2003 ‘장화, 홍련’ Directed by Kim Jee-woon
A recently released patient from a mental institution returns home with her sister, only to face disturbing events between her stepmother and the ghosts haunting their house- all of which are connected to a dark past in the family's history.
Janghwa, Hongryeon, Zwei Schwestern, Dos hermanas, Deux Sœurs, Két nővér, Los poseidos, A Tale Of Two Sisters
This has been in my queue for years. I thought I would adore this film because it is one of the most hyped films of the Korean New Wave and Kim Jee-woon is great but I think I messed up and saw this film 15 years too late. The style is definitely of its time. I can see the influence this film had on the last decade and a half of this genre -- especially the Blumhouse films like Insidious, Sinister, Conjuring, etc. So I wasn't swept away because I'm so used to the style now. Damn it.
Watched on Kanopy.
Btw, Kanopy is an amazing streaming platform that is free with a public library card. They have a great selection of films... perhaps the best in terms of diversity - classic, foreign, indie and new releasees. Kanopy is one of two platforms streaming this film - the other is Shudder.
Part of Hoop-Tober
“I’ll always be with you.”
In close-up, a man washes his hands carefully and repeatedly. His hands do not appear dirty. He has not, so far as we can tell, just used the toilet, nor is he preparing to eat or to engage in some practice necessitating sterility. He is merely awaiting a conversation. Nonetheless, he is fastidious about his washing. It is a curious image with which to begin Kim Jee-Woon’s A Tale of Two Sisters, but one that, eventually, makes a great deal of sense. For hand-washing, in the grand tradition of Pontius Pilate, is commonly associated with the cleansing of guilt, and guilt hangs over Kim’s picture like a deathly shroud.
Of course, hand-washing…
To all involved in the making of this film:
You're all a bunch of heartless bastards.
Sincerely,
Dirk's insomnia
"Pull yourself together" - The Dad,
Well I didn't see that coming.
A woman returns home from a mental institution to live with her sister, father and step mother. Upon her return she begins to have troubling nightmares and pick up on clues to a past that is problematic. The less you know about this the better but I will say that this movie is so fucking creepy and awkward from beginning to end and I really enjoyed that about it. It's a well-crafted horror thriller that deserves attention. I'll have to seek out more of Kim Jee-woon's work (suggestions?) as I found the direction to be the greatest strength of this film. It's clear that this has had a major influence on horror in the decade after its release, not the least of which include the Conjuring but this is a level above those films.
Hoop-Tober, Film 17 of 31:
A complex film that utilizes the concept of non-linear filmmaking quite well, but is so intricately crafted that it might confuse some viewers. You'd be hard-pressed to find a horror film with a better combination of cinematography, editing and performances... but even calling this a horror film feels wrong. The ever-mobile camera juxtaposed with the gorgeous set design makes for a fantastic visual experience, and the sound design is just as well put together. There were at least a half dozen points during the film where a certain sound effect or scream or something sent a shiver down my spine and made my body tense up.
A Tale of Two Sisters has an impressive atmosphere…
Impressive Horror sycophants. Tried to make it strong but couldn't stand with storytelling
An exquisite bit of dread, misdirection and stillness. It's one of my favorites.
Empieza lenta, sumamente lenta. Sin rumbo aparente, lo cual no es necesariamente malo pero lamentablemente concluye en un nudo de la historia que se siente congestionado, que no avanza.
Finalmente, se nos da un twist que resulta interesante. Llegué a pensar que, de agarrarse a ese twist, podría remontar la hora y cuarto en la que básicamente no sucedió nada. Lamentablemente busca otra twist menos coherente que el anterior y al final se nos dan las explicaciones que quizá debieron aparecer mucho antes.
Excelente fotografía, un guión con potencial pero que se quedó en eso.
A tragic story with a terrifying shadow in the backdrop. Masterful telling and a mystery that keeps it going.
esse filme me fez ficar tao confusa e repensar as coisas tantas vzs que nem sei prosseguir com a minha vida
*Spoiler Alert*
এই ছবিটার গল্পটা আসলে খুবই সরল - কিন্তু নির্মাতারা গল্পটা থেকে সিনেমা বানাতে গিয়ে, Edit ও Stylization-এ অকারণ জটিল করে তুলেছেন । কোরিয়ার 'Janghwa Hongryeon jeon' -নামে লোকগাথা-টি অবলম্বনে এই ছবিটা তৈরী । ঐ একই গল্প থেকে আরো ছ-খানা ছবি হয়েছে । অবশ্য ইচ্ছাকৃত জটিল, অকারণ কায়দাবাজি-পরিপূর্ণ, অদ্ভুতভাবে অন্ধকারাচ্ছন্ন (একমাত্র আলো এই ছবি-র মিউজিক) এই ছবিটাই একমাত্র দর্শক মনে জায়গা করে নিতে পেরেছে । তার কারণ বোধহয় এই যে, মানুষ সিনেমার সারল্যের কদর করতে ভুলে গেছে এবং ধাঁধা বা, ধোঁয়াশা (তা সে যতই অকারণ ও অবাস্তব হোক না কেন - যেমন পোলানস্কির কিছু ছবি; যেমন The Ghost Writer, Frantic) নিয়ে মাথা ঘামাতে বেশি পছন্দ করছে । তবে পরিচালক Kim Jee-Woon-এর সব ছবি এমন নয় । 'A Bittersweet Life'…
I found this more confusing than unsettling. The story's structure makes it so that the events of the movie can only be understood retroactively, as a key piece of information is withheld until the final moments of the film. Maybe I just like instant gratification, but I generally find it unsatisfying when a movie is designed to completely resist interpretation until after it's over. I did really like Yum Jung-ah's performance as her countenance gradually transforms from cold to ghoulish.
Plotzin batido e previsível mas um filme no geral bem executado... Se tivesse visto a uns anos atrás provavelmente a nota seria maior
Darren Carver-Balsiger 893 films
Pessimistic worldviews. For when you want to wallow in despair.
It doesn't matter if we all die.
Suggestions welcome.
Tori 🐛 526 films
Suggestions welcome, especially any African film recs!
Tobias Andersen 7,910 films
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