What begins as a tender Japanese love story becomes one of the most shocking and unforgettable finales in horror history. In this episode of Too Extreme for Mainstream, we dissect Takashi Miike’s Audition (1999), from its origins in Ryu Murakami’s novel, to Miike’s rise through Japan’s underground V-Cinema scene, to the infamous torture sequence that left audiences fainting at festivals around the world.

We’ll explore the film’s themes of gender, trauma, and illusion, its cultural context in late-’90s Japan, and why Audition remains a cornerstone of extreme cinema more than two decades later.

If you’ve ever heard the chilling phrase “kiri kiri kiri,” you know: this is one film that cuts deep.