The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)

Seeing as this long forgotten classic is being remade, I thought I would see what it is all about. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is a fun thriller. It is not something that is easy to forget, but somehow it has become that way. I can't really give an explanation for it.

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is about a group of men named after colors boarding a subway car. They get on the train and hold it up with a ransom of a million dollars (and that was back in '74!). If their demands aren't met by the state of New York in an hour, they will kill one passenger per minute.

It really doesn't surprise me at all that somebody wants to remake it. It is a flawed movie. This has become even more flawed over the course of time because it is so dated. Still, old movies should never be touched. Then again, maybe this one does need the Denzel Washington/John Travolta/Jason Statham casting it recently got.

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is very fun and I really do love the end. To tell what happens would completely ruin it, so I'll let you find out for yourself. The beginning is slow and well paced, but the end moves extremely fast. The film comes out to be a classic...a forgotten classic.

Red Eye (2005)

Here is an example of why Wes Craven can do so much when he uses his skill correctly. Red Eye is taut and crisp clocking in at nearly an hour and a half. The claustrophobic thriller is short and to the point, but still manages to thrill the audience. Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy do their parts justice.

Lisa Reisert (Rachel McAdams) is on her way back to the Lux Atlantic Hotel in Miami which she owns. Her flight has been delayed for hours. Finally, she gets on the plane and meets Jackson Rippner (Cillian Murphy)-haha-and gets into a conversation with him. Things turn ugly when he kidnaps her and threatens to kill her father if she doesn't assisst him in killing a powerful politician.

Seeing McAdams' performance makes you wonder why she hasn't been in anything recently minus the flop Married Life. She gives a believable acting job which is often hard to do in an action movie. Cillian Murphy seems to have befallen the same fate. Once the attractive guy in 28 Days Later, he seems to have faded into oblivion and one has to wonder why.

Wes Craven has made a very satisfying thriller. Though it is a crossover for him, he shows that he does know what he is doing. Though the movie gets a bit far fetched towards the end, it really is a fun summer movie. When you combine a good story and Craven, movie magic can happen as we can see here.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Eyes Wide Shut was originally rated NC-17. Therfore, there is an edited R-rated version, but the NC-17 version is recommended for a more realistic experience.

Continuing on with Stanley Kubrick, there's Eyes Wide Shut. The movie is one of the strangest known to mankind. Erotic and suspensful, the director's last film is misunderstood for obvious reasons and not many critics liked it originally. Now, people have looked past the reviews and began to enjoy it.

Eyes Wide Shut starts out as a free form plot, but then finally starts to begin about 40 minutes in. Bill (Tom Cruise) and Alice (Nicole Kidman) are happily married. One night, Alice admits that she had a fantasy about cheating with another man. Bill is thrown into the idea of hatred and decides that he is going to cheat on her. Little does he know that he has just delved into the odd world of secret sexuality in New York.

The film, which was originally rated NC-17, is extremely sexual. After a certain point in the movie, just about every woman is topless or shows a full frontal. Whether this is necessary or not is a common argument, but I personally feel that it is. The film is notable for the scene in which Kidman dances nude to a Chris Isaak song. Also, the orgy scene is beyond wild and seems to stretch on forever. I think it does actually clock in at about 15 minutes all together (the movie is 159 minutes long).

Another thing that stands out for the whole movie is Stanley Kubrick's direction. It is hard to hold an audience for two hours and 40 minutes, but it is even harder to keep the erotic mood of the film for that long. Every scene seems to have this eerie lingering sexuality to it. Not only this, but the shots are also composed very well. Everything is very appealing to the eye.

Stanley Kubrick's final movie is good end to his career. A great director left us with a great fantasy-or nightmare depending on how you look at it. The actors are great, the scenes are too explicit, and the movie is a great mystery. Creepy and satisfying, Eyes Wide Shut is good cult classic.

Marathon Man (1976)

"Is it safe?" asks villain Christian Szell, one of the best in cinematic history. Marathon Man is the kind of movie you just can't watch once, but you have to see it again and again. There are many scenes that stick in your mind such as the tooth drilling scene. Great acting and a pretty good adaptation of William Goldman's book make this movie as famous as it is today.

Marathon Man is about Thomas Levy (Dustin Hoffman), a student in college who suddenly becomes entangled in mystery. Soon after he meets a foreign girl who seems strange, his brother (Roy Scheider) warns him against her. Not too soon later, there is a death and Thomas comes face to face with Szell (Laurence Olivier), an evil dentist who is in pursuit of something and will do anything to get it.

It really is the acting that makes us remember this movie. Olivier as Szell is perfection when he drills into Hoffman's teeth. To some the scene may come off as corny, but really it is the acting that makes it all too real. Roy Scheider also is good even though he has a smaller part.

The movie may come off as hokey now, but in the 70's it was great. Yes, the blood is way too red and yes, there are gaping plot holes, but still Marathon Man is a fine masterpiece. William Goldman's story is beautifully adapted to the big screen in a memorable way. One of the best New York movies remains in my memory. Not only this, but it is also one of the best to come out of that decade.

Don't Look Now

Let me just tell you what to expect first. The movie is an eerie, strange, and erotic venture into horror. This may not be many people's thing, but it was right up my alley. Don't Look Now is a movie many people do not know. It is extremely strange and creepy mostly for its bloody finale.

Adapted from Daphne DuMaurier's short story, Nicholas Roeg's movie is the tale an unlucky couple, Laura (Julie Christie) and John (Donald Sutherland) who are still mourning the death of their daughter who has recently drowned. The two visit a psychic who seems to have visions of their daughter. John is not impressed until he begins to see his daughter walking around Venice and begins to wonder what is truth and what is fiction.

There are many reasons this movie is a cult classic, but one of them is the memorable sex scene. People today continue to wonder if it is real and not actually faked. I think there is a possibility that it might be real considering that Warren Beatty, who was currently dating Julie Christie, attempted to have it pulled from the movie. It is extremely explicit and lasts about ten minutes. Again, this isn't a movie for everyone.

To reveal the end would be a crime, but what it turns out to be is shocking and unbelievable. The finale is relentless and brutal and one begins to ponder why they had even seen the film in the first place. I mean that in the best way possible of course! It spooked me so bad that I couldn't stop thinking about for a few days. It still gives me shivers.

Don't Look Now is a strange and very scary horror movie. The reason that the 70's horror movies are so good is because, unlike now, the movies are well paced and know how to fill out two hours. Though the criticism is that they are too violent, but Don't Look Now is violent, but it is very paced which is what causes it to work. This movie is a new, odd venture into horror for many. I would suggest this to Lynch fans.

Eyes Without a Face (1960)

Eyes Without a Face is in French and subtitled in English. It is also called Les Yeux Sans Visage or The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus.

Eyes Without a Face is an odd cult classic. The movie is eerie and distubring and at the same time, amusing to watch. There is great direction and some really good special effects for its time. This little known chiller is surely an eye opener.

The strange story may sound slightly cliche, but that is only now. It is about Christiane, a sweet girl whose face has been horribly disfigured in a car accident and is now forced to wear a creepy mask. Her father, the person responsible for the accident, has concocted a plan with a nurse to give her a new face. The only way to do this is to graft the skin of other women onto hers. The events that follow are not easy to watch.

As I have previously mentioned, the effects in the movie are quite good. The one time we do see Christiane's face without the mask is shocking because it does look quite real. Also, the scene where the doctor cuts off a girl's face looks realistic. It is creepy how often the film feels real.

Unfortunately, the film is not known by very many, but it is a member of the Criterion Collection, therefore it gets the treatment it deserves on DVD. The stark black and white imagery is surreal and beautiful. Many may be scared away from the film by its subject matter, but one shouldn't. It probably may come off as hokey, but to me it is a creepy, very real movie.

Sin City (2005)

Before Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino teamed up for Grindhouse, they made Sin City. The adaptation of Frank Miller, the other director of this, is faithful and fun. The film is bloody and beautiful. It is hard not to be seduced by the red blood and black and white.

The film revolves around three stories of violence in Basin City, a city overrun by crime. There's Marv (Mickey Rourke), a man whose girlfriend was murdered while he was sleeping and is constantly searching for her killer. Then there is Dwight. Dwight (Clive Owen) is a man who is having an affair with a woman, played by Brittany Murphy, whose boyfriend's name is Jackie Boy (Benicio Del Toro). Jackie Boy and Dwight are determined to kill each other. The final story is Nancy Callahan (Jessica Alba), a stripper whose life is once again in danger. Luckily, Hartigan (Bruce Willis), an aging police officer, steps in to save her. Other cast members include Josh Harnett, Alexis Bledel, Rosario Dawson, and Carla Gugino.

Sin City is a cool update on film noir. The old genre is looked at through comic book eyes and taken to the screen in black and white. Blood appears in red (there's a lot of it in this flick) and yellow is seen on the ugly villain The Yellow Bastard. The fact that it is black and white makes the blood even more effective because one can really see it in contrast to the background. It's the graphic, bloody sequences that make this movie memorable.

People are now used to Frank Miller's films, but when this came out it was his first. Either you love it or you hate, but I really love it. Tomorrow marks the release of The Spirit, which I look forward to seeing, but it looks all too similar to this. Intelligent and gory, the seductive color makes Robert Rodriguez's film memorable and thrilling.

Lost Highway (1997)

Lost Highway is the usual from David Lynch. Saying that something the usual from Lynch is quite ironic considering each of his films is obscure and strange in its own way. This one has a tone similar to that of Mulholland Dr., odd and erotic. The film is a fun romp in confusion and sexuality.

Well, before the movie gets a little too hard to figure out, it is about a jazz saxophonist (Bill Pullman) who is named Fred and is happily married to Renee (Patricia Arquette). One day, an unknown man comes to his door and tells him "Dick Laurent is dead" and following this he goes to a nightclub with Renee and meets the Mystery Man who tells him he is currently at his house (typical Lynchian story). Unfortunately, soon after, Renee is murdered, but Fred is framed for it. He then goes to jail and remakes his life into himself as a mechanic.

Lynch, as usual, shines in his direction. The one thing that I still remember from this film is the many scenes spent in cars. They are always sped up in a way that looks really cool. Also, the sex scenes, among anything else, are very interesting. The use of light and dark during them is pretty sophisticated and pleasing to the eye.

If you thought Mulholland Dr. was confusing, then you obviously haven't seen Lost Highway. I still can't really figure out what happened, but from what I understand, it's pretty amazing. Just check IMDB's boards on this film. People constantly bounce theories off each other, each more weird than the next. People have even found connections to Twin Peaks!

Lynch's films are always great and this one is a little known classic of his. Finally, this year it was released to DVD so it's worth a look. Though one shouldn't expect this to be Lynch's best, it's pretty damn good. Erotic and suspensful, Lost Highway is entertaining and definitely puzzling, even years later.

The Dark Knight (2008)

This post was inevitable. My personal favorite of 2008 is this and it sure is one of my all time favorites as well. When I was on vacation, I asked somebody what they though of it and they told me "It's better than Gone With the Wind". It might actually just be. The Dark Knight is one to go down in movie for 1) being the second most grossing film of all time and 2) for being what all movies should be.

Among The Dark Knight's many plotlines, it is about Gotham, Batman's (Christian Bale) city which now looks down on him. Once he was the superhero, but now nobody really wants him anymore. Even worse, the Joker (Heath Ledger's final role) invades Gotham and causes chaos. Also, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), a sketchy official, gets elected as mayor. And you wonder why the film is 152 minutes!

I'm sorry, but it is absolutely necessary to devote this whole paragraph to Heath Ledger. He doesn't play the Joker, he is the Joker. Not to mention a stunning makeup job, his performance completely blows me away. Usually I wouldn't say this for this kind of movie, but Heath Ledger WILL win the Oscar. May he rest in peace.

I'll just highlight some of my favorite scenes. The first and best is the pencil trick scene in which the Joker stabs a pencil into a mobster's eye. The scene is so well done and spawned the quote of the year: "Why so serious?". The second is the scene towards the end with two ferries. I won't reveal what happens. My third favorite is the first scene which involves a bank robbery. All the mobsters end up shooting each other in a very sinister plan from the Joker. How clever!

Christopher Nolan has never directed better since Memento (a future post). No has ever acted as well as Heath Ledger. Only one movie has grossed more than this domestically. Only this movie holds my attention for two and a half hours. Among many other things, The Dark Knight is one of the best films ever. Hands down, this is my third favorite movie ever and I'm not even a comic book fan.

The Day of the Locust (1975)

The epically long little known 70's classic still disturbs me. The Day of the Locust is a great movie not because of 2 hours of it, but for the last 20 minutes. Nothing much happens in two hours, but the whole movie gets made up for in the end. The final sequence is haunting and well done.

Based off Nathaniel West's popular classic, The Day of the Locust is the story of three people trying to make it in Hollywood. Harry (Burgess Meredith) is young writer who falls in love with the up and coming star Faye (Karen Black). Harry isn't the only person vying for Faye's love. A millionaire with the name Homer Simpson (I know, I know) is also. Homer is brilliantly played by Donald Sutherland in a very early role.

There isn't much to say about this except for the ending. (SPOILERS) After Faye decides to stay with Harry, Homer goes crazy and stomps on a little boy at one of Faye's premieres. The crowd sees this happen and they go crazy. Eventually, Los Angeles completely burns down. (END SPOILERS) The ending is disturbing and never gets old. For anyone who is interested, the ending is available on YouTube, although I'm not quite sure why you would be.

It's a shame this classic isn't more popular. Never again will I feel the same around a crowd. The effect of the finale must have been even greater in the theater. The movie is bizzare and wild and not terribly amazing until the end. The acting and direction are superb, but its too bad nobody really knows about it anymore.

Funny Games (1997/2007)

Funny Games (1997) is from Austria. In German, subtitled in English. Funny Games (2007) is in English. It is also known as Funny Games U.S.

Michael Haneke made Funny Games before Jigsaw started playing games in Saw. He also remade Funny Games after Jigsaw started playing games. Haneke's comment on media violence is shocking and still very relevant. This review is for both films.

The 2007 version follows the same plot as the previous version. The two are completely identical so much that I'm not even sure what Haneke's point was in remaking it. Anyway, a happy couple (Naomi Watts and Tim Roth in 2007) and their child take a trip down to their vacation home. It's not too long before two psychotic killers (Michael Pitt and Brady Corbet in 2007) show up at their doorstep in preppy sports attire. They seem nice at first, but then they break the husband's leg and begin a hostage situation.


The only difference between the two is the obvious better acting performances in the new version. I don't know. Maybe if I lived in Austria and grew up with those actors, I could have changed my mind. To me, Naomi Watts and Tim Roth give believable and upsetting performances. As far as I'm concerned, Michael Pitt might as well be psychotic.

Michael Haneke employs some pretty revolutionary camera techniques. In both version, around one hour in, there's a ten minute long shot. Haneke may not have been the first to do a really long shot, but it's pretty impressive. Also, he breaks the fourth wall and has one of the characters literally rewind the film. Where else have you seen anything like this?

As usual, Haneke makes violence the point of his movie. Just like in Cache, the violence is supposed to shock audiences and make them squirm even if most of it is off screen. Funny Games isn't funny at all. It's a shocking and suspensful cinematic masterpiece that will surely thrill audiences for years to come.

Psycho (1960)

Psycho is the Master of Suspense's best film and honestly, in my opinion, one of the best films ever. Cinematically innovative and extremely twisty, Psycho remains one of the most terrifying and jaw dropping films out there. For some reason, Gus Van Sant thought it would be a good idea to a remake. This is stupid. Nobody could make Psycho better than Alfred Hitchcock.

Psycho is the story of Marion Crane, a young woman who steals $4000 from her boss and, as a result, runs away. After she gets stuck in horrible rain shower, she pulls over to Bates Motel and spends the night there. She meets Norman Bates, the shady motel owner. That night, she is murdered in the shower in that famous and iconic sequence.

Psycho revolutionized the film industry with Hitchcock's direction. As stupid as this sounds, if it weren't for this film, you would never see a toilet on film. This doesn't really mean anything, but it just is interesting to think that films were being made for a long time and not a single toilet was shown in them. Also, Hitchcock does quite a feat in the shower sequence. Then it was risque, but now it doesn't really have any effect. The amazing part is that there is no nudity whatsoever. This is hard to do and he achieves it.

The twist is amazing and will surely amaze audiences even today. Psycho is timeless in it's plot and will never change. It is a classic that will last forever and will thrill audiences for ages to come. Those who are film fanatics owe a lot to Psycho and that is why people still regard this movie as one of the best of all time.

Transsiberian (2008)

Transsiberian is easily one of the most overlooked movies of the year. Brad Anderson's successful picture is one of the best so far. It is minimalist and very well paced. Hitchcock would be very happy with it.

Transsiberian is about the Transsiberian railway that goes from Beijing to Moscow over the course of a week. The plot is hard to explain without spoiling things, but here it goes: an American couple whose marriage is currently on the rocks decides to take the train to Moscow. On the train, they meet another mysterious American couple. Some of the things about them just don't seem right. Ben Kingsley co-stars as a police detective who plays a major role in the second hour.

The film is, as I've already said, well paced, but many audiences will lose patience after the first hour. Honestly, even though it held my attention, the first half is pretty much plotless. It revolves around barely anything. On the other hand, the second half comes at you really fast and won't let your eyes leave the screen.

Brad Anderson's direction finds beauty in Russia, which is something that isn't easy to do. The many shots of the snowcapped mountains are easy on the eyes and fun to watch. In one clever shot, a horse is running in a circle next to a broken shack. All of a sudden, the train rushes by. The shot is unusual and the composition is perfect.

Despite it's many plot flaws towards the end, Transsiberian is one hell of a thriller. Even though the first hour is slow, the rest is action at full throttle. Combine a minimalist story and good direction and you've got yourself a great Brad Anderson film.

Fargo (1996)

Oh ya, this flick is a good one. The Coen Brothers directed and produced this down right strange thriller/comedy and it came out to be a masterpiece. They lend their own odd sense of humor to a seemingly average crime movie.

The strange plot starts with Jerry (William H. Macy), a car salesman who plans to kidnap his own wife with two men played by Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare. When the plan falls apart and the police are lead onto it, Marge Gunderson, a pregnant police chief played by Frances McDormand in an Oscar nominated performance, is set out to find the kidnappers.

The Coen Brothers never do fail to amaze me. This film is witty, clever, and exciting-a combination that many films cannot put together days. Actually, I never have seen another movie quite like this one. The two have won four Oscars and it looks like a fifth is coming their way for Burn After Reading.

Fargo is hilarious and at times thrilling. Every minute is smart and the film doesn't really have a down moment. The gross climax of the film is good and strangely dark and comical. It isn't too often you see these two come together.

In Bruges (2008)

Maybe Bruges isn't so "fairy tale like" at all. A seemingly very scenic town changes quickly for Ray (Colin Farrell), a hit man who is forced to move with Ken (Brendan Gleeson) to Bruges, Belgium after he kills a little boy by accident. While Ken is having a great time sightseeing, Ray is bored until he meets a woman on a movie set that he falls in love with. Unfortunately, she has vengeful boyfriend. More unfortunately, their boss (Ralph Fiennes) is still giving them jobs.

In Bruges' oddball comedy and slick action is what makes the film work. The film can be seen either way and it's still a masterpiece. The humor isn't for everyone, but neither is the whole movie. It is rather slow until an hour into it.

Martin McDonagh gives some great direction. You have to honor this man for being able to do such a great job on his first time directing. He really is able to bring out the beauty of Bruges and that is what a good director should be able to do.

In Bruges is, as I said, not a film for everyone. Colin Farrell and the script are enjoyable, but some will not be able to appreciate the pace of the film which speeds up a lot in its final half hour. The bloody finale will stun audiences and the weird comedy should bring quite a few laughs. As of November, In Bruges is an easy Oscar contender.

Mulholland Dr. (2001)

David Lynch's Mulholland Dr. is not at all surprisingly odd nor is it surprisingly great. This twisty-turny feature is one to awe and mistify audiences. In fact, I am sure you won't get the whole movie on your first time or even fifth.

I'll do my best to explain the extremely complex and at times absolutely head scratching plot. A woman (Laura Elena Harring) gets into a car accident on Mulholland Drive and wakes up the next day. She walks down to the house of a Hollywood hopeful (Naomi Watts) and takes residence there. The two search for reason as to what might have caused this to happen since she has no memory from the accident.

The film will make no sense at all at first. Although the film may run close to two hours and a half, be patient and let the nonlinear timed plot roll itself out in front of you. To aide you in your discoveries, Lynch has provided some clues in the DVD case. I'm not sure how much this will help you because I still can't decipher them.

Lynch's direction is superb as usual. His old techniques from as early as Eraserhead come back in this film. Also, its easy to see it was directed by him simply from looking at his cast. First of all, he loves Laura Elena Harring. Number two, he loves her body (and Watts') since we see it quite a few times in the course of the film.

This odd, frenetic thriller is sure to leave you flabbergasted by the end. It is extremely complex and if you understand it by the end, you should feel proud. The final twist is genuine and great. Worth two viewings or even six.

Grindhouse (2007)

Grindhouse is available in two versions. It has been split into the two segments, Death Proof and Planet Terror, for DVD. They are available in their uncut, European versions. The 191 minute original is not available on DVD.

Grindhouse is the type of movie you won't find anymore: a homage to other movies. First, I should probably explain what a grindhouse is. A grindhouse is a double feature that was around for the 70's and lasted into the early 80's. The movies were always very pulpy and bad.

This movie is in three parts. The first part is Planet Terror starring Rose McGowan as Cherry, a go-go dancer who loses her leg to zombies. Soon enough, the world is overrun by these zombies and the remaining people must fight for their lives. The second part is three fake trailers which are absolutely perfect. The third part is Death Proof starring Kurt Russell as a slimey ex-stunt man who takes girls in a ride in his stunt car on one condition they don't know about: their lives are taken in the car.

Grindhouse is great for it's clever script. It is so bad it's great! In Planet Terror, when Cherry is crying as she leaves her stage, the manager says "Cherry, it's go-go, not cry-cry." It is such a bad line that it is great. Among the script, the acting and stories are so bad that the movie is good. Both films include a missing reel, but the Death Proof one is restored for DVD. In the reel, a character gives Russell a lap dance. It's so stereotypical Tarantino and so fitting for the grindhouse genre.

The direction for everything is superb. Everything is aged, but in a way that it is not too much. When an event is about to happen, you can tell by the way that Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino age the film more. Well, they don't age it; it was aged digitally. Also, Eli Roth's trailer "Thanksgiving" is my favorite part of the film because of his good direction.

Although my review probably makes Grindhouse sound bad, it's very enjoyable. A few laughs and some good scares makes for a pretty awesome movie. Tarantino and Rodriguez have made something right up their alley and should keep making movies like this. It's too bad this one flopped at the box office.

Irreversible (2002)

Gaspar Noe's torturous movie Irreversible is cinematic and also groundbreaking. The film is Memento-esque in the way that it plays backwards as the tragic events unfold in Paris. Marcus (Vincent Cassel) and Pierre are looking for Le Tenia for the reason, which is later revealed, that Alex (Monica Belucci) has been brutally raped and murdered.

Noe's direction and Monica Belucci really shine in this movie. Although it would be hard to say that the direction is beautiful, it is for sure that of an expert. Monica Belucci is great in the role of Alex. In the sick and perverted ten minute rape scene (I'm not even exaggerating), she gives a very believable performance.

Although Irreversible may be hard to watch at times, it does require one's full attention. As confusing enough as it is, things can easily be missed. It is sick and twisted, but worth more than one viewing.

Irreversible falls under what would be called shock cinema and it truly is shocking. The tragic story of rape, murder, and fate is the most disturbing film ever. Many people left the theater originally because it is just too much. Try to watch this movie because it actually is very good.

Warning: This movie includes graphic, extended scenes of rape, violence, and nudity. You've been warned.

Vertigo (1958)

Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece has not aged a bit since the day it came out. Vertigo is a visually stunning, twisty trip into a mystery in San Francisco. As expected, Hitchcock has produced another piece of celluloid gold.

Vertigo is the dizzying story of John Scottie (Jimmy Stewart), a detective who has a bad case of severe case of vertigo. When he is hired by friend to watch his wife (Kim Novak), a blond bombshell who has odd habits. John begins to become obsessed with her leading to unfortunate events.

Bernard Herrman has a fantastic soundtrack in this film. His sweeping music fits perfectly with Hitchcock's many shots of San Francisco and the subjective vertigo shots. As usual, the music is very memorable, as is the picture.

By the end, Hitchcock has created an unbelievably creative movie with a major twist at the end and some amazing shots of San Francisco. One can only wonder where one man can get so much talent. Personally, I value this over Psycho.

For a clever parody of this, watch Mel Brooks' High Anxiety.

Audition (1999)

This film also goes under the title Odishon. In Japanese, with English subtitles.

Nothing is ever what it seems in Takashi Miike's films and the same can be said about Audition. It is a gruesome and disturbing film, but the beginning can be misleading. The film starts out with a man whose wife has recently died. He takes an offer to audition girls who do not know that they are auditioning to be his wife. He picks Asami, yet she is not quite who she seems to be when it turns out that she is a psychopathic murderess.

The scene that everybody remembers so fondly is the final one. Just a warning: it is powerful and yet, it contains not a single shot of what violence is being done under the camera. People mistake the film for being gory, but Miike is a smart man. He chooses not to show a single shot of blood.

Audition is a great piece of horror, but the beginning is not quite what the rest of the movie is. It does not truly get moving until about an hour in. Give this film patience. Also, prepare for torture and some strong graphic scenes. I just want you to know what you're getting into.