Milk_Tray_Guy

Audition is one of the most infamous of Japanese horror films. It centres around a lonely widower looking for a new wife, and a young woman who isn't exactly who or what she appears to be. I've seen it described as a romance - even melancholy romcom - right up to the point where it very definitely ISN'T. This is one of its strengths - and at the same time (for me) one of its weak points; the earlier scenes serve a useful purpose of lulling the unsuspecting first-time viewer into a false sense of security, but they do drag at times. They're okay if you're into romance movies, but if you're not they're hard work. Once we finally get to the point where things start to 'turn' it gets interesting - and increasingly bizarre - leading to a much talked about climax (which I won't spoil). The entire film is superbly directed and acted, and beautifully lit and photographed, and all the effects are very convincing. There's also one terrific jumpscare. But despite - or maybe even because of - my being a die-hard horror fan, the film didn't really engage me. It's really more 'horror-adjacent', a psychological thriller with (admittedly strong) gory moments. I can't pinpoint anything bad in the film's making, but as far as entertainment value goes I can't give it more than 6/10.

The final film of director Mario Bava (assisted by his son, Lamberto) - a supernatural/psychological horror starring Daria Nicolodi in what is pretty universally hailed as the best performance of her career. Widow Dora Baldini (Nicolodi) moves back into the suburban villa she shared with her late husband, Carlo. She's now remarried to Bruno and has a young son, Marco. Soon after moving in she begins to have strange visions, which Bruno believes are hallucinations due to her breakdown following the death of Carlo, and the electric shock treatment she received whilst in psychiatric care. Her son, meanwhile, begins to behave aggressively towards her, and display unnerving behaviour, such as stealing her underwear from a drawer and shredding it. Bruno's absences (he's a commercial airline pilot) leave Dora and Marco in the house alone for prolonged periods, and Dora's experiences become increasingly bizarre, convincing her that the late Carlo is both haunting the house and possessing Marco. Despite Bruno's continued assurances that none of it is real, Dora becomes increasingly frightened and paranoid, wanting to believe Bruno but at the same time unable to refute the 'evidence' of her own eyes. Is she being genuinely haunted, or is she simply going mad?

This is filmed very differently to Bava's 'trademark' style. Gone are the gorgeously vivid colours and gothic atmosphere; instead the whole thing is very stark. The house, whilst luxurious, is clearly modern for the time both in design and decor, and a lot of the action takes place in brightly lit rooms or outside in the sunshine. But the camerwork and lighting are terrific, with unorthodox angles and practical in-camera effects (including one standout that was 'homaged' directly (and pretty well) just a few years ago in Annabelle). The rest of the cast are fine, including John Steiner as Bruno, and the great Ivan Rassimov as Dora's doctor (although it's always odd seeing him play a good guy). But this is Nicolodi's film, no question. Small wonder that years later she named it as her favourite role. It does suffer from being predictable at times (part of the resolution you'll probably see coming from very early on), and it's nowhere near as atmospheric as Bava's gothic horrors. Also, the Goblin-esque soundtrack (by a band called Libra - which apparently contained some former Goblin members) sometimes doesn't fit with what's onscreen. Nevertheless, whilst I prefer my ghosts in dark castles and mansions, this is a fine film for Bava to go out on. Some nudity and gore. 7/10.

British psychological horror directed by Robert Morgan, combining live-action and animation. Ella is a young woman assisting her renowned stopmotion animator mother whose arthritis renders her unable to perform intricate model movements herself. It's an uneasy task; her mother is domineering by nature, and angrily impatient with the limitations caused by her condition. On top of this, Ella is keen to break out as an animator in her own right, but is unable to do so until she's fulfilled her promise to help her mother complete her final film. When her mother dies Ella throws herself into her own work, assisted by a strange little girl she meets on the stairs of her new apartment block. The deeper Ella and the girl get into their work the more Ella starts to unravel psychologically, and the lines between reality and the world of her movie become increasingly blurred.

The idea of obsession with artistic endeavour being tied to descent into madness is hardly original, but the animated aspect at least gives it a new look. But that's all that's new. With the exception of Ella (Aisling Franciosi) and the little girl (Caoilinn Springall), the characters are two-dimensional and boring. The plot is wholly predictable (including a character twist you'll probably see coming a mile away), and the dialogue is ridiculously stilted (I guess as an attempt to convey tension; all it conveys is that these people don't speak like real people). Director Morgan's history is in animation, and to be honest I'd be more interested in watching a full-length, completed version of the animated movie Ella is working on than seeing this again (or, God forbid, a sequel). The performances of Franciosi and Springall, the creepiness of the animation, and some effective gore and (finally!) action in the third act get this 4.5/10.