[HanCinema's Film Review] "The Pollen of Flowers" + Full Movie

Ha Gil-jong's style was very much influenced by Kim Ki-young, something that becomes evident throughout his movies, but never more than in "The Pollen of Flowers", where the psychosexual elements also function as a political metaphor. The particular work is also believed to be the first Korean film to depict a gay character, although the truth is that both of them are bisexual.

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Hyeon-ma is a rich businessman who has taken a young man named Dan-joo under his wing, in a way that is immediately hinted at as a homoerotic relationship. During one visit to the house he keeps his concubine, Se-ran and her younger sister, Mi-ran, the presence of the young man disrupts the previous balance, just as the latter menstruates for the first time. The two youths soon find themselves into an affair, although the young man also seems to be the recipient of the lust of the maid of the house Ok-nyeo, even if to a lesser extent. When Heyon-ma realizes what is happening, his controlling nature leads him to violence towards the young man, in a series of events that deem the house even more suffocating than it previously was, for everyone involved, and the maid playing her own role to the whole thing.

Ha Gil-jong creates a delirious movie which retains, however, its artistry throughout, as sexual desire and control become the driving forces of the suffocating environment the house is eventually turned in. It is quite entertaining, as much as thought provoking to see how sexual desire is created, upon the appearance of Dan-joo, and how it is eventually turned to violence through the sociopathic tendencies of Hyeon-ma, and particularly his constant need to have everything under control, in this case his lover, his mistress, and her sister. The way he reacts as soon as he suspects that something is going on between the two youths is truly shocking, with the movie becoming something of a crime movie due to his investigation and eventual chasing, before violence kicks in, reaching the levels of exploitation films. At the same time, that even through this suffocating, violent setting, sexual desire still seems to be everywhere, is a direct comment on human nature, accompanied by where the various levels of greed can lead people.

Hyeon-ma's financial status and the way he wants to control everyone around him looks like a direct accusation to Park Chung-hee's dictatorship, who brought financial progress to the country but was also stigmatized by intense suppression toward the citizens. The fate of Hyeon-ma in the film can also be perceived as a continuation of this metaphor, particularly regarding the way his former clients end up being against him, while the homosexual relationship can be perceived as a stronger, even ironic jab towards the dictator. Nevertheless, Namkoong Won is exceptional in the role, both in the moments he shows his love and the one when he shows his ugly side, with the scene with the mice and the one in the courtyard with the guests being the highlights of his performance.

Also of note is the role of the maid, who seems to despise all of the people in the house with the exception of Dan-joo, and is one of the main mediums of the horrific atmosphere that eventually take over both the narrative and the overall aesthetics, with her hitting of the drum and the mice scene once more, highlighting this aspect quite eloquently. Yeon Woon-kye in the role of Ok-nyeo gives another great performance in the movie, with the air of mysteriousness that surrounds her adding much to the general atmosphere.

The cinematography by You Young-gil is also excellent in the way he captures the suffocating space of the house, with the scenes where the perspective mirrors the almost omnipresent, voyeuristic gaze of Ok–nyeo being the apogees of his work, with the same applying to the erotic scenes, which are also as delirious as the rest of the movie is after a point. Ree Kyoung-ja's editing also adds to the aforementioned sense, with his occasionally abrupt cuts, and the overall, relatively fast pace.

On the other hand, there are some issues with Ha Gil-jong's handling of both the visuals and the context, as it becomes obvious that he lost his sense of measure and is essentially "trapped" in his own sense of deliriousness, with the movie barely making sense in some points. Some melodramatic notions could not be missing here also, rounding up the problems of the title.

Apart from those though, "The Pollen of Flowers" emerges as a more than worthy film, equally titillating and thought-provoking, and one that could also be attributed the title of cult, for its most extreme aspects.

Review by Panos Kotzathanasis

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"The Pollen of Flowers" is directed by Ha Gil-jong, and features Hah Myung-joong, Namkoong Won, Choi Ji-hee-I, Yoon So-ra, Yeo Woon-kye, Kim Ki-bum-II. Release date in Korea: 1972/04/07.