Im Kwon-taek's visually stunning portrait of a troubled Korean painter
Darcy Paquet (internews)
Jang Seung-eop is a Korean painter who lived in the late 19th century, famed as much for his brilliant artwork as for his irreverent lifestyle. Born into the lower classes, he never felt at ease amidst the nobility who grew to covet his work, and his reputation for drinking and womanizing make up some of the few known details about his life.
Only a fraction of his artworks remain, but although he is not as famous as some other Korean painters, art experts continue to hold his work in high regard.
Following the glittering international career of his 97th film "Chunhyang, which competed at Cannes and performed well in a North American release, veteran director Im Kwon-taek turned to Jang Seung-eop for the subject of his next feature.
The relative lack of knowledge about the painter's life provided scope for Im's imagination to run free, and the end result is less a researched presentation of Jang's life than it is a rumination on art, artists, and society.
The film's opening prepares us for the overall mood of the work: a closeup of a brush as it moves frantically and chaotically across a thin sheet of paper, creating gorgeous images at great haste. The film too is propelled forward at a similar speed, expressing the impatient creation of the artist rather than the leisurely consumption of the work by its patrons. Together with cinematographer Jung Il-sung, Im creates fantastic imagery in this film, from the many shots of the artwork itself to landscapes and costumes that burst with color. More than anything else this film succeeds as a rich visual feast.
In terms of the story, the most striking aspect of the film is its romanticism, in its seeming desire to create a Korean Byron or Liszt. Jang's rebellious nature and bellowing at the sky are echoed in other films about artists like Vincent & Theo and Camille Claudel. The film is set in the turbulent historical backdrop dissected by Im's earlier film Kaebyok: Fly High, Run Far, but without a prior knowledge of Korean history viewers will gain little from the captions and references to China and Japan's struggles over a weakened Korea.
Jang is played by the immensely talented actor Choi Min-sik, and his performance is robust, although rumor has it he was not given free reign to portray the character as he might have wished. He is joined by an impressive supporting cast including Ahn Seong-gi as Jang's mentor and actresses Kim Yeo-jin, Yoo Ho-jeong and Son Ye-jin as the various women in his life.
I must say that personally I didn't like this film, despite its strengths and the incredible artwork. Whereas Chunhyang could lay claim to presenting a new way of blending sound and story, Chihwaseon (Strokes of fire) feels more like imitation, of reinforcing popular images of artists and Asian culture that already exist in people's minds. The presentation of the Best Director award to Im at Cannes is a fitting recognition of his long and distinguished career, but he has produced much stronger work in the past, films that get under your skin rather than seducing you with its charms.
English 
US$5 off (order min. US$5)
