list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around The Host on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/The_Host/282597/default.aspx Title: The Host
Year: 2007
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Plot: When a young girl is snatched away from her father by a horrifying giant monster that emerges from the River Han to wreak havoc on Seoul, her entire family sets out to locate the beast and bring their little girl back home to safety in South Korean director Bong Joon-ho's big-budget creature feature. Hee-bong is a man of modest means who runs a snack bar on the banks of the River Han. Along with his slow-witted eldest son, Gang-du; Gang-du's young daughter, Hyun-seo; archery champion daughter Nam-joo; and unemployed, shirker son, Nam-il, Hee-Bong has managed to maintain a close relationship with his family despite the hardships that come with being a single father. When a rampaging fiend erupts from the Han and throws the city of Seoul into a state of emergency, Gang-du is heartbroken to see his precious little girl scooped up by the scaly creature and spirited away to an unknown destination. This is one family that always sticks together, though, and as the rest of the city denizens scramble to take cover, Hee-bong, Gang-du, Nam-joo, and Nam-il set out to prove that they're not letting their little girl go without a fight. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 17
Number of Lists: 29
Number of blog posts: 13
Number of discussion threads: 9
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Thu, 14 May 2009 00:02:33 GMTThe Host2007Bong Joon-hoWhen a young girl is snatched away from her father by a horrifying giant monster that emerges from the River Han to wreak havoc on Seoul, her entire family sets out to locate the beast and bring their little girl back home to safety in South Korean director Bong Joon-ho's big-budget creature feature. Hee-bong is a man of modest means who runs a snack bar on the banks of the River Han. Along with his slow-witted eldest son, Gang-du; Gang-du's young daughter, Hyun-seo; archery champion daughter Nam-joo; and unemployed, shirker son, Nam-il, Hee-Bong has managed to maintain a close relationship with his family despite the hardships that come with being a single father. When a rampaging fiend erupts from the Han and throws the city of Seoul into a state of emergency, Gang-du is heartbroken to see his precious little girl scooped up by the scaly creature and spirited away to an unknown destination. This is one family that always sticks together, though, and as the rest of the city denizens scramble to take cover, Hee-bong, Gang-du, Nam-joo, and Nam-il set out to prove that they're not letting their little girl go without a fight. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide17Tag Target (>10)291393http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s282597.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/The_Host/282597/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/3/4/40827.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/4/2009 5:00:31 PM
Body: The producers of Tokyo!, three short films by two Frenchmen and a South Korean, aim to do for Japan’s metropolis what New York Stories did for the Big Apple or Paris Je T’Aime for the City of Lights. That the two Frenchmen are indie darling Michel Gondry and former film critic/Pola X director Leos Carax, and the South Korean Bong Joon-Ho, who made an international splash with The Host, would seem to lend these three very different takes on a single subject some serious cache. Unfortunately, only two directors rise to the occasion, leaving a gaping hole in an otherwise thoughtful trilogy. Not surprisingly, of the three directors it’s the warped Gondry, whose specialty is visualizing that fine (often nonexistent) line between life and art, who most throws himself into the task of translating the pulse of the city to the screen, via his newly-arrived protagonists Akira and Hiroko in “Interior Design.” Overstaying their welcome couch surfing at a friend’s cramped studio, they look for dead-end jobs and at cheap apartments (one of which contains a dead cat), the camera moving at typical Gondry speed, from fast motion overhead shots to slow pans, like a fractured subconscious. In the process the self-involved Akira (who pitches concepts to his girlfriend in lieu of engaging in conversation) watches his film career take off after he screens his Metropolis-like feature at a porn house, while the unsure Hiroko (played by Ayako Fujitani who happens to be the daughter of Steven Seagal) struggles to find her own identity. It’s like listening inside the director’s own head as the pair roam the bustling streets, arguing about Hiroko’s “hobbies” not being dreams or ambitions. “What’s the difference?” she wonders, to which Akira replies, “You have to be able to define who you are in the world by what you do.” But when the purposeless Hiroko acquires the ability to physically transform like a character straight out of a Cronenberg flick, becoming both metaphorically “invisible” and useful, Gondry’s press notes claims of Polanski’s Repulsion and The Tenant as influences, eerie string and woodwind score aside, loses any legitimacy. Gondry is just too warmhearted a filmmaker to pull it off – he doesn’t have the ruthlessness required to delve into such psychological terror. Yet for capturing the essence of this Tokyo, that very warmth feels oh-so-right. Unfortunately, French provocateur Leos Carax plows through his version of Tokyo with a ruthless arrogance akin to his bogeyman protagonist, named “Merde” (a title as clichéd as his Japanese sewer monster, played by Denis Lavant of Lovers On The Bridge, that also goes by the French word for “shit”). After opening with a slow pan of the city’s buildings set to ominous music, an overhead shot takes in a manhole, up from which pops Lavant looking like Larry Fessenden on the very worst of days. A shaky handheld camera captures the half man-half beast’s acts of gratuitous mayhem on the streets as he rips food from people’s hands, licks innocent passersby (the footage captured on cell phones makes the evening news, of course). Merde’s relatively harmless afternoon acts escalate to nighttime Molotov cocktail-throwing – with the monster skipping over the bloodied carnage like a playful kid – but despite the wondrously composed shots, Carax’s story is as empty as the tunnels in the beast’s underground lair. And once the creature is captured and forced to stand trial, leading the media to go on a feeding frenzy of its own, a mysterious lawyer from France who speaks Merde’s language (including body unfortunately) arrives in Tokyo to defend him – and, it would seem, to drive the audience mad. Luckily for the pompous lawyer, Carax’s Tokyo is really just another version of France. As the hand-held camera that sways with the sewer man and his barrister becomes more and more grating, and the insane conversations between the two reach the realm of experimental theater workshop, Carax just keeps on obliviously rolling along (often showily using three frames onscreen simultaneously). Without any specific cultural touchstone the Tokyo courtroom – like the film itself – could be set anywhere. Indeed, the fact that Carax chose to import a French lawyer (played by Jean-Francois Balmer) to defend a creature embodied by a French actor makes “Merde” more of a French film than any exploration of Tokyo. Even the street protest by Japanese ultranationalists (Japanese ultranationalists?) to call for Merde’s hanging is downright Parisian, the pitiful creature not an international bogeyman, as Carax suggests, but rather an accidental stand-in for western imperialism. The end title card even reads that, “The Adventures of Merde in New York” is coming soon. Undoubtedly via Air France – for “Merde” says a shit-load more about its enfant terrible director than it does about Japan. The final part of Tokyo!, Joon-ho’s “Shaking Tokyo,” is the least earthshaking and the most quietly profound. In voiceover the male protagonist, a “hikikomori” (shut-in) describes life inside his apartment as the camera drifts about the tiny yet organized flat, exquisite lighting tapping into the pathos of shadows. “The first eye contact in eleven years,” the nameless man says upon the arrival of a cute pizza girl, but as the middle-aged recluse pays for the delivery an earthquake rattles the room and the young woman collapses in his doorway. After running around in a panic he discovers a circle tattoo on her arm that reads “coma” below it, and literally pushes her button to wake her. Once she’s revived and gone the modern urban fairytale escalates as the hermit is forced to venture into the blinding sunlight of the big bad world to find his mysterious princess. But unlike Gondry’s rushing Tokyo, Joon-ho’s claustrophobic quarters give way to spacious empty streets (though unlike Carax’s “Merde” the sense of space and place is apparent and palpable in both their films). After running through the streets accompanied by a lovely, light guitar score – peeking in the windows of other recluses – he finally finds the pizza girl (now hikikomori!) of his dreams, begs her to come out through the bars of her window. As self-imprisonment gives way to another earthquake, as the man pushes her “button” for love, which leads to yet another earthquake, this visualization of emotion allows the film to transcend a city and a specific cultural phenomenon to become as universal as the “dissolution of love” story at the heart of Gondry’s “Interior Design.” Now if only immature Carax hadn’t rudely interrupted the deep dialogue between these two companion pieces Tokyo! would shine like the city’s brightest neon sign. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:00:31 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com3/4/2009 5:00:31 PMThe producers of Tokyo!, three short films by two Frenchmen and a South Korean, aim to do for Japan’s metropolis what New York Stories did for the Big Apple or Paris Je T’Aime for the City of Lights. That the two Frenchmen are indie darling Michel Gondry and former film critic/Pola X director Leos Carax, and the South Korean Bong Joon-Ho, who made an international splash with The Host, would seem to lend these three very different takes on a single subject some serious cache. Unfortunately, only two directors rise to the occasion, leaving a gaping hole in an otherwise thoughtful trilogy. Not surprisingly, of the three directors it’s the warped Gondry, whose specialty is visualizing that fine (often nonexistent) line between life and art, who most throws himself into the task of translating the pulse of the city to the screen, via his newly-arrived protagonists Akira and Hiroko in “Interior Design.” Overstaying their welcome couch surfing at a friend’s cramped studio, they look for dead-end jobs and at cheap apartments (one of which contains a dead cat), the camera moving at typical Gondry speed, from fast motion overhead shots to slow pans, like a fractured subconscious. In the process the self-involved Akira (who pitches concepts to his girlfriend in lieu of engaging in conversation) watches his film career take off after he screens his Metropolis-like feature at a porn house, while the unsure Hiroko (played by Ayako Fujitani who happens to be the daughter of Steven Seagal) struggles to find her own identity. It’s like listening inside the director’s own head as the pair roam the bustling streets, arguing about Hiroko’s “hobbies” not being dreams or ambitions. “What’s the difference?” she wonders, to which Akira replies, “You have to be able to define who you are in the world by what you do.” But when the purposeless Hiroko acquires the ability to physically transform like a character straight out of a Cronenberg flick, becoming both metaphorically “invisible” and useful, Gondry’s press notes claims of Polanski’s Repulsion and The Tenant as influences, eerie string and woodwind score aside, loses any legitimacy. Gondry is just too warmhearted a filmmaker to pull it off – he doesn’t have the ruthlessness required to delve into such psychological terror. Yet for capturing the essence of this Tokyo, that very warmth feels oh-so-right. Unfortunately, French provocateur Leos Carax plows through his version of Tokyo with a ruthless arrogance akin to his bogeyman protagonist, named “Merde” (a title as clichéd as his Japanese sewer monster, played by Denis Lavant of Lovers On The Bridge, that also goes by the French word for “shit”). After opening with a slow pan of the city’s buildings set to ominous music, an overhead shot takes in a manhole, up from which pops Lavant looking like Larry Fessenden on the very worst of days. A shaky handheld camera captures the half man-half beast’s acts of gratuitous mayhem on the streets as he rips food from people’s hands, licks innocent passersby (the footage captured on cell phones makes the evening news, of course). Merde’s relatively harmless afternoon acts escalate to nighttime Molotov cocktail-throwing – with the monster skipping over the bloodied carnage like a playful kid – but despite the wondrously composed shots, Carax’s story is as empty as the tunnels in the beast’s underground lair. And once the creature is captured and forced to stand trial, leading the media to go on a feeding frenzy of its own, a mysterious lawyer from France who speaks Merde’s language (including body unfortunately) arrives in Tokyo to defend him – and, it would seem, to drive the audience mad. Luckily for the pompous lawyer, Carax’s Tokyo is really just another version of France. As the hand-held camera that sways with the sewer man and his barrister becomes more and more grating, and the insane conversations between the two reach the realm of experimental theater workshop, Carax just keeps on obliviously rolling along (often showily using three frames onscreen simultaneously). Without any specific cultural touchstone the Tokyo courtroom – like the film itself – could be set anywhere. Indeed, the fact that Carax chose to import a French lawyer (played by Jean-Francois Balmer) to defend a creature embodied by a French actor makes “Merde” more of a French film than any exploration of Tokyo. Even the street protest by Japanese ultranationalists (Japanese ultranationalists?) to call for Merde’s hanging is downright Parisian, the pitiful creature not an international bogeyman, as Carax suggests, but rather an accidental stand-in for western imperialism. The end title card even reads that, “The Adventures of Merde in New York” is coming soon. Undoubtedly via Air France – for “Merde” says a shit-load more about its enfant terrible director than it does about Japan. The final part of Tokyo!, Joon-ho’s “Shaking Tokyo,” is the least earthshaking and the most quietly profound. In voiceover the male protagonist, a “hikikomori” (shut-in) describes life inside his apartment as the camera drifts about the tiny yet organized flat, exquisite lighting tapping into the pathos of shadows. “The first eye contact in eleven years,” the nameless man says upon the arrival of a cute pizza girl, but as the middle-aged recluse pays for the delivery an earthquake rattles the room and the young woman collapses in his doorway. After running around in a panic he discovers a circle tattoo on her arm that reads “coma” below it, and literally pushes her button to wake her. Once she’s revived and gone the modern urban fairytale escalates as the hermit is forced to venture into the blinding sunlight of the big bad world to find his mysterious princess. But unlike Gondry’s rushing Tokyo, Joon-ho’s claustrophobic quarters give way to spacious empty streets (though unlike Carax’s “Merde” the sense of space and place is apparent and palpable in both their films). After running through the streets accompanied by a lovely, light guitar score – peeking in the windows of other recluses – he finally finds the pizza girl (now hikikomori!) of his dreams, begs her to come out through the bars of her window. As self-imprisonment gives way to another earthquake, as the man pushes her “button” for love, which leads to yet another earthquake, this visualization of emotion allows the film to transcend a city and a specific cultural phenomenon to become as universal as the “dissolution of love” story at the heart of Gondry’s “Interior Design.” Now if only immature Carax hadn’t rudely interrupted the deep dialogue between these two companion pieces Tokyo! would shine like the city’s brightest neon sign. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Collaboration_Best_Films_of_2007/643/37894/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 12/3/2008 2:24:33 PM
Body: I've decided to list some movies from 2007 that not only should you see but that you might have otherwise missed. 1. The Darjeeling Limited - Wes Anderson's newest and probably my favorite of his. He did some great work with color pallets in this one. Not to be missed. 2. Eastern Promises - I'm not really a big Cronenberg fan, but this one was quite exceptional. 3. Hot Fuzz - I actually like this one a bit more than Shuan of the Dead. I thought the story was a bit more fun and the action sequences at the end were really cool. 4. This is England - Shane Meadows is on his way to big things, I loved his 2004 film, Dead Man's Shoes and this one is a great period piece that probably gives a more accurate depiction of England in the 80s than you are used to. 5. The Orphanage - I have to admit that I didn't really love this film as a whole. But the final "one two three.......knock on the door." scene was incredible. 6. Lars and the Real Girl - This one was everything I wanted Juno to be. I was a very status-quo indy flick with quirky characters. But I think it actually took a bigger risk with the subject matter.......... and I think the cast was better as well. 7. War Dance - This is one of those docs that Americans are supposed to watch and be challenged by. It totally works, there are some incredibly tragic stories told in here. Watch it.... now. 8. Black Snake Moan - I'm not even sure why I loved this movie as much as I did. The cast is fantastic (Justin Timberlake included) and I really liked how the music and the backdrop set the unbreaking tone for the entirety of the film. 9. Reno 911!: Miami/Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon.... - I laughed..... a lot. 10. The Host - It's a Korean monster movie with a badass monster. And somewhat of a screwball comedy at the same time. Definitely worth a look. So, it should go without saying that y'all should see No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood & The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. These are some of the best of the year. The Fall was another of my personall favorites but I refrained from including it on this list because it has allready been mentioned and it was made in quite a bit before it's release date so I'm not really sure what year it's supposed to be. Anyways - check these ones out and I'd love feedback - tell me what you thought.
]]>Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:24:33 GMTleeroy711Community Recommendations12/3/2008 2:24:33 PMI've decided to list some movies from 2007 that not only should you see but that you might have otherwise missed. 1. The Darjeeling Limited - Wes Anderson's newest and probably my favorite of his. He did some great work with color pallets in this one. Not to be missed. 2. Eastern Promises - I'm not really a big Cronenberg fan, but this one was quite exceptional. 3. Hot Fuzz - I actually like this one a bit more than Shuan of the Dead. I thought the story was a bit more fun and the action sequences at the end were really cool. 4. This is England - Shane Meadows is on his way to big things, I loved his 2004 film, Dead Man's Shoes and this one is a great period piece that probably gives a more accurate depiction of England in the 80s than you are used to. 5. The Orphanage - I have to admit that I didn't really love this film as a whole. But the final "one two three.......knock on the door." scene was incredible. 6. Lars and the Real Girl - This one was everything I wanted Juno to be. I was a very status-quo indy flick with quirky characters. But I think it actually took a bigger risk with the subject matter.......... and I think the cast was better as well. 7. War Dance - This is one of those docs that Americans are supposed to watch and be challenged by. It totally works, there are some incredibly tragic stories told in here. Watch it.... now. 8. Black Snake Moan - I'm not even sure why I loved this movie as much as I did. The cast is fantastic (Justin Timberlake included) and I really liked how the music and the backdrop set the unbreaking tone for the entirety of the film. 9. Reno 911!: Miami/Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon.... - I laughed..... a lot. 10. The Host - It's a Korean monster movie with a badass monster. And somewhat of a screwball comedy at the same time. Definitely worth a look. So, it should go without saying that y'all should see No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood & The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. These are some of the best of the year. The Fall was another of my personall favorites but I refrained from including it on this list because it has allready been mentioned and it was made in quite a bit before it's release date so I'm not really sure what year it's supposed to be. Anyways - check these ones out and I'd love feedback - tell me what you thought. http://www.spout.com/blogs/expatpaul/archive/2008/12/1/37791.aspx Post By: ExpatPaul
Post To: Savage Popcorn
Post Date: 12/1/2008 3:17:22 PM
Body: Monster movies have often provided a way of talking about the concerns of the day and The Host, with it's industrial pollutuion and givernment conspiracies is no exception. Where The Host does break with tradition is that the monster makes its appearance pretty much as soon as we're past the opening credits. But what a monster it is! If spectacular special effects are the bag that you're into, then this really is a film that you need to see. The plot itself, however, prefers to focus on the family of one of the monster's (still living) victim and, here, it does a great job of finding a balance between comedy and tension. Although the characters are often slapstick in their behaviour, you do find yourself starting to care about them and it's this that keeps you hooked on the film. And the ending is one of the best I've seen in a long time
]]>Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:17:22 GMTExpatPaulSavage Popcorn12/1/2008 3:17:22 PMMonster movies have often provided a way of talking about the concerns of the day and The Host, with it's industrial pollutuion and givernment conspiracies is no exception. Where The Host does break with tradition is that the monster makes its appearance pretty much as soon as we're past the opening credits. But what a monster it is! If spectacular special effects are the bag that you're into, then this really is a film that you need to see. The plot itself, however, prefers to focus on the family of one of the monster's (still living) victim and, here, it does a great job of finding a balance between comedy and tension. Although the characters are often slapstick in their behaviour, you do find yourself starting to care about them and it's this that keeps you hooked on the film. And the ending is one of the best I've seen in a long time http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/9/3/34708.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 9/3/2008 5:01:21 PM
Body: Ever since the great Italian director Sergio Leone rode into town, it’s been clear that the Western is not solely the domain of American filmmakers. Leone’s Spaghetti Westerns boosted Clint Eastwood’s career and forever changed the genre. A new film from Korea, what many are calling a Kimchi Western, may change the genre once again. Kim Ji-Woon’s The Good, the Bad, and the Weird is in many ways an homage to Leone’s The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, but is also an excellent example of the energy and originality emerging in Korean cinema. The Good, the Bad, and the Weird, set in Manchuria in the 1930’s, follows the story of three bandits, all in pursuit of map that leads to an untold amount of treasure. Woo-sung Jung (the Good), Byung-hun Lee (the Bad), and Kang-ho Song (the Weird) all give excellent performances. Cool and outrageous enough for an action comedy, but not overdone. Kang-ho Song, who you may recognize from the hit Korean monster movie The Host, is particularly good at playing his own brand of lovable dork. The plot is not particularly dense, but it doesn’t need to be. The action is relentless through the entire two hour run time, and it’s delightful. Each fight scene is a perfect blend of comedy, thrilling choreography, and excellent scoring. The centerpiece of the final act is an epic desert chase scene involving horses, motorcycles, Mongol bandits, and the Japanese Army. In a Q&A following a screening at Telluride, director Kim Ji-Woon said he told the crew working on that scene to watch Ben-Hur and Mad Max for inspiration. It payed off. I got a chance to talk to Kim Ji-Woon about the film and where he sees himself going from here: Spout: Why a western? What drew you to that genre? Kim Ji-Woon: I think I was impressed as a youth when I watched the Spaghetti Westerns of Sergio Leone. And somewhere in the back of my mind I thought if I ever direct, I must do a Western. So I thought long and hard about how to create an Asian Western, and like all Westerns, you need this big canvas. I thought that the historical canvas of what was happening in the 1930s amongst the Chinese, Japanese, and the Koreans, I thought that would be a great backdrop [for] a Korean Western. Spout: It’s interesting, because of course, Sergio Leone was an Italian director who breathed new life into this very American genre. And now you’re revitalizing the genre in your own way. Of course Leone did not set his Westerns in Italy, he set it in the American West, can you explain that choice a little bit? Kim: I wanted to make a movie with Korean actors, so I thought if I tried to make a Western in America with Korean actors, it would no longer be a Western, it would turn into science fiction [laughs]. Spout: I was curious about those characters. Could you just talk a bit about casting a developing each of them? As I watched the film, they’re all so likable in their own way, the bad guy is such a great villain, they’re all so engaging… Kim: Initially, like all films, the characters start out with a single trait. But in a good film, as the movie develops, each character takes on many traits. So the good person takes on traits of the bad and the weird, and so on. As the situation is created and changes, you get to see all the aspects of that character. So although they all have characteristics that shift throughout the movie, I think the title is most appropriate to the last scene of the movie. Spout: I was curious about the fight choreography, it was brilliant, for one thing, and also it seemed like there was an element of slapstick comedy in certain scenes, especially with Tae-Goo’s character (the Weird). Kim: I wasn’t out to make just an action-packed movie, I wanted to make a movie that was balanced with action and humor. And because of the actor who played the Weird, and his capabilities, he brought so much to the film in his own portrayal of that character. Putting three of the top male leading actors [in Korea] is a stunt in itself. So there was a lot of fun and new things that came out of that situation. There were all kinds of discussions, like the actor who played the bad guy, after seeing the actor who played the good guy twirl his rifle, he said, ‘I want a rifle! I must have a rifle!’ And Mr. Song, the actor who played the Weird, said, ‘God, those guys look so great! I want to look great for a moment, too!’ The actor who played the good guy said, ‘I know I’m really cool and all, but can’t I have a comedic moment once in a while?’ Spout: In this Q&A just now, the name Quentin Tarantino came up. That is a comparison that will probably be drawn, especially with the bending of the genre, also East meets West. Is Quentin Tarantino an influence, or is he just somebody who has a similar sensibility in blending genres? Kim: I think because we’re contemporaries, and because we have similar influences in the type of movies we watch, what people are probably noticing are things that we’ve taken away from our similar history and seeing it projected in our work. We could say we’re kind of headed towards each other, he’s starting in the West moving East, and I’m starting in the East moving West. Maybe when we meet in the middle there will be something really interesting that will happen. Spout: Have you ever thought of trying to direct in Hollywood, with a Hollywood studio or American cast? Kim: Ever since the movie A Tale of Two Sisters I’ve been receiving a lot of scripts from Hollywood, and certainly if I read a script that speaks to me, and if I feel inspired to direct, it’s always a possibility. One of the things that has been a concern for me is that I hear in America the director’s cut is not something that’s naturally given to the director. So it’s a big concern for someone like me who has had directors cut. Spout: Do you think in the Korean film industry you get more creative control, as a rule? Kim: I think Korea is a great place for directors, you’re a big part of the creative process. Not only the editing, but all the different elements of making the film. Korean directors are also writers and producers, and they’re involved in the marketing and distribution. They’re really auteurs. A director’s work is never finished in Korea, it’s endless. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:01:21 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com9/3/2008 5:01:21 PMEver since the great Italian director Sergio Leone rode into town, it’s been clear that the Western is not solely the domain of American filmmakers. Leone’s Spaghetti Westerns boosted Clint Eastwood’s career and forever changed the genre. A new film from Korea, what many are calling a Kimchi Western, may change the genre once again. Kim Ji-Woon’s The Good, the Bad, and the Weird is in many ways an homage to Leone’s The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, but is also an excellent example of the energy and originality emerging in Korean cinema. The Good, the Bad, and the Weird, set in Manchuria in the 1930’s, follows the story of three bandits, all in pursuit of map that leads to an untold amount of treasure. Woo-sung Jung (the Good), Byung-hun Lee (the Bad), and Kang-ho Song (the Weird) all give excellent performances. Cool and outrageous enough for an action comedy, but not overdone. Kang-ho Song, who you may recognize from the hit Korean monster movie The Host, is particularly good at playing his own brand of lovable dork. The plot is not particularly dense, but it doesn’t need to be. The action is relentless through the entire two hour run time, and it’s delightful. Each fight scene is a perfect blend of comedy, thrilling choreography, and excellent scoring. The centerpiece of the final act is an epic desert chase scene involving horses, motorcycles, Mongol bandits, and the Japanese Army. In a Q&A following a screening at Telluride, director Kim Ji-Woon said he told the crew working on that scene to watch Ben-Hur and Mad Max for inspiration. It payed off. I got a chance to talk to Kim Ji-Woon about the film and where he sees himself going from here: Spout: Why a western? What drew you to that genre? Kim Ji-Woon: I think I was impressed as a youth when I watched the Spaghetti Westerns of Sergio Leone. And somewhere in the back of my mind I thought if I ever direct, I must do a Western. So I thought long and hard about how to create an Asian Western, and like all Westerns, you need this big canvas. I thought that the historical canvas of what was happening in the 1930s amongst the Chinese, Japanese, and the Koreans, I thought that would be a great backdrop [for] a Korean Western. Spout: It’s interesting, because of course, Sergio Leone was an Italian director who breathed new life into this very American genre. And now you’re revitalizing the genre in your own way. Of course Leone did not set his Westerns in Italy, he set it in the American West, can you explain that choice a little bit? Kim: I wanted to make a movie with Korean actors, so I thought if I tried to make a Western in America with Korean actors, it would no longer be a Western, it would turn into science fiction [laughs]. Spout: I was curious about those characters. Could you just talk a bit about casting a developing each of them? As I watched the film, they’re all so likable in their own way, the bad guy is such a great villain, they’re all so engaging… Kim: Initially, like all films, the characters start out with a single trait. But in a good film, as the movie develops, each character takes on many traits. So the good person takes on traits of the bad and the weird, and so on. As the situation is created and changes, you get to see all the aspects of that character. So although they all have characteristics that shift throughout the movie, I think the title is most appropriate to the last scene of the movie. Spout: I was curious about the fight choreography, it was brilliant, for one thing, and also it seemed like there was an element of slapstick comedy in certain scenes, especially with Tae-Goo’s character (the Weird). Kim: I wasn’t out to make just an action-packed movie, I wanted to make a movie that was balanced with action and humor. And because of the actor who played the Weird, and his capabilities, he brought so much to the film in his own portrayal of that character. Putting three of the top male leading actors [in Korea] is a stunt in itself. So there was a lot of fun and new things that came out of that situation. There were all kinds of discussions, like the actor who played the bad guy, after seeing the actor who played the good guy twirl his rifle, he said, ‘I want a rifle! I must have a rifle!’ And Mr. Song, the actor who played the Weird, said, ‘God, those guys look so great! I want to look great for a moment, too!’ The actor who played the good guy said, ‘I know I’m really cool and all, but can’t I have a comedic moment once in a while?’ Spout: In this Q&A just now, the name Quentin Tarantino came up. That is a comparison that will probably be drawn, especially with the bending of the genre, also East meets West. Is Quentin Tarantino an influence, or is he just somebody who has a similar sensibility in blending genres? Kim: I think because we’re contemporaries, and because we have similar influences in the type of movies we watch, what people are probably noticing are things that we’ve taken away from our similar history and seeing it projected in our work. We could say we’re kind of headed towards each other, he’s starting in the West moving East, and I’m starting in the East moving West. Maybe when we meet in the middle there will be something really interesting that will happen. Spout: Have you ever thought of trying to direct in Hollywood, with a Hollywood studio or American cast? Kim: Ever since the movie A Tale of Two Sisters I’ve been receiving a lot of scripts from Hollywood, and certainly if I read a script that speaks to me, and if I feel inspired to direct, it’s always a possibility. One of the things that has been a concern for me is that I hear in America the director’s cut is not something that’s naturally given to the director. So it’s a big concern for someone like me who has had directors cut. Spout: Do you think in the Korean film industry you get more creative control, as a rule? Kim: I think Korea is a great place for directors, you’re a big part of the creative process. Not only the editing, but all the different elements of making the film. Korean directors are also writers and producers, and they’re involved in the marketing and distribution. They’re really auteurs. A director’s work is never finished in Korea, it’s endless. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_August_25_Monster_Madness/625/34351/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 8/25/2008 3:28:58 PM
Body: Yeah, you already mentioned the movie, but Robert John Burke in No Such Thing takes the cake for me. I first watched this movie at SkyPilot's house with another guy when he wasn't even though. To my knowledge he has never even heard of the movie or knew that we watched it there.
]]>Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:28:58 GMTRisseladaWeekly Theme8/25/2008 3:28:58 PMYeah, you already mentioned the movie, but Robert John Burke in No Such Thing takes the cake for me. I first watched this movie at SkyPilot's house with another guy when he wasn't even though. To my knowledge he has never even heard of the movie or knew that we watched it there. http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Weekly_Theme_for_August_25_Monster_Madness/625/34336/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 8/25/2008 1:47:59 PM
Body: This one's pretty self-explainitory. What is some of your favorite movie monsters and what are some of your favorite monster moments. Are you all about the old-school Godzilla style. I have a copy of The Giant Gila Monster that I found at the 99 cents only store and I watch it with my kids all the time. It's hilarious. How about the newer stuff? The Host is a newer movie from South Korea with a pretty good monster. Cloverfield sucked but the monster looked pretty cool. And what about art-house monsters. The French made an "Avant-Garde" zombie movie called They Came Back.(bunch of pretentious, stuck up, walking dead.) And Hal Hartley directed No Such Thing, about an depressed Icelandic monster. I'd really like to hear about your favorite monsters. Who scarred you? Who sucked? Dr. Gor........... I'm talking to you.
]]>Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:47:59 GMTleeroy711Weekly Theme8/25/2008 1:47:59 PMThis one's pretty self-explainitory. What is some of your favorite movie monsters and what are some of your favorite monster moments. Are you all about the old-school Godzilla style. I have a copy of The Giant Gila Monster that I found at the 99 cents only store and I watch it with my kids all the time. It's hilarious. How about the newer stuff? The Host is a newer movie from South Korea with a pretty good monster. Cloverfield sucked but the monster looked pretty cool. And what about art-house monsters. The French made an "Avant-Garde" zombie movie called They Came Back.(bunch of pretentious, stuck up, walking dead.) And Hal Hartley directed No Such Thing, about an depressed Icelandic monster. I'd really like to hear about your favorite monsters. Who scarred you? Who sucked? Dr. Gor........... I'm talking to you. http://www.spout.com/groups/Friends_of_Foreign_Flicks/I_watched_The_Host_last_night/591/28813/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Friends of Foreign Flicks
Post Date: 5/12/2008 11:53:33 PM
Body: It was better than I expected, I typically prefer the monster genre to the ghost type of horror so I was kinda into it. The humor wasn't as good the trailer leads you to believe. But I tend to have a problem with genre movies that turn hokey because they add too much over the top humor. It gets a thumbs up from me primarily because the monster looked really cool. The Host (2006)
]]>Tue, 13 May 2008 03:53:33 GMTleeroy711Friends of Foreign Flicks5/12/2008 11:53:33 PMIt was better than I expected, I typically prefer the monster genre to the ghost type of horror so I was kinda into it. The humor wasn't as good the trailer leads you to believe. But I tend to have a problem with genre movies that turn hokey because they add too much over the top humor. It gets a thumbs up from me primarily because the monster looked really cool. The Host (2006) http://www.spout.com/blogs/cinemarian/archive/2008/5/12/28604.aspx Post By: CinemaRian
Post To: CinemaRian Blog
Post Date: 5/12/2008 11:41:00 AM
Body: One of most obnoxious things that can happen to a filmgoer is to a see a movie that begins great, but gradually tails off. Even if the movie ends up being good, you always think of the movie as a bit of a letdown that never lived up to its promise. The Host is a movie like that. It starts out as a truly hilarious Cronenberg-like parody of horror movies, with characters I really liked and cared about it. Then it tries to get serious and become a real horror movie, and on that level, it's merely OK. I admire director Bong Joon-ho for trying to do something difficult and change tone in the middle of the film, but I regret he didn't succeed. I regretted that the movie seems to have a knee-jerk anti-American tone, but was disdained to learn that premise of the film is based on a real incident. It begins at an American military base where an eccentric American doctor (Scott Wilson) orders a subordinate to poor dozens of bottles of dangerous and toxic formaldehyde into the Han river (this actually happened). What didn't actually happen was the chemical interacting with native fish in the river, causing it to create a giant, mutant cross between a fish and an amphibian that looks a lot Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky. The creature appears on the banks of the river one day and wrecks havoc with the already dysfunctional Park family, kidnapping young Hyun-seo (Ah-sung Ko), the daughter of dorky single father Gang-du (Song Kang-ho). Gang-du still lives with his father (Byeon Hee-Bong) who runs a convience store near the river. The government swarms in and claims the creature is spreading a dangerous, SARS-like virus, so the entire Park family, along with Gang-du siblings, successful but arrogant businessman (Park Hae-il) and professional archer Nam-joo (Bae Doona), along with lots of others South Koreans are taken into custody and placed in medical isolation. After Hyun-seo text messages her father, the desperate family stages an escape and tries to find the girl in the sewers of Seoul, while they are pursued by the government. The first forty five minuets of this movie are pure magic, and genuinely funny. What separates the Park family from the horrid dysfunctional families of numerous Clever Comedies such as Little Miss Sunshine is that the characters are actually likable, and their bickering demonstrates and underlying affection for each other. I really liked this characters, watching them argue, make sarcastic comments about each other, and finally work together to try to save Hyun-seo. Where the film goes wrong is a surprise plot development that I will not share, but changes the tone of the movie. Imagine if Snakes on a Plane was suddenly played for real and you might have some idea of what it's like. As I said earlier, this plot twist is original and I respect that, but I don't think it's totally successfully, particularly in comparison to the first part. This material is a little too ridiculous to play compleatley straight and the political message (which also attacks the South Korean government) is a little trite, and not scary or suspenseful at all. The movie is not boring, and is always well acted, particularly by Kang-ho, but it becomes predictable. A lot of people really liked this movie (it's the highest grossing film of all time in its native country), but I found that, given the wide separation of quality between its comedic and dramatic halves, I can only give a marginal recommendation, although it is worth seeing if only for the first portion, which near perfect. The Host (2006)
]]>Mon, 12 May 2008 15:41:00 GMTCinemaRianCinemaRian Blog5/12/2008 11:41:00 AMOne of most obnoxious things that can happen to a filmgoer is to a see a movie that begins great, but gradually tails off. Even if the movie ends up being good, you always think of the movie as a bit of a letdown that never lived up to its promise. The Host is a movie like that. It starts out as a truly hilarious Cronenberg-like parody of horror movies, with characters I really liked and cared about it. Then it tries to get serious and become a real horror movie, and on that level, it's merely OK. I admire director Bong Joon-ho for trying to do something difficult and change tone in the middle of the film, but I regret he didn't succeed. I regretted that the movie seems to have a knee-jerk anti-American tone, but was disdained to learn that premise of the film is based on a real incident. It begins at an American military base where an eccentric American doctor (Scott Wilson) orders a subordinate to poor dozens of bottles of dangerous and toxic formaldehyde into the Han river (this actually happened). What didn't actually happen was the chemical interacting with native fish in the river, causing it to create a giant, mutant cross between a fish and an amphibian that looks a lot Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky. The creature appears on the banks of the river one day and wrecks havoc with the already dysfunctional Park family, kidnapping young Hyun-seo (Ah-sung Ko), the daughter of dorky single father Gang-du (Song Kang-ho). Gang-du still lives with his father (Byeon Hee-Bong) who runs a convience store near the river. The government swarms in and claims the creature is spreading a dangerous, SARS-like virus, so the entire Park family, along with Gang-du siblings, successful but arrogant businessman (Park Hae-il) and professional archer Nam-joo (Bae Doona), along with lots of others South Koreans are taken into custody and placed in medical isolation. After Hyun-seo text messages her father, the desperate family stages an escape and tries to find the girl in the sewers of Seoul, while they are pursued by the government. The first forty five minuets of this movie are pure magic, and genuinely funny. What separates the Park family from the horrid dysfunctional families of numerous Clever Comedies such as Little Miss Sunshine is that the characters are actually likable, and their bickering demonstrates and underlying affection for each other. I really liked this characters, watching them argue, make sarcastic comments about each other, and finally work together to try to save Hyun-seo. Where the film goes wrong is a surprise plot development that I will not share, but changes the tone of the movie. Imagine if Snakes on a Plane was suddenly played for real and you might have some idea of what it's like. As I said earlier, this plot twist is original and I respect that, but I don't think it's totally successfully, particularly in comparison to the first part. This material is a little too ridiculous to play compleatley straight and the political message (which also attacks the South Korean government) is a little trite, and not scary or suspenseful at all. The movie is not boring, and is always well acted, particularly by Kang-ho, but it becomes predictable. A lot of people really liked this movie (it's the highest grossing film of all time in its native country), but I found that, given the wide separation of quality between its comedic and dramatic halves, I can only give a marginal recommendation, although it is worth seeing if only for the first portion, which near perfect. The Host (2006) http://www.spout.com/blogs/pratchettfan/archive/2008/1/29/24484.aspx Post By: pratchettfan
Post To: pratchettfan Blog
Post Date: 1/29/2008 6:02:00 AM
Body: We picked The Host in the cinema Riff Raff. This is a creature horror movie made in South Korea, which doesn't hesitate to dish out a good deal of criticism directed towards the US's take on world policies.Some years after a huge amount of toxic waste was dropped in Han river a mutated creature appeared to get its revenge. The military is soon called in to evacuate the area, however, when an American soldier who was in contact with the beast dies from a mysterious virus, the situation starts to get drastic. Everyone present during the beast's first appearance is quarantined and the US government announces the use of Agent Yellow, a new weapon against biological warfare which should terminate any virus within a 12 mile radius.The story focuses on 12 year-old Hyun-seo, who was abducted by the monster and deposited in the city's sewer system. Meanwhile her remaining family make an attempt to escape government observation and rescue her.Even though there is quite a bit of gore in the movie, there are also many humorous scenes, and the monster's looks and moves are just awesome. So if you want to see what movie makers can accomplish outside of Hollywood and you can bear a seeing a little blood, then you should definitely watch it.
]]>Tue, 29 Jan 2008 11:02:00 GMTpratchettfanpratchettfan Blog1/29/2008 6:02:00 AMWe picked The Host in the cinema Riff Raff. This is a creature horror movie made in South Korea, which doesn't hesitate to dish out a good deal of criticism directed towards the US's take on world policies.Some years after a huge amount of toxic waste was dropped in Han river a mutated creature appeared to get its revenge. The military is soon called in to evacuate the area, however, when an American soldier who was in contact with the beast dies from a mysterious virus, the situation starts to get drastic. Everyone present during the beast's first appearance is quarantined and the US government announces the use of Agent Yellow, a new weapon against biological warfare which should terminate any virus within a 12 mile radius.The story focuses on 12 year-old Hyun-seo, who was abducted by the monster and deposited in the city's sewer system. Meanwhile her remaining family make an attempt to escape government observation and rescue her.Even though there is quite a bit of gore in the movie, there are also many humorous scenes, and the monster's looks and moves are just awesome. So if you want to see what movie makers can accomplish outside of Hollywood and you can bear a seeing a little blood, then you should definitely watch it. http://www.spout.com/blogs/pratchettfan/archive/2008/1/29/24482.aspx Post By: pratchettfan
Post To: pratchettfan Blog
Post Date: 1/29/2008 5:59:29 AM
Body: The premise is very interesting. D-War is a Korean production (director, producer and production company are all Korean) but the movie is set in the US and most of the cast are Americans.The story is based on an ancient Korean legend where two snake battle each other to find Yeouijoo to get into heaven.The action scenes are pretty good, but after seeing Oldboy and The Host I was expecting more depth to the story than D-War had to show for. All in all it was just another action movie with some interesting scenes (a huge snake climbing up a high-rise and an army of fire-breathing dragons (?) battling helicopters) and not much more.
]]>Tue, 29 Jan 2008 10:59:29 GMTpratchettfanpratchettfan Blog1/29/2008 5:59:29 AMThe premise is very interesting. D-War is a Korean production (director, producer and production company are all Korean) but the movie is set in the US and most of the cast are Americans.The story is based on an ancient Korean legend where two snake battle each other to find Yeouijoo to get into heaven.The action scenes are pretty good, but after seeing Oldboy and The Host I was expecting more depth to the story than D-War had to show for. All in all it was just another action movie with some interesting scenes (a huge snake climbing up a high-rise and an army of fire-breathing dragons (?) battling helicopters) and not much more. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/family/MemberTagFilms.aspxfamily
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