Screenshot: YouTubeB-movie auteur Takashi Miike has made a career out of gonzo splatter, but one of his most shocking movies is also one of his most restrained. That’s because the king of Japanese ultraviolence knows that sometimes, the best way to horrify audiences is to take them by surprise. Audition starts off innocently enough — although “innocent” may be the wrong word for a story about a widower named Shigeharu (Ryo Ishibashi) who enlists his TV producer buddy Yasuhisa (Jun Kunimura) to help him hold auditions for a new girlfriend after his wife’s demise. Starting from that creepy premise, Miike’s film drifts into a dreamy romantic reverie, as our middle-aged protagonist seems to have found his ideal woman in the meek, compliant Asami (Eihi Shiina). But nothing is as it seems — especially Asami. How Was Audition Received upon its release?Before Audition, Miike was a niche figure in the West, known mostly for low-budget yakuza movies like the outrageously violent Fudoh: The New Generation (1996). (That one’s streaming on Tubi, if you’re interested.) His cult was still small in 1999, and so Audition’s world premiere in Vancouver was relatively quiet. But then it practically caused a riot at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, where Miike’s film won multiple prizes and caught the attention of international critics. A word-of-mouth festival hit was born. According to Miike, however, it also offended multiple audience members, who came up to him after screenings to tell him, “you’re sick.” Why, you might ask? Well, this part is tough, because the less you know about Audition going in, the better. We will say this: Audition is famous for a seismic tonal shift midway through the film, pivoting from slightly unsettling romance to deeply disturbing horror as we find out more about Asami’s backstory. This leads to a climactic centerpiece scene that’s among the most stunning — and difficult to watch — pieces of horror filmmaking of the 21st century. If you haven’t seen the movie and really want to know, you can look up the synopsis online. If you have, let’s all say it together: kiri kiri kiri. Why is it important to see Audition now?The famous piano wire scene. | Omega/Kobal/ShutterstockThe years following the release of Audition were among the most fruitful of Miike’s career, as his growing international audience gave him the opportunity to make gonzo action-horror films like Ichi the Killer (2001) alongside even deeper, weirder fare like the infamous Visitor Q (also 2001). These films saw Miike continuing to push boundaries with transgressive sexuality and extreme, over-the-top hyperviolence; often, he’d combine them in the same scene.Over time, however, something strange began to happen. Takaski Miike began making mainstream movies alongside his usual gonzo fare. He’s even made a few kids’ movies, like the delightfully titled Ninja Kids!!! (2011), as well as prestige dramas like the period samurai movie 13 Assassins (2010) that play at major international film festivals. These movies all have the anarchic, anything-goes energy that made Miike famous among lovers of extreme cinema — his samurai movies are still very violent, to be clear. But now that he’s directing video-game adaptations and working with Charli XCX, it’s a good time to go back and revisit his origins as a cult filmmaker.Audition is also very much worth revisiting as a standalone work. The way Miike manipulates tone in this movie is masterful: He knows when to hold back and when to let loose, playing with the audience’s expectations to produce maximum shock and surprise. It’s been massively influential — Miike even makes a cameo in Eli Roth’s Hostel, one of many extreme horror movies inspired by his work — and still evokes strong reactions more than 25 years after its release. What special features does Arrow Video’s new 4K UHD disc have? Arrow Video is known for top-notch presentations of cult movies like Audition, and its new limited edition 4K UHD release of the film appears to be on brand for the label. The biggest draw here is a new 4K restoration supervised by its director of photography, although the fact that it was shot on Super 16mm film means that Audition will always look a little soft and grainy. (And thank goodness for that — the cinematography is beautiful.) The disc also comes with new audio commentaries and video interviews from critics and historians, as well as from Miike himself. The director also provides a video introduction to the film, which is fair — after making a movie like this, the man’s got a lot of explaining to do. 4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTSBrand new 4K restoration from the original Super 16mm camera negative by Arrow Films approved by director of photography Hideo Yamamoto4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray™ presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)Newly restored original lossless stereo and 4.0 audio, plus optional DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audioOptional English subtitlesIntroduction by director Takashi MiikeAudio commentary by director Takashi Miike and screenwriter Daisuke TenganAudio commentary by Miike biographer Tom MesCallback, a brand new interview with actor Ryo IshibashiTies that Bind, an interview with director Takashi MiikeDamaged Romance, an appreciation by Japanese cinema historian Tony RaynsArchive interviews with stars Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Renji Ishibashi and Ren OsugiDeeper Deeper Into Audition, an audio essay by author and critic Alexandra Heller-NicholasTrailersImage galleryCollectors' booklet featuring new writing on the film by Anton Bitel, Jennie Kermode and Jamie GrahamReversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Dark Inker - Sampson and original UK artwork by Graham HumphreysAudition is out now in limited edition 4K UHD from Arrow Video. Audition 4K UHD Blu-rayAmazon -