past, fleetingly looking at a photograph of near naked guys partying and later matter-of-factly commenting "He was kind of big and really black". Her new neighbour rejects her offers of kindness and when she tries to sell items to make money to pay for medical bills, she ends up being charged a removal fee. Moving out with nothing more than a suitcase to her name, Mitsuko remains remarkably calm, giving her last remaining coins to a...
- 7/20/2012
- Shadowlocked
Give us a cut of Ace Attorney that clocks in at say, 90 minutes, and it would probably be gold. There's a lot to like about director Takashi Miike's take on the first game in the long-running series. What trips the ultimately enjoyable adaptation up is that it wears out its welcome at 135 minutes, and coupled with structural problems inherent in every courtroom setup requiring Phoenix Wright to delay for time, it feels like the movie overstates its case by the one hour mark.
As such things goes, Ace Attorney (Gyakuten saiban) is very faithful to the source material, the 2001 Gba title. That game, and the movie see awkward but well-coiffed defense attorney Phoenix Wright embroiled in a series of murder cases where he has to piece together contradictions to evidence and testimony from the prosecution, typically embodied by unscrupulous lawyer for the state and former childhood friend of Wright's,...
As such things goes, Ace Attorney (Gyakuten saiban) is very faithful to the source material, the 2001 Gba title. That game, and the movie see awkward but well-coiffed defense attorney Phoenix Wright embroiled in a series of murder cases where he has to piece together contradictions to evidence and testimony from the prosecution, typically embodied by unscrupulous lawyer for the state and former childhood friend of Wright's,...
- 7/6/2012
- by Charles Webb
- MTV Multiplayer
Director: Yuya Ishii. Review: Adam Wing. “When the wind blows your way, go with it.” Mitsuko Delivers is the new film from Yuya Ishii (Sawako Decides), starring Riisa Naka (Love Strikes!), Aoi Nakamura (Quirky Guys & Gals) and Ryo Ishibashi (Audition). Yuya Ishii is certainly making a name for himself; Sawako Decides won the Best Director accolade at the Blue Ribbon Awards, and the Best New Director Award at the Yokohama Film Festival. Hikari Mitsushima led an impressive cast in an enjoyable comedy drama that encouraged you to embrace the mediocrity of life and overcome it. Flawed yet fruitful, Sawako Decides was overlong and inconsequential, but it was also blessed with enough quirky charm to see it through. His latest release, Mitsuko Delivers, takes similar themes and waltzes amongst the clouds with them. Mitsuko (Riisa Naka) is in the closing stages of her pregnancy to an African American guy she met in California.
- 5/17/2012
- 24framespersecond.net
Dark Shadows (12A)
(Tim Burton, 2012, Us) Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green, Chloë Grace Moretz, Jackie Earle Haley. 113 mins
Another expensive pop-gothic fantasy (remake) for Depp and Burton's gallery – how long before either they get bored or we do? This time Johnny's an effete 18th-century vampire, reawakened in 1972 to reunite with his dysfunctional Addams-like descendants and marvel at the modern world. Expect fish-out-of-water silliness, a light shade of darkness, and the usual descent into messiness.
Café De Flore (15)
(Jean-Marc Vallée, 2011, Can) Vanessa Paradis, Kevin Parent, Hélène Florent. 121 mins
Music and mystery add a great deal to this well-made emotional drama, which switches between a present-day DJ and a 1970s mother (Paradis) whose child has Down's syndrome.
Beloved (15)
(Christophe Honoré, 2011, Fra/UK/Cze) Chiara Mastroianni, Ludivine Sagnier, Catherine Deneuve. 139 mins
Using flashbacks and musical moments, Honoré tells the story of a former prostitute, her daughter and the men in their lives.
(Tim Burton, 2012, Us) Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green, Chloë Grace Moretz, Jackie Earle Haley. 113 mins
Another expensive pop-gothic fantasy (remake) for Depp and Burton's gallery – how long before either they get bored or we do? This time Johnny's an effete 18th-century vampire, reawakened in 1972 to reunite with his dysfunctional Addams-like descendants and marvel at the modern world. Expect fish-out-of-water silliness, a light shade of darkness, and the usual descent into messiness.
Café De Flore (15)
(Jean-Marc Vallée, 2011, Can) Vanessa Paradis, Kevin Parent, Hélène Florent. 121 mins
Music and mystery add a great deal to this well-made emotional drama, which switches between a present-day DJ and a 1970s mother (Paradis) whose child has Down's syndrome.
Beloved (15)
(Christophe Honoré, 2011, Fra/UK/Cze) Chiara Mastroianni, Ludivine Sagnier, Catherine Deneuve. 139 mins
Using flashbacks and musical moments, Honoré tells the story of a former prostitute, her daughter and the men in their lives.
- 5/11/2012
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Ace Attorney, the live-action film based on the Capcom series of legal mystery games is finally coming to the U.S. as part of the New York Asian Film Festival and AM2.
The film, helmed by Ichi the Killer/Gozu director Takashi Miike is the big-screen adaptation of Capcom's long-running series. The story sees luck-challenged defense attorney Phoenix Wright (Hiroki Narimiya) coming to the aid of his nemesis, corrupt-ish prosecutor Miles Edgeworth (Takumi Saitou). There will certainly be the collecting of evidence, twists, and objections. I'm calling it now: the spectacularly named Manfred von Karma (Ryou Ishibashi) is somehow behind it. That hair is too regal and his suit too purple for him not to be up to some kind of dirt.
The movie makes its U.S. debut as part of the Anime, Manga, and Music Con (AM2), which runs from June 15-17. For those of you on the East Coast,...
The film, helmed by Ichi the Killer/Gozu director Takashi Miike is the big-screen adaptation of Capcom's long-running series. The story sees luck-challenged defense attorney Phoenix Wright (Hiroki Narimiya) coming to the aid of his nemesis, corrupt-ish prosecutor Miles Edgeworth (Takumi Saitou). There will certainly be the collecting of evidence, twists, and objections. I'm calling it now: the spectacularly named Manfred von Karma (Ryou Ishibashi) is somehow behind it. That hair is too regal and his suit too purple for him not to be up to some kind of dirt.
The movie makes its U.S. debut as part of the Anime, Manga, and Music Con (AM2), which runs from June 15-17. For those of you on the East Coast,...
- 5/11/2012
- by Charles Webb
- MTV Multiplayer
★★★☆☆ Yûya Ishii's Mitsuko Delivers (2011) tells the story of a young single woman in the ninth month of her pregnancy who relinquishes her fate to the wind, drifting through life like a wayward cloud. Starring Riisa Naka, Aoi Nakamura and Ryo Ishibashi, Ishii's latest feature is a quintessential slice of contemporary Japanese cinema with a refreshing, original twist.
Read more »...
Read more »...
- 5/10/2012
- by CineVue
- CineVue
Directed by Takashi Miike, based on the novel by Ryu Murakami
Starring: Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura, Renji Ishibashi, Miyuki Matsuda
Runtime: 115mins
Rate This Movie
Summary:
This is a masterful thriller, horror, and romance story all in one. Solitary widower Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) gets talked into finding a date by his son (Tetsu Sawaki). He is uncertain about seeing women, and expresses his worries to his friend, a film maker (Jun Kunimura), who suggests an Audition. The women who attend have no idea they are really being auditioned for a date. To his surprise, Aoyama does like one of the women who comes to the audition, and he asks her out. Her name is Asami (Eihi Shiina), and she is both charming and unsettling. As the film progresses we learn about her dark past, and Aoyama finds himself sucked into her strange world. The tension builds...
Starring: Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura, Renji Ishibashi, Miyuki Matsuda
Runtime: 115mins
Rate This Movie
Summary:
This is a masterful thriller, horror, and romance story all in one. Solitary widower Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) gets talked into finding a date by his son (Tetsu Sawaki). He is uncertain about seeing women, and expresses his worries to his friend, a film maker (Jun Kunimura), who suggests an Audition. The women who attend have no idea they are really being auditioned for a date. To his surprise, Aoyama does like one of the women who comes to the audition, and he asks her out. Her name is Asami (Eihi Shiina), and she is both charming and unsettling. As the film progresses we learn about her dark past, and Aoyama finds himself sucked into her strange world. The tension builds...
- 3/12/2012
- by Lena Llis
- AsianMoviePulse
Director: Sion Sono. Review: Adam Wing. When it comes to celebrated movie openings, you wont find any more memorable than Sion Sono’s 2001 cult hit Suicide Club, available for the first time in the UK courtesy of Cine Du Monde - 54 high school girls, one subway station and a southbound ticket to hell. The police believe it to be the first of a string of suicides, but their investigation takes a sinister turn when a sports bag is discovered at the scene of one of the alleged incidents. The contents suggest an altogether different investigation is in order, taking Detective Kuroda (Ryo Ishibashi) and his team of officers on an unexpected, horrifying and deeply disturbing journey into the depths of depravity. A girl called Kiyoko - known to investigating officers as The Bat - suspects that she has found the answers on a strange website, one that shows red and...
- 8/30/2011
- 24framespersecond.net
Over the weekend, it was announced that 21-year-old actress Riisa Naka will be starring in Yuya Ishii’s Hara ga Kore Nande.
Naka will play a 24-year-old woman named Mitsuko who’s 9 months pregnant to an unknown father, but still puts aside her own problems to help others. Her character is described as having a deep sense of duty and humanity, traits which are getting less and less common in modern society. The hope is that Mitsuko’s disposition will tug at the heartstrings of Japanese audiences much like the Tora-san character did through the Showa era.
Although Naka admitted playing a pregnant woman was a particularly difficult challenge at this stage of her career, the belly prosthesis seems to have helped her get into character. “It’s heavy enough cause joint pain,” she said. “It makes the whole body feel heavy like a pregnant woman.”
Ryo Ishibashi has also been cast in the film,...
Naka will play a 24-year-old woman named Mitsuko who’s 9 months pregnant to an unknown father, but still puts aside her own problems to help others. Her character is described as having a deep sense of duty and humanity, traits which are getting less and less common in modern society. The hope is that Mitsuko’s disposition will tug at the heartstrings of Japanese audiences much like the Tora-san character did through the Showa era.
Although Naka admitted playing a pregnant woman was a particularly difficult challenge at this stage of her career, the belly prosthesis seems to have helped her get into character. “It’s heavy enough cause joint pain,” she said. “It makes the whole body feel heavy like a pregnant woman.”
Ryo Ishibashi has also been cast in the film,...
- 4/18/2011
- Nippon Cinema
Here’s the trailer for Banmei Takahashi‘s Box: Hakamada Jiken, not to be confused with Toshio Lee’s Box!, which is coming out around the same time.
The film is based on a notorious real-life crime which took place in Shimizu, Shizuoka Prefecture and became known as the “Hakamada Incident”. On June 30, 1966, a miso factory is set on fire after the director of the company and three of his family members are stabbed to death in the building. Detective Tatematsu (Ryo Ishibashi) eventually arrests ex-boxer Iwao Hakamada (Hirofumi Arai) for the crime based on some blood-stained clothing and a small cut on his finger. He initially claims innocence, but is forced into confession after being beaten by police and tortured for hours at a time.
Hakamada received a death sentence from Shizuoka District Court Judge Kumamoto (Masato Hagiwara) and lost several appeals in the decades that followed. Kumamoto, now a lawyer,...
The film is based on a notorious real-life crime which took place in Shimizu, Shizuoka Prefecture and became known as the “Hakamada Incident”. On June 30, 1966, a miso factory is set on fire after the director of the company and three of his family members are stabbed to death in the building. Detective Tatematsu (Ryo Ishibashi) eventually arrests ex-boxer Iwao Hakamada (Hirofumi Arai) for the crime based on some blood-stained clothing and a small cut on his finger. He initially claims innocence, but is forced into confession after being beaten by police and tortured for hours at a time.
Hakamada received a death sentence from Shizuoka District Court Judge Kumamoto (Masato Hagiwara) and lost several appeals in the decades that followed. Kumamoto, now a lawyer,...
- 4/2/2010
- Nippon Cinema
Even among horror fans, some people just don’t understand the appeal of a Takashi Miike film. It may be his genre ambiguity; you could hardly argue the yakuza-and-cops story Dead Or Alive as horror, and Visitor Q and Happiness Of The Katakuris play as inexplicably broad satires. If Miike was more respected by mainstream critics, his work might be considered alongside modern surrealists like David Lynch or Alejandro Jodorowsky, but the emphasis on graphic violence keeps him in horror company even while his stories diverge from any recognizable genre tropes. You could compare the Japanese director to someone like Dario Argento, another auteur crafting shock-violence with a painter’s eye, but Argento snuck art into ghost stories and slasher flicks. With Miike, you might wonder who the audience is supposed to be.
For example; even if you fervently loved Takashi Miike on the basis of the cartoonishly sadistic, brutality-as-slapstick feature Ichi The Killer,...
For example; even if you fervently loved Takashi Miike on the basis of the cartoonishly sadistic, brutality-as-slapstick feature Ichi The Killer,...
- 11/16/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (Jack Bennett)
- Fangoria
Chicago – Takashi Miike’s controversial and terrifying “Audition,” recently released in a ten year anniversary Blu-Ray edition, feels even richer and more dramatically interesting than it did ten years ago as the dating world has become so much more reliant on technology. And it remains just as effective as as when it was first released in terms of genuine, chill-inducing scares. The Blu-Ray is a bit disappointing in terms of technical presentation and the special features are merely so-so, but the film itself is still a must-see and the release a must-own for foreign film or horror fans.
Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0
“Audition” is not a typical horror movie. If you want traditional scares this Halloween, check out the great “Drag Me To Hell” or go see “Paranormal Activity”. “Audition” is a domestic horror tale, more in the vein of something like “Fatal Attraction” than anything supernatural (or even typical Miike insanity...
Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0
“Audition” is not a typical horror movie. If you want traditional scares this Halloween, check out the great “Drag Me To Hell” or go see “Paranormal Activity”. “Audition” is a domestic horror tale, more in the vein of something like “Fatal Attraction” than anything supernatural (or even typical Miike insanity...
- 10/20/2009
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Audition first hit American shores as one of the earliest entries in the late-1990s J-horror craze, and since then it has held an almost unassailable position as one of the masterpieces of the genre. The new two-disc Collector’s Edition from Shout! Factory attempts to capitalize on that renown by convincing nostalgic fans to purchase yet another edition of the film (there have been at least two others just for the Region 1 market), but unfortunately, there isn’t much here to make you open up your wallet if you already have before.
Normally, you’d expect a 10th-anniversary special DVD/Blu-ray to be awash with in-depth breakdowns of the shooting process, anecdotes from cast and crew, self-congratulatory praise for the legacy of the movie; in short, some kind of recognition that this was not a mere movie, but an Event. However, that’s not really the situation with this release,...
Normally, you’d expect a 10th-anniversary special DVD/Blu-ray to be awash with in-depth breakdowns of the shooting process, anecdotes from cast and crew, self-congratulatory praise for the legacy of the movie; in short, some kind of recognition that this was not a mere movie, but an Event. However, that’s not really the situation with this release,...
- 10/7/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (Jennifer Morrow)
- Fangoria
Curious to know what frightful films and devilish discs will be available to view in the privacy of your own digital dungeon this week? Fango's got you covered.
Below the jump you'll find the full list of titles arriving in-stores this Tuesday, October 6, 2009 in our weekly version of the famous Fangoria Chopping List. It's a Big week, with Trick 'R Treat finally hitting the home market, along with re-issues of The Gate, Audition, and a whole lot more!
Note: Clickable links lead to Amazon.com
Audition (Bd)
New 1080P High-Definition Transfer From The Negative!
Deceptively innocent at first, Takashi Miikes Audition finds Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi, Suicide Club, The Grudge), a middle-aged widower of many years, urged by his teenage son and his film producer friend Yasuhisa Yoshikawa (Jun Kunimura, Ichi The Killer) to get out and start dating again. To help Aoyama meet women, Yoshikawa devises a plan to...
Below the jump you'll find the full list of titles arriving in-stores this Tuesday, October 6, 2009 in our weekly version of the famous Fangoria Chopping List. It's a Big week, with Trick 'R Treat finally hitting the home market, along with re-issues of The Gate, Audition, and a whole lot more!
Note: Clickable links lead to Amazon.com
Audition (Bd)
New 1080P High-Definition Transfer From The Negative!
Deceptively innocent at first, Takashi Miikes Audition finds Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi, Suicide Club, The Grudge), a middle-aged widower of many years, urged by his teenage son and his film producer friend Yasuhisa Yoshikawa (Jun Kunimura, Ichi The Killer) to get out and start dating again. To help Aoyama meet women, Yoshikawa devises a plan to...
- 10/4/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (James Zahn)
- Fangoria
DVD Playhouse—September 2009
By
Allen Gardner
The Human Condition (Criterion) Masaki Kobayashi’s epic (574 minutes) adaptation of Junpei Gomikawa’s six-volume novel was originally made and released as three separate films (1959-61), and is rightfully regarded as a landmark of Japanese cinema. Candide-like story of naïve, good-hearted Kaiji (Japanese superstar Tatsuya Nakadai) from labor camp supervisor, to Imperial Army solider, to Soviet Pow, and Kaiji’s struggle to maintain his humanity throughout. Unfolds with the mastery of a great novel, beautifully-shot, and a stunning example of cinematic mastery on the part of its makers. Four-disc set bonuses include: Interview with Kobayashi; Interview with Nakadai; Featurette; Trailer; Essay by critic Philip Kemp. Widescreen. Dolby 3.0 surround.
State Of Play (Universal) Russell Crowe stars as a veteran Washington D.C. political reporter investigating the murder of an aide to a rising congressional star (Ben Affleck), who also happens to be an old friend.
By
Allen Gardner
The Human Condition (Criterion) Masaki Kobayashi’s epic (574 minutes) adaptation of Junpei Gomikawa’s six-volume novel was originally made and released as three separate films (1959-61), and is rightfully regarded as a landmark of Japanese cinema. Candide-like story of naïve, good-hearted Kaiji (Japanese superstar Tatsuya Nakadai) from labor camp supervisor, to Imperial Army solider, to Soviet Pow, and Kaiji’s struggle to maintain his humanity throughout. Unfolds with the mastery of a great novel, beautifully-shot, and a stunning example of cinematic mastery on the part of its makers. Four-disc set bonuses include: Interview with Kobayashi; Interview with Nakadai; Featurette; Trailer; Essay by critic Philip Kemp. Widescreen. Dolby 3.0 surround.
State Of Play (Universal) Russell Crowe stars as a veteran Washington D.C. political reporter investigating the murder of an aide to a rising congressional star (Ben Affleck), who also happens to be an old friend.
- 9/26/2009
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Shout! Factory announced that Takashi Miike's "Audition" is hitting 2-disc special edition DVD and Blu-ray on Oct. 6. The new edition features an introduction with director Miike and star Eihi Shiina, newly-recorded audio commentary with Miike and screenwriter Daisuke Tengan, new interviews with cast members Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Renji Ishibashi and Ren Osugi, international trailers and a booklet. The new editions of the film are mastered from a new 1080p high definition transfer from the inter-negative, and feature a new 5.0 digital soundtrack mixed from the original Japanese audio elements. It should be noted that it is rare for Miike to do a commentary. .
- 8/13/2009
- ESplatter.com
Restored Archive Review, Originally Posted on 4/26/2001
Takashi Miike, one of Japan's foremost current enfants terribles, has become a favorite among Asian film fans--but while I certainly count myself among the latter group, I must admit that many of Miike's movies have left me cold, or worse. Fudoh seemed to take itself way to seriously to be much fun; Dead Or Alive, touted as a blistering action piece, struck me as a tedious study of uninteresting characters, punctuated by too-infrequent mayhem and a virulent misogyny (I much prefer Miike's Dead Or Alive 2, which retains the anarchic streak and contains far more engaging characters); and Visitor Q, which wowed 'em at this year's Fantasia festival, had its amusing moments but mostly came off as an exercise in shock value for its own sake.
Audition, Miike's most celebrated film, is also his most accomplished and, for a while, controlled work. It has mostly...
Takashi Miike, one of Japan's foremost current enfants terribles, has become a favorite among Asian film fans--but while I certainly count myself among the latter group, I must admit that many of Miike's movies have left me cold, or worse. Fudoh seemed to take itself way to seriously to be much fun; Dead Or Alive, touted as a blistering action piece, struck me as a tedious study of uninteresting characters, punctuated by too-infrequent mayhem and a virulent misogyny (I much prefer Miike's Dead Or Alive 2, which retains the anarchic streak and contains far more engaging characters); and Visitor Q, which wowed 'em at this year's Fantasia festival, had its amusing moments but mostly came off as an exercise in shock value for its own sake.
Audition, Miike's most celebrated film, is also his most accomplished and, for a while, controlled work. It has mostly...
- 7/19/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (Michael Gingold)
- Fangoria
The wondrous Marc Walkow of Outcast Cinema has officially dropped the news that the mystery Takashi Miike film release he has been working on his indeed Audition. This year will celebrate the 10th year since the groundbreaking horror film was unleashed to the masses.
Shout! Factory will handle the release which is set for both DVD and Blu-ray format with the following extras in tow:
• Feature-length audio commentary with Miike and screenwriter Daisuke Tengan, who is also scripting Miike’s upcoming remake of the chanbara classic 13 Assassins. Film writer and Eiga Hi-Ho contributor Masato Kobayashi moderates the Japanese-language (and English-subtitled) commentary track.
• Video introduction by Miike
• New video interview featurettes with the film’s main cast
- From Audition to Vampire Girl: Eihi Shiina
- Tokyo—Hollywood: Ryo Ishibashi
- Miike’s Toy: Renji Ishibashi
- The Man in the Bag Speaks: Ren Osugi
• Film trailer, plus liner notes by...
Shout! Factory will handle the release which is set for both DVD and Blu-ray format with the following extras in tow:
• Feature-length audio commentary with Miike and screenwriter Daisuke Tengan, who is also scripting Miike’s upcoming remake of the chanbara classic 13 Assassins. Film writer and Eiga Hi-Ho contributor Masato Kobayashi moderates the Japanese-language (and English-subtitled) commentary track.
• Video introduction by Miike
• New video interview featurettes with the film’s main cast
- From Audition to Vampire Girl: Eihi Shiina
- Tokyo—Hollywood: Ryo Ishibashi
- Miike’s Toy: Renji Ishibashi
- The Man in the Bag Speaks: Ren Osugi
• Film trailer, plus liner notes by...
- 6/26/2009
- by Aaron Fowler
- Screen Anarchy
Disc company Shout! Factory gave Fango the exclusive first peek at the cover art for a new two-dvd release of Takashi Miike’s Audition, as well as content info. Featuring a new high-definition transfer from the internegative (with a fresh digital stereo soundtrack) of Miike’s notorious chiller, about a widower (Ryo Ishibashi) who holds “auditions” for a new girlfriend and winds up hooking up with a beautiful psychopath (Eihi Shiina), the set will street in October, along with a double-Blu-ray edition.
Both versions will include an impressive array of original special features; the lineup includes:
New audio commentary by director Miike and screenwriter Daisuke Tengan New video introduction by Miike Over 90 minutes of new interviews with the cast, including Ishibashi, Shiina, Renji Ishibashi and Ren Osugi Trailers Liner notes by Tom Mes, author of Agitator: The Cinema Of Takashi Miike Retail price is $24.98 each for both the DVDs and the Blu-rays.
Both versions will include an impressive array of original special features; the lineup includes:
New audio commentary by director Miike and screenwriter Daisuke Tengan New video introduction by Miike Over 90 minutes of new interviews with the cast, including Ishibashi, Shiina, Renji Ishibashi and Ren Osugi Trailers Liner notes by Tom Mes, author of Agitator: The Cinema Of Takashi Miike Retail price is $24.98 each for both the DVDs and the Blu-rays.
- 6/15/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (Michael Gingold)
- Fangoria
In a quick flurry of e-mails between myself and Outcast Cinema’s Marc Walkow I found out he has been hinting at an upcoming DVD release of a very popular Takashi Miike film over the past week. In fact, he’s been over in Japan meeting with Miike recording commentary for the film; he has also met and conducted interviews with Ren Osugi and Renji Ishibashi about the film. Then on yesterday he dropped the biggest hint of all and posted a couple images of the lead actors from said film- Ryo Ishibashi and Eihi Shiina!
Yes, though he cannot give details about this DVD release we now know that somewhere, sometime soon, there’s gonna be a DVD release of Miike’s Audition and Marc has been meeting with principal cast members and the director conducting new interviews and recording new commentary. Sweet!
Yes, though he cannot give details about this DVD release we now know that somewhere, sometime soon, there’s gonna be a DVD release of Miike’s Audition and Marc has been meeting with principal cast members and the director conducting new interviews and recording new commentary. Sweet!
- 5/13/2009
- by Mack
- Screen Anarchy
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