One of the most shocking J-horror films ever made, Takashi Miike's 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.
Today, Arrow Video have announced that they'll be releasing the film on Blu-ray in the U.S. and Canada early next year, featuring a new 2K restoration and a plethora of other bonus content.
"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 twisted turn as we find that Asami isn’t what she seems to be…
Pulling the audience into a story that will lead to one of the most harrowing climaxes in cinema history, Miike twists and turns us through delirious editing and shocking visuals for one of the most depraved nightmares of all time!"
Available February 12th, you can pre-order now from DiabolikDVD.
Special Edition Contents • Brand new 2K restoration of original vault elements. • Original 5.1 Dolby Surround Audio • Optional English subtitles • Audio commentary with director Takashi Miike and screenwriter Daisuke Tengan • Brand new commentary by Miike biographer Tom Mes examining the film and its source novel • Introduction by Miike • Ties that Bind – A brand new interview with Takashi Miike • Interviews with stars Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Renji Ishibashi and Ren Osugi • Damaged Romance: An appreciation by Japanese cinema historian Tony Rayns • Trailers • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matthew Griffin
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Anton Bitel
