This year's Korean Cinema Retrospective, a program held annually at the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) presents two categories, one highlighting the films of HAN Hyung-mo, a master of popular comedies and dramasduring the 50s and 60s, and a special spotlight on two films by the weird genius of Korean cinema, KIM Ki-young.
The section on director HAN, titled 'Alchemist of Popular Genres' will showcase seven of his 19 features: his first box office hit, The Hand of Destiny (1954), the racy for its time melodrama, Madame Freedom (1956), the successful comedy, Hyperbolae of Youth (1956), and four others, Love to Death (1957), A Female Boss (1959), A Dream of Fortune (1961), and My Sister Is a Hussy (1961).
In the second category, titled 'Archeology of Korean Cinema', KIM's masterpiece "The Housemaid" (1960), now in a new digitally restored print funded through the Martin Scorsese-founded World Cinema Foundation and unveiled earlier this year at Cannes, will screen along ...| More
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"The Good, the Bad, the Weird" by director Kim Ji-woon has drawn more than 4.5 million viewers in just two weeks after it hit local theaters on July 17. The Chosun Ilbo spoke to the director of this most talked-about Korean film of the year.
Rave reviews at the Cannes Film Festival in May will have boosted his confidence. Appearing in sunglasses against the strong sunshine, Kim stressed the aesthetics of "handmade" filmmaking. He said sincerity is needed not only in the film's theme or attitude. "I work as though making the movie by hand. I give all I have in filming". He offers the example of a bowl. "Some potters exert the utmost effort not only in the function but also in color and pattern. I'd be happy if viewers question how the film was made rather than why, and if it's dubbed 'the Korean film with the best action sequence' rather than a perfect entertainment".
The unlikely combination of entertainment and dedicated craftsmanship makes sense after watching the film. "The Go...| More
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In Shakespeare's "All's Well that Ends Well", the playwright wrote, "Praising what is lost makes the remembrance dear".
Mun Suk, 53, has just published a book in the same vein. Titled "The Last Year" it honors the memory of her lost love, Lee Man-hee (1931-1975).
Mun was a leading actress in Korea during the 1970s, starring in "A Road to Sampo" (1975) and "A Girl Who Looks Like the Sun" (1975), both of which were directed by Lee.
Lee directed numerous movies during the golden age of Korean cinema in the 60s and 70s, such as "Marine Corps Who Never Return" (1963), starring Jang Dong-hwi and Choi Moo-ryong, that examined the brutality of the Korean War and the sorrow that followed.
"The Wild Flowers in the Battle Field" (1974), starring Shin Seong-il and Lee Young-ok, also depicts the tragedy of the Korean War and the violent struggle between the two divided nations, told through the eyes of a young boy.
Mun and Lee ― the most prominent symbols of Korean cinema during this ...| More
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While YU Hyun-mok, SHIN Sang-ok and KIM Ki-young are among the most venerated directors of the Golden Age of Korean cinema (mid 1950's to late '60's), new retrospectives and restoration projects are adding the names of other worthy directors to the pantheon. The 2005 Pusan International Film Festival showcased the films of LEE Man-hee, bringing him to the fore as a major Korean cinematic artist. This year's Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (PiFan) presented four singular features by another talented artist in Korean film, director LEE Bong-rae.
The retrospective program, entitled LEE Bong Rae: Journal of the Ordinary, selected four representative films from the over 30 features LEE directed during the span of his career. Included was his most famous work, A Petty Middle Manager, produced in 1961. It is LEE's first comedy, after establishing himself and fine-tuning his craft directing polished melodramas. The film gained popular success and critical acclaim for its b...| More
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A retrospective of the nation's renowned director Lee Man-hee (1931-1975) featuring 22 films by Lee, who made 51 movies in 15 years. Titled "Homage to Lee Man-hee: the Genius Filmmaker". Regarded as having led the nation's golden age of cinema, Lee produced films in various genres from an action, melodrama, thriller and even horror. Among the 22 films, nine movies will be screened with English subtitles including "Black Hair" (1964), "Break the Chain" (1971), "The Devil's Stairway" (1964), "Holiday" (1968), "The Marines Who Didn't Come Back" (1963) and "A Road to Return" (1967). The opening ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. followed by the screening of "Holiday". Tickets for each screening are 2,000 won. The Korean Film Archive is located in the Seoul Arts Center, near exit 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal Station on subway line 3. For more information, call (02) 521-2101 or visit http://www.koreafilm.or.kr
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