The notorious "Audition" hits the streets on Blu-ray 2/12/19 - can you stomach it?!
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 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!
Bonus Materials
Brand new 2K restoriation 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
RAPH SOLO RELEASES LOVE LETTER TO HIS HOME CITY, “GOOD MORNING LONDON”
The second single from his album, THE ANONYMOUS ICON, out now
Raph Solo’s “Good Morning London,” the second single off of his new album, THE ANONYMOUS ICON, is a love letter to the city he calls home. “The song is about being yourself, no matter what they say,” says Solo. “Good Morning London” is available on iTunes today, along with his full-length studio album, THE ANONYMOUS ICON.
“It’s a metaphorical breakup song about finding your way home,” continues Solo of his sultry new single. “As a songwriter, I never sit down to write a song. It’s an organic process. When I feel inspired, the melody and the lyrics come out together as one.”
With a hit dance record under his belt, it’s intuitive that Solo never stops moving—not even to write a tender pop ballad. “I remember writing the song on the street, walking from my ex’s flat to my friend’s flat. My ex and I were living together at the time, and things had gotten so bad that I called up a friend to ask if I could stay over for a few nights until I found a new place to stay.”
Solo credits “Good Morning London” as one of the quickest songs he’s ever written in his career as a songwriter, while walking down the streets of London, no less. Nonchalantly, he says, “I wrote it in three minutes.”
Solo reunites with video director David Brant on the “Good Morning London” music video. “It was really nice to be asked to work with Raph again, for what is now our third music video together,” says Brant. “Raph always has a strong idea of what he wants up front. Visually, we're both into that quirky, surreal, cinematic, and epic look. We just have a similar aesthetic that seems to set the mood perfectly against his music.”
Good Morning London
olo likens baring his chiseled body on the set of “Good Morning London” to baring his soul as an artist. As the track hits full stride, Solo is seen with a big British flag wrapped around his otherwise-naked torso in a scene that’s become synonymous with the singer-producer’s mantra of authenticity and self-acceptance. Solo salutes a new day and a new chapter in his life, he says, with the words “Be you” scrawled on his back, and a bruised eye.
“Often we lose ourselves in relationships, and we end up saying ‘yes’ to please our partners because we love them, when really we want to say ‘no’,” Solo explains. “And sweetness gets taken for weakness, and the fairytale turns into a nightmare.”
“We should always remember to love and honor ourselves enough to stay true to who we are in relationships, romantic or otherwise.” The bruised eye, he says, is symbolic of the price he had to pay to learn that lesson the hard way.
The song’s standout lyrics, “City life is no piece of cake // that you can have with your cup of tea on your morning break,” speak to Solo’s state of mind and the vivacity of the city he loves. Today, he stands tall as a gay man and outspoken advocate for human rights, and he can have his cake and eat it, too.
Inspired by up-tempo 80’s pop and contemporaries like Burt Bacharach and Marvin Hamlisch, the combination of Solo's vocals, Alex Pacali's sweeping riffs, and David Brant's hypnotic stroke of the keys leaves listeners spellbound. His third record sees the full realization of Solo’s signature timbre, layered with new refinement with every passing year and release, akin to the evolution of any true pop powerhouse. Solo colors his second single with a burst of falsettos, putting his vocal range on parade.
Born to Lebanese/Chilean parents on the Gulf of Guinea in Nigeria, West Africa, the singer-producer now hangs his hat in London, calling the second single a tribute to the city that’s helped to shape him. “‘Good Morning London’ speaks to exactly where I was — welcoming a new day and feeling like I was on my way home to somewhere I belong.”
"The first monster you have to scare the audience with is yourself" - Wes Craven One of my favorite filmmakers, Wes Craven has passed away. He directed Meryl Streep in her Oscar Nominated role in Music of the Heart and one of my favorite popcorn thrillers Red Eye with Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy. However he will always be known for his works of horror, most notably the high profile Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream films. I remember when both came out. Each was heralded as contributing something unique to the horror genre. Scream with it's unique blend of wit and scares revived horror movies at a time when the genre was pretty much dead. As a huge horror fan I thought I had seen it all, but nothing could have prepared me for the opening scene of Drew Barrymore being stalked and ultimately murdered. It was truly frightening on every level you could imagine, her dying merely feet away from her parents gasping for air and trying to get their attention will stay with me forever! A Nightmare on Elm Street was notorious for making people afraid to dream. It truly was the stuff sweet dreams aren't made of. R.I.P. Wes on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000127/?ref_=tt_ov_dr
