Shocktober Days 5 & 6

#5- The Vanishing (1988)

I need to start checking the genre of these films before I pick em, cus although the Vanishing is a blooming amazing crime drama it ain't really that scary, excusing the heavily disturbing final sequence.

The story itself is really quite simple, a man's wife is kidnapped, and we follow him up 10 or so years later where he refuses to forget the mystery of her disappearance. Thing's get more interesting once the husband is given just as much screen time and character development as the murderer himself. When all that shit happens the film really picks up, touching on some deeper themes such as the desperation of the human condition but who gives a toss about that when there's a proper solid murder mystery going on.


Apart from a laggy middle section where little happens and scenes get noticeably slower, The Vanishing is a sound film which especially towards the conclusion holds bags of tension. A wild crime time, fun for all the family...apart from young children and toddlers, they can watch Dolphin tale 2 instead (but strictly not the first film).

8/10- A pretty gripping crime drama, which I mistook for a Horror, saying that- it is a wild time.

#6- Audition (1999)

Yooooo, I know these Japanese horror films are all proper dark but geeezus, audition is some next level shit right here.

For the most part Audition isn't really that horrible, quite a nice little jaunt through the park actually, with the story concerning a man looking for a new wife after the past death of his old one. Once he settles with a lovely woman with super interests, the shit hits the fan and audition gets messy. The conclusion to this film is without doubt one of the most disturbing ever put to film, and anyone whose seen the film will know exactly what I mean. Just thinking about me makes me want to retrieve my tuna pasta bake from my stomach...with the wire...and the ugghh. Saying that whilst the images of the finale are certainly imprinted in my brain, never to leave, it is none the less a little meaningless in my opinion.

I mean the film has got rave reviews across the board from critics and fans alike, but whilst i enjoyed the film and some of its mysterious elements towards the end especially, in retrospect the whole film just felt a bit lifeless. Set-up is of, course without saying, vital to inducing meaning into any film, but here the set-up is long and ultimately uneventful , leading for the final act of the film feeling quite contrived and certainly out of place.

Saying that, any horror film which sufficiently disturbs you with a scene or image which you will literally never forget is worth at least a little credit. So whilst audition may not fulfil your narrative desires, it will certainly not leave your brain for a long while after viewing.

7/10- The sort of film which, after the final act and horrifying soundtrack of the credits, you'll want to immediately remove the disk and have a shower.