Is Seoul the new Hong Kong? Over the past 5 or 6 years, South Korean cinema has delivered an astonishing new wave of crime thrillers. Woo-Suk Kang’s Public Enemy, Joon-ho Bong’s Memories of Murder, and maybe most famously. Chan-wook Park’s Vengeance Trilogy: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy and Lady Vengeance. Raw and visceral, these movies take edgy and gritty to a new level of nastiness, and have moved beyond their international cult status to become critically acclaimed award winners. (Oldboy and Chan-wook Park won the Grand Prix of the Jury and the Palme d’Or at Cannes).
This year add another new name and hot title to the list of Korean films making waves, with first-time director Hong-jin Na and The Chaser. In March it was announced that Warners Bros acquired the remake rights for The Chaser, with William Monohan set to write and produce, and Leo DiCaprio to star as the detective turned pimp who’s lost one of his girls. In case The Departed wasn’t corrupt enough for you. Why drag this old story up today? Well, aside from Superman in the soup for a reboot, and Bond moved back a week to give us more to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, there’s not a lot else happening that’s newsworthy. Also, I get a chance to see the Chaser tonight, so I’ve been trawling around to see what I could dig up. Trailer after the cut (sorry, no subtitles) and another variation on the poster, each rough enough to use as sandpaper.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0obDVN36HDU[/youtube]
The very kinky website, Twitch has this to say today:
Like a vulture hovering over its prey with menacing subtlety, the darkly fostered rays of the night often become a creature of their own, enveloping man and his darkest instincts, dreams and fears in a doddering mist of charming ambiguity. Silence becomes noise, single steps become marauding hordes of invisible foes. It’s like opening, if for an ever so brief moment, the gates of a parallel world, where instincts replace logic, and it’s dark enough not to be embarrassed by one’s dreams, inner lights and demons. So elusive and nebulous is the night, so full of flair and passion expertly hidden by the dark. So romantic and fascinating it is, it populates the dreams of those who think at 24 frames per second, or measure their life by its page count. The Murnaus of the world, showing their cinematic teeth to the camera through the Grand Guignol, or Sam Spade and Harry Lime, Oh Dae-Soo and Park Du-Man.
When it comes to great thriller, horror or noir films, the night reigns supreme. And, ironically enough, it’s in the pitch black darkness of 2008 Chungmuro that the first sparks of a possible revival could be seen. Whether we’re dealing with the passing shock of a falling star, or the opening fireworks of a much more shining future, that is up to karma. What’s for sure is that 추격자 (The Chaser) is a raw, brutal fireball thrown at the Great Wall of Korean cinema’s new and increasingly unnerving IMF crisis. Can it tear down the whole thing and let the creative fluids flow through once again? That I don’t know, but oh mama. If this is the hell we’re getting, fire walk with me.
Had to put that on page two, since I’m jealous of how hellaciously well-written it is.
Hey, Ridley Scott, while you’re waiting around for the leaves to turn the perfect color for Nottingham, how about you sit down with your buddy Mr. Monahan and talk about The Chaser? It’s been way too long since your last drizzly noir.
Leo as the killer is a brilliant idea, blizzards14. That’s one of the creepiest thing about The Chaser: how damn smooth and charming the killer can be as he’s wiggling out of getting caught. DiCaprio could really nail the huggable psycho role.
I like your Tim Roth idea for the ex-detective pimp too. Or maybe Gary Oldman.
I saw it and indeed its nail biting! I just don’t think Leo suits the detective turned pimp, he should be the killer. Somebody like Nicolas Cage or Tim Roth-esque should play the pimp.
Leo as the killer is a brilliant idea, blizzards14. That’s one of the creepiest thing about The Chaser: how damn smooth and charming the killer can be as he’s wiggling out of getting caught. DiCaprio could really nail the huggable psycho role.
I like your Tim Roth idea for the ex-detective pimp too. Or maybe Gary Oldman.
I saw it and indeed its nail biting! I just don’t think Leo suits the detective turned pimp, he should be the killer. Somebody like Nicolas Cage or Tim Roth-esque should play the pimp.
“…definitely one of Korea’s best movies this year!”
I’d say the best pure thriller of the year from any country. (Tell No One would be next.) If anyone has seen any other nail-biters this good, please let us know about them.
Loved the film, definitely one of Korea’s best movies this year!
“…definitely one of Korea’s best movies this year!”
I’d say the best pure thriller of the year from any country. (Tell No One would be next.) If anyone has seen any other nail-biters this good, please let us know about them.
Loved the film, definitely one of Korea’s best movies this year!
I’d really like to see Bardem vs Ledger… Find out who really is the ultimate bad-ass of supporting actors.
ha, Daniel !!
the carnage!
Silvia Plath vs Virginia Woolf
(heck, I’d settle for Gwyneth vs Nicole)
How about Mr. Rogers vs Mr. Dressup? Damn that would be epic.
damn.
the Gandalf vs Jesus showdown would’ve been as cool
as Yoda vs Neo.
Jet Li vs Bruce Lee
WALL·E vs R2-D2
Mika vs Zac
Ryan, last I heard, that version is as dead as Fried Chicken.
Is AMC still going ahead with its version of The Prisoner? The one starring Jesus and Gandalf?
Well, I loved Monahan’s script for KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, which as seen in the Director’s Cut, was worthy of at least an Oscar nod back in 2005. So yeah, thanks alot 20th Century Fox for making Ridley Scott cut KOH to bits, and costing some noms for yourself you assholes.
Ryan Adams – I’m sure Nolan has free reign to do any project at the WB joint, which may or may not be THE PRISONER. Lets just hope Nolan’s follow-up won’t blow up on his Hollywood God-hood power like SORCERER* did for William Friedkin.
*=Which actually was a pretty good movie, a “pretentious tough guy’s flick,” and that aint an insult at all.
oh, hmm.
you’re right anton_d.
I must’ve been thinking of the Le Trailer d’Or.
(The Golden Trailer award)
I’d really like to see Bardem vs Ledger… Find out who really is the ultimate bad-ass of supporting actors.
It’s not that important, but I feel compelled to point out that while Oldboy did win the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004 it did not win the Palme D’or. The Palme D’or that year was unfortunately given to Fahrenheit 9/11.
haha, I’m glad somebody was paying attention, because obviously I was not. I had the two posters mislabeled.
(Brian, HINT: One of them is Waldo.)
Mr. Gittes, well played sir. I’ve been wondering what Warner Bros might dangle for Nolan as a palette cleanser to keep him happy. This would be perfect.
ha, Daniel !!
the carnage!
Silvia Plath vs Virginia Woolf
(heck, I’d settle for Gwyneth vs Nicole)
Here’s a cooler poster that features the killer, too: http://bigscreenlittlescreen.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/chaser.jpg
Now just image Bale and DiCaprio instead. Can’t wait for this.
Ryan, this has Christopher Nolan written all over it. Time to cash in your Dark Knight chips, Chris. And while you’re at it, get Bale to play the killer.
Monahan is the best screenwriter on the planet. Has anyone read The Edge of Darkness script? Jesus. Monahan is amazing.
How about Mr. Rogers vs Mr. Dressup? Damn that would be epic.
damn.
the Gandalf vs Jesus showdown would’ve been as cool
as Yoda vs Neo.
Jet Li vs Bruce Lee
WALL·E vs R2-D2
Mika vs Zac
Ryan, last I heard, that version is as dead as Fried Chicken.
Is AMC still going ahead with its version of The Prisoner? The one starring Jesus and Gandalf?
All right I give up. What’s the difference in the posters? Is this like a spot the difference game on the back of a General Mills cereal box? Because I was never good at those.
Well, I loved Monahan’s script for KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, which as seen in the Director’s Cut, was worthy of at least an Oscar nod back in 2005. So yeah, thanks alot 20th Century Fox for making Ridley Scott cut KOH to bits, and costing some noms for yourself you assholes.
Ryan Adams – I’m sure Nolan has free reign to do any project at the WB joint, which may or may not be THE PRISONER. Lets just hope Nolan’s follow-up won’t blow up on his Hollywood God-hood power like SORCERER* did for William Friedkin.
*=Which actually was a pretty good movie, a “pretentious tough guy’s flick,” and that aint an insult at all.
DiCaprio and Monahan are working together a lot lately.
oh, hmm.
you’re right anton_d.
I must’ve been thinking of the Le Trailer d’Or.
(The Golden Trailer award)
It’s not that important, but I feel compelled to point out that while Oldboy did win the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004 it did not win the Palme D’or. The Palme D’or that year was unfortunately given to Fahrenheit 9/11.
haha, I’m glad somebody was paying attention, because obviously I was not. I had the two posters mislabeled.
(Brian, HINT: One of them is Waldo.)
Mr. Gittes, well played sir. I’ve been wondering what Warner Bros might dangle for Nolan as a palette cleanser to keep him happy. This would be perfect.
All right I give up. What’s the difference in the posters? Is this like a spot the difference game on the back of a General Mills cereal box? Because I was never good at those.
DiCaprio and Monahan are working together a lot lately.