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Korean films...

Old 03-25-02, 08:33 AM
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Korean films...

I have watched two great Korean films in the past week...
Peppermint Candy and
Flower Island...
I thought they were amazing !!... but can't find too many reviews on the net about them...

Anyone ?

Thanks,
Old 03-25-02, 11:16 AM
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...ahh...

http://www.mrqe.com/lookup?peppermint+candy

...and...

http://www.koreanfilm.org/htdocs/dcf...umID2/170.html

. . . . . .

Last edited by Hendrik; 03-25-02 at 11:21 AM.
Old 03-25-02, 11:53 AM
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Thanks Hendrik !

Thats great!.. any chance that you saw either of these films ?

Would love to hear your comments...

Cheers,
Old 03-25-02, 04:32 PM
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"...any chance that you saw either of these films ? ..."

...nope... haven't been to a cinema in ages... and I don't think any Korean movies have been shown in Switzerland in any case... however, I do have a few Korean titles on DVD: Shiri, Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left For The East?, The Foul King and Nightmare --- to widen my horizons, so to speak...

. . . . . .
Old 03-25-02, 07:34 PM
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Both of these films are on DVD... from pokerindustries.com... well worth the purchase !!!
Old 03-25-02, 10:33 PM
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Peppermint Candy was one of my favorite films that I saw last year. The second-last scene utterly destroyed me.
I admittedly hated the main character with a passion at first, but this is obviously very purposeful. The film also preceded "Memento" in its use of rewinding time.

The director, Lee Chang-Dong also was on-hand to explain key parts of the film, and how it related to the turmoils of South Korea's recent history.

Last edited by Grimfarrow; 03-25-02 at 10:36 PM.
Old 03-26-02, 05:46 AM
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Hey Grimfarrow... nice to see you back!... don't know if you noticed but your last comments at DVDCriterion actually did chase DB away... or he has changed his moniker...

Cheers,
Old 03-26-02, 04:35 PM
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Originally posted by Gary Tooze
Hey Grimfarrow... nice to see you back!... don't know if you noticed but your last comments at DVDCriterion actually did chase DB away... or he has changed his moniker...

Cheers,
Yeah, but the forum is closed anyways, so oh well.

Thanks for the welcome though I've actually always been on this forum.
Old 03-26-02, 04:57 PM
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I have been living in Korea for almost four years and have seen a number of movies both in the theatre and on DVD. Just my opinion but I found Peppermint Candy to be thoroughly disappointing. To me, the main character just seemed to be a jerk throughout with no real motivitaing factors. Yes, the martial-law era scenes gave some explanation for his personality but didn't go nearly deep enough to satisfy.

If I could recommend one Korean movie that I feel is a must-see, that would be "FAILAN", starring Choi Min-Sheek. He's a terrific actor and this movie was far more "earth-shattering" and moving for me than Peppermint Candy. Another one I would recommend (though it's not out here on DVD yet) is called HAPPY END, also starring Choi Min-Sheek.

Thanks,

Duane
Old 03-26-02, 05:38 PM
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...no real motivitaing factors...
:0... perhaps you didn't watch it till the end... which was the point in watching it at all... to find out WHY he was such a tortured soul.. sheesh!
Old 03-26-02, 06:07 PM
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Funny those they the first two Korean DVDs I ever ordered. I liked Peppermint Candy; a well-done character study though the 'ending' is predictable which dulls its impact.

Flower Island I didn't feel too strongly about. It got lost after they reached the island and the ending was overextended.
Old 03-26-02, 07:31 PM
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Perhaps Peppermint Candy would have had a greater impact on some if they understood and appreciated the parallels to Korean history over the past 25 years... ex. "The Kwangju Massacre and the brutal methods used by police in dealing with student activists during the 1980s both feature prominently, as does the financial turbulence of the 1990s..." ( why he goes bankrupt in the beginning )...

Cheers,
Old 03-26-02, 08:52 PM
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I am fairly aware of the era and that incident in particular. I've read books and have a few friends who were there (one guy's best friend is still behind bars). I guess what I mean is that despite those things that happened to him I felt no sympathy for him AS A CHARACTER.

Take it easy, I'm not implying any of those events were not significant in and of themselves, just that as far as his character goes, they didn't sink in FOR ME.

Duane
Old 03-27-02, 01:14 PM
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I will check these out. Thanks guys.

DVD SMURF
Old 04-01-02, 06:13 PM
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quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...no real motivitaing factors...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:0... perhaps you didn't watch it till the end... which was the point in watching it at all... to find out WHY he was such a tortured soul.. sheesh!
Hmmm...
There is a term used for those who participated in the military action: "Kwangju vet", and it is meant to describe the emotional troulbes that have befallen the forced participants in the event. To me, their trauma would seem very understandable as an action with they took part in, and now, given distance, feel a guilty remorse. It does not seem reasonable that an accident would cause that kind of reaction. The filmmakers, in the best of Hollywood traditions, hedged their bets on the audience's ability to understand, and made the critical, life motivating event an accident! A cheap trick. Just like having the husband of his first love track him down, take him to his long lost lover, and stand patiently by while she gives him the camera. Give me a break. There were many good Korean films made in the last few years,
films with real intellectual honesty. This was not one of them.
Old 04-01-02, 08:20 PM
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There were many good Korean films made in the last few years...
Love to hear their titles Michael... thanks!
Old 04-01-02, 10:18 PM
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I'm looking forward to seeing "One Fine Spring Day".
Old 04-02-02, 06:05 AM
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Yes, Grimfarrow, I am partial to One Fine Spring Day. A film I find to be well observed and brutally honest in it's treatment of human relationships. I like it much better than the it's somewhat melodramatic predecessor, Christmas in August. It seems to be a continuation, or even conclusion, of themes began in Christmas in August.
By the way, Grimfarrow, I really appreciate your web site, and very much like the fact that you have given an explication of your ratings. I may not agree with them all, but I always understand why you liked or disliked a film, based on the rating explanations. If we all did this there might be far fewer internet debates.
Old 04-02-02, 06:39 AM
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Gary, the Korean films that I have seen recently that made a strong impression on me were:

Two films by Hong Sang-soo:
Virgin Stripped Bare by Bachelors, and the near masterpiece, Power of Kangwon Province. The production values of these two films are poor indeed, but he takes great risks with both his characters and his storytelling.

Spring in My Hometown by Lee Kwangmo. The painterly shot compositions and complex but resonant plot won me over. Also, I am a sucker for any film that honestly deals with the effects of war on life away from the battlelines. To me, this film shows war on it's most elemental level-how it affects the non-participants.

Lies by Jang Sun-Woo is not an easy film to watch, but is, to me, another example of sharply observed characters in an honest plot. I would love to see more of his work.

Lastly, Green Fish, the first film by Lee Chang-Dong has some interesting aspects. Again, some of the plot points seemed manipulative and forced, but it is watchable and involving.

Gary, I often refer to your very useful web site...
Old 04-02-02, 07:02 PM
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Originally posted by Michael Estes
Yes, Grimfarrow, I am partial to One Fine Spring Day. A film I find to be well observed and brutally honest in it's treatment of human relationships. I like it much better than the it's somewhat melodramatic predecessor, Christmas in August. It seems to be a continuation, or even conclusion, of themes began in Christmas in August.
By the way, Grimfarrow, I really appreciate your web site, and very much like the fact that you have given an explication of your ratings. I may not agree with them all, but I always understand why you liked or disliked a film, based on the rating explanations. If we all did this there might be far fewer internet debates.
Well, some reviews have described One Fine Spring Day as a Korean Wong Kar-Wai film. And considering that I happen to like Wong knock-offs like "Suzhou River" by Lou Ye, this one also appeals to me.
Thanks for your comment on my website. Admittedly, it's rather neglected at this point (except for my scathing criticism of "Iris"). But I'm learning Dreamweaver right now, and hopefully I can produce someone more presentable in the future.

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