Just today, I finished watching my second film by Japanese filmmaker, Takashi Miike. "Imprint" is the film I finished today. At one hour in length, there's no good reason for a horror fan to not watch this film. It doesn't require a serious investment of time. Is the acting bad? Yes (particularly that of the one American actor in the film).
Is the story any good? Yes, and that's why I would recommend this film. I'd also recommend it because anything that a company commissions, receives, and then decides to essentially ban... must be worth watching. Showtime commissioned Miike to make this film for their "Masters of Horror" series, which touts itself as being an artistic outlet for filmmakers to produce work without butting in and taking over artistic control. In Showtime's defense, while they did ban it from cable television, they did release it on DVD and it is currently available for streaming on Netflix (I watched it on my iPhone, thanks for getting around to that Netflix).
Be aware that the so-called "torture-porn" scenes in this film are not for the squeamish. I'm recently learning that many of Miike's fans watch his films simply for these scenes, which I think is kind of sad. If you really want to watch something just to see if you can bare it, I understand Irreversible features a 9-minute long, single continuous shot rape scene. I'm just saying this because this film (as well as the one I yammer about after this) does have a moral to it.
Audition. Some people love this film, some people hate it. If you're put off by subtitles, go back to your cheesy action movies and don't dabble in foreign films... the rest of the world doesn't have to cater to you, whitey! If you're put off by disturbing imagery, go stare at whatever Pixar movie you're watching again (for the bazillionth time) and discontinue reading this. If you want a well made film with beautiful cinematography and a solid story that doesn't feel the need to rush itself, then this is a film for you. Oh yeah, at about an hour in, this film decides to do something that I don't think very many filmmakers could get away with. Nice job on Dusk til Dawn, Quentin... Shyamalan, no one cares about your cheesy fucking twists... let a real filmmaker show you how it's done.
Rob Zombie has called this "the only film that really gave me the creeps" and it is obvious why. Audition doesn't go for any of the standard horror conventions and, in the end, it's not even the gore that gets you. In fact, the gore is minimal. It's what Audition does as a film that shakes you up. Okay, if you haven't watched this and are planning to watch it, stop reading this now and come back later when you're done. Then you can gleefully tell me what a moron I am for having enjoyed this film so much.
The thing that I think makes this film so interesting, aside from the complete genre-change that happens midway through the film, is the plethora of possibilities that the end of the film could be. Is Asami all of woman kind punishing Aoyama (all of man kind) for countless ages of objectification? Is Asami his conscience, burdening Aoyama with the guilt of a widower who has finally learned to love again, but still can not let go of his past? The possibilities seem endless.
I liked just about everything about this film. The characters are easy to relate to. Nearly every horror in this film could be seen as a metaphor for a deeper social issue. I must say, though, that the craft put into the cinematography, the actual visual, of this film are excellent. Well placed wide shots, warm tones, continuity with setting changes. And the iconic imagery of Asami in her leather apron with that piano wire, the tongueless legless man who dines on Asami's purge. *Quick note: Eihi Shiina claims that the vomit in the dog bowl was hers, she is a method actor.
Anyway. Blah, blah, blah. I liked this film and plan on checking out more of Takashi Miike's work. Next up will probably be Old Boy and then Ichi the Killer. Either way, there's a lot of his stuff to watch, the guy pumps out 13 films a year... now that's fucking prolific!
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