By Kane Edmonds
I present to you, Bong Joon-ho’s best.
5 STARS DIRECTOR: BONG JOON-HO DOP: KIM HYUNG-KOO RUNTIME: 131 MINUTES RELEASE DATE: MAY, 2OO3
South Korean director Bong Joon-ho is enjoying a recent spate of international stardom following the success from his 2019 groundbreaking social commentary film Parasite, 2019. It seems he is finally being paid his dues and it’s about damn time. The man is sat on a goldmine of cinematic gems. Yes, there are the obvious positives that arise from a non-English language film winning the best picture award at the Oscars for the first time ever and what it means for Hollywood but It also shone a light on the director and threw him into western mainstream, providing ample opportunity for casual film-goers and cinephiles alike to indulge in the showreel of the man behind the genre-defying, record breaking film, Parasite.
However, if you’re looking for Boon’s Magnum Opus, look no further than Memories of Murder, 2003.
Memories of Murder is Boon’s take on a classic crime drama. Based on a real string of murders in a small south Korean town (South Korea’s first serial killer), we follow local detective Park Doo-man (played by Song Kang-ho, a regular in Boon’s films), who believes he has an almost superhuman ability to detect a criminal by looking into their eyes and city cop Seo Tae-yoon (Kim Sang-kyung) sent in from Seoul to help and does everything by the book. They work together, tirelessly to find and capture the man behind the brutal rapes and murders of several women in the town. As it’s South Korea’s first serial killer the police force is dramatically unequipped for such events and so the detectives cling onto leads with almost no substance, for example, the lack of pubic hair found at crime scenes gives Park Doo-man the idea that the killer must be bald down there, like a Buddhist monk, and so spends his own time hanging out at a gym/sauna looking for men with no pubic hair. Our two main characters are a demonstration of the reality of a situation like this- where a lack of leads and any hard evidence paired against the drive to stop evil, can lead to sheer desperation and push you to the edge of your morals. On the other side of the screen you can expect to find yourself in a similarly stressed, nail-biting position.
In a genre like this it can be hard not to fall victim to tropes, but Bong Joon-ho does well to counteract them with the use of dark humor. This is a trademark of Bong’s - he blurs the line between genres to steer clear of cliches. Park Doo-man is pure comic relief in the film, his methods are questionable, his ideas are idiotic, but he eases the grit which can weigh a great story like this down. But that is not to say this film is a comedy, not at all. This film still has all the horror and suspense of films like Seven,1997, whilst still paying respect to the victims. The humor acts as a palate cleanser, gifting you that sense of relief then that comfort is swept away again from under your feet in the next showcase of misery. But that’s just another trademark of Bong Joon-ho we see in all its glory in Memories of Murder; he is a master at declaring drama and there are plenty of moments in this film where the mood instantly dissolves into something dark and a sense of dread hangs heavy over your shoulders.
With most South Korean films, directors usually end up capturing the beauty of the South Korean landscape, be that intentionally or accidentally. Memories of Murder ‘s Cinematography is at times jaw-dropping and of all of the time mouth -watering. DOP Kim Hyung-koo wonderfully showcases South Koreas unique beauty with a melancholic zest. There is something so curiously delicious about the stone colors of the South Korean homes against the pale vibrance of their rural areas. This film isn’t shy when it comes to gorgeous and iconic shots, such as the one of the rice paddy memorial (you can see its essence on the movie poster) and the train tunnel shot (you’ll know it when you see it). The cinematography of Memories of Murder has all the features of a core memory; it will never leave you and will present itself you to almost instantly and randomly.
Memories of Murder is a total masterpiece that boasted all the characteristics of an auteur on his way to Oscar winning recognition. It is a truly resounding film, the very definition of the cinematic experience and is sure to ingrain itself into your memory.
Memories of Murder is available to rent/buy on Amazon Prime and VUDU
コメント