The methodic build to a terrifying conclusion is a rare art in horror films, and none so exemplarily employ this tactic than Takashi Miike’s Audition. At first giving the appearance of a romantic comedy, Miike’s deliberately paced facade vanishes in the blink of a pierced eyelid and climaxes with perhaps the most agonizingly tortuous ending ever filmed.

The film has a deceptively lighthearted premise and is even quite humorously charming to begin with. An aging father whose wife had passed away some time ago is urged by his friends and his son to try dating again. Shigeharu (Ryo Ishibashi) agrees to participate in a fake audition staged by his filmmaker friend in order to interview potential candidates to be his new wife. Despite the objections of his friend, Shigeharu pursues Asami (Eihi Shiina), a young former ballerina whose past is shrouded in mystery. After several dates Asami seems like the perfect match for the aging bachelor, but after he decides to propose to her, things spiral out of control into a nightmarish hell so sadistic only Takashi Miike could have dreamt it up.

Certainly not for the squeamish, Audition does commendably incite thrills for its genuine creepiness and the nerve-shattering fusion of opposite genres. This early work from Miike is a true test of backbone for even the most jaded horror fanatic and cleverly mocks the traditional tactics of western horror films. Dare to see the unrated version for the full, uncut (and most unforgiving) torture scene.

- Joel Massie