DISQUS

Robert Fure · 2 years ago

I'm one of the people that thoroughly hates Takashi Miike's work. I think it's over rated, not that good, and not worthy of it's gore-hound reputation. Audition is horribly over-rated in my opinion, though I mostly enjoyed it. I can't understand how people are disgusted and shocked by it, though, as it is really rather tame compared to a lot of what is out there. It's like 95 minutes of build up, 5 minutes pay off.

Ichii I also found to be pointless with very little story going on in a sensical way. Miike himself said he doesn't really know what the ending means.

Imprint was one of the worst 60 minutes I've ever seen. Not because of how "bad" and "gory" it is. Just because it sucked. Horrible acting, horrible script, horrible idea.

There are just some viewers and some directors who don't click. Thousands of people love Miike and that's ok. I appreciate him trying to push the envelope. I just don't like his work, though I understand many do.

So sample Miike's work carefully and don't go into it expecting a masterpiece. If you love it, great, you're a Miike fan. If you hate it, welcome aboard.

In honor of this, however, I Netflixed Ichii again (Unrated) and will give it another go. The first time I was bored and let down and not grossed out, which leads me to think I may have not had an Unrated edition. I will give it another chance.

Mister Hand · 2 years ago

First, I don't really view AUDITION as a horror movie, necessarily. When I first watched it, I didn't know what was coming, and thought I was just watching an interesting drama. At first. Before long, I got an idea that it was no drama. But I view it as a good film, period. If you go into it hoping for some good torture (wow, what a thing to say), then you will be disappointed. It is a good film with interesting characters and a good story.

It is my opinion that RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK screwed up pacing in film for the last two decades. Keep in mind, I love that movie, but I think after that audiences found themselves wanting action every minute of the film. And what got thrown out of the window was any kind of emotional involvement--giving a good filmmaker a chance to establish his characters so that when something happens to them you actually care.

I can't count how many times I've watched deleted scenes on a DVD for a mediocre film and said, "Why the hell did you cut that?" or "Oh, so that's why I'm supposed to care about that guy." The answer is, invariably, the scene was cut for "pacing" purposes. I think an awful lot of filmmakers have a really skewed idea of pacing. If you don't give us the characterization, it doesn't matter that the film is paced well. We still won't give a shit.

That said, I think AUDITION is a PERFECTLY paced film. At first, we are introduced to the main character. Just when we've gotten everything out of that we need, we get the story element. Shortly after that's established, we are introduced to our secondary character. The two characters interact. And then the film... does it's thing.

And I do indeed find it hard to believe that you saw the director's cut of ICHI if you found it boring.