Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance / Oldboy / Lady Vengeance (Park Chan-wook, 2002/2003/2005)

Message

Michael · #1 Post by **Michael** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 9:46 pm

Oldboy is coming to the Florida Film Festival very soon. It gathers an enormous number of generous reviews and it's currently #92 on imdb.com. There is not much discussion on this film here on this forum unless I missed it.

Any comments, my friends?

two mules · #2 Post by **two mules** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 6:35 am

I was going to write my thoughts on OLDBOY, but this review says it all for me. I wasn't too impressed when I saw it in a theatre, but I have to admit, it's stuck in my mind since, and I will be watching it again.

I did watch SYMPATHY FOR MR VENGEANCE last week, though, and thought it was much much better.

Pinback · #3 Post by **Pinback** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 12:59 pm

Oldboy really is a superb film: it has a very controlled construction, both visually and thematically. The precision of the plot is magnificent to behold. Oldboy is one of the films with which Tartan is hoping to break its Asia Extreme brand to the US market...I think it'll do the trick...

There was also some discussion of the film itself over at the Tartan R2 DVD thread.

Also, as I'm sure many of you know, one of the most anticipated South Korean films of 2005 is Park Chan-wook's Sympathy For Lady Vengeance, which Park is describing as the closing part of his "Vengeance Trilogy", which began with Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance and continued with Oldboy.

Michael · #4 Post by **Michael** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 1:19 pm

Thanks, Pinback. I forgot that I already asked the same question on another thread last Christmas.

Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance is very impressive. I love how the film places us in the green-haired deaf guy's POV in some scenes... very clever. I remember caring about his relationship with his sister which is a brilliant contrast to the ugly, cruel world presented in the film. It's been two years since I saw the film.. I would like to see it again.

Pinback · #5 Post by **Pinback** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:27 pm

Oldboy is already set for a Hollywood remake, to be released in 2006.

Lino · #6 Post by **Lino** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:33 pm

Michael, if you can catch it in the theatre, please do. It's one of those that you REALLY have to experience on the big screen.

One of the most intense viewings I've ever had.

Michael · #7 Post by **Michael** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 3:13 pm

Yeah, I'm planning to. On April 9th. Florida Film Festival will be screening Oldboy at one of the nicest theaters in town. Showtime = midnight. Should be cool. It looks like I will be going by myself.

cafeman · #8 Post by **cafeman** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 8:46 pm

Well, I`m still unsure how I feel about the ending, and the tongue part wasn`t necessary, but other than those minor quibbles, a damn fine flick.

And that corridor sequence...

The Invunche · #9 Post by **The Invunche** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 1:37 am

Go for calamari before the movie.

two mules · #10 Post by **two mules** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 6:42 am

Annie Mall wrote:Michael, if you can catch it in the theatre, please do. It's one of those that you REALLY have to experience on the big screen.

Provided you get a decent print. I saw it here in the West End of London, a week after release, and it was grainy, soft, generally shitty looking. Looked like it was struck from a Digibeta source, rather than film, or blown up from 16mm. And this from Tartan, who were selling the hell out of it.
The DVD looks much better.

Annie Mall wrote:One of the most intense viewings I've ever had.

If you get involved in the film. It really really is worth noting that this just might not be the "all-things-to-all-people" life-changing cinema experience it's being hyped as. I came away pretty cold. Sorry to be a wet blanket, but, y'know, it's not for everyone.

pianocrash · #11 Post by **pianocrash** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 8:59 am

2005 release dates (US)

cafeman · #12 Post by **cafeman** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 9:02 am

Oh, I got the symbolisym, Suoicivlek, but it just felt like dramatic overkill, but then such overkills are not out of character for Asian cinema, so I didn`t mind it too much.

Michael · #13 Post by **Michael** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 7:53 pm

One of the most intense viewings I've ever had.

More intense than Irreversible or Audition?

Lino · #14 Post by **Lino** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 4:50 am

Well, it could hardly be more intense than those two but it is pretty intense, at least in my book.

The thing with Oldboy is that the story is indeed great and overall very original and the acting is top notch as well. Not only that, I found the mise-en-scene very inspired with some scenes really sticking out (not wanting to give too much away).

Definitely a film in the "film as an experience" canon.

chaddoli · #15 Post by **chaddoli** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 6:54 pm

As I'm sure many of you know, Park is going to complete his vengeance trilogy this year with Sympathy for Lady Vengeance which IMDb FINALLY added to their site.

However, on several sites (including Oldboy's official site), Park's filmography is mentioned. They discuss two films that I can't find any info about.

The Moon Is the Sun's Dream (1992)
Trio (1997)

Does anyone know anything about these films? (including where they can be found)

Pinback · #16 Post by **Pinback** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 1:26 pm

chaddoli wrote:However, on several sites (including Oldboy's official site), Park's filmography is mentioned. They discuss two films that I can't find any info about.

The Moon Is the Sun's Dream (1992)
Trio (1997)

Does anyone know anything about these films? (including where they can be found)

There seems to be very little information about these films around (also, Trio is called Threesome on some sites). They aren't available on DVD, even in Korea. I'm surprised, since Park is getting so much attention at the moment. I'm sure they'll be released soon enough though, possibly sometime around the release of Sympathy For Lady Vengeance, to capitalise on the publicity.

lord_clyde · #17 Post by **lord_clyde** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 11:34 pm

I have a strange request. Anybody know where I can get an enlish translation? The dvd I have doesn't have subs (I watched it all the way through and I could tell what was going on just from the bits I've heard from others) and I would very much like to know what the characters are actually saying. Based on only visuals, I can easily recommend this though.

The Invunche · #18 Post by **The Invunche** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 2:20 am

Ahh that's what happens when you download movies.

lord_clyde · #19 Post by **lord_clyde** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 4:03 am

I never said I downloaded it. . .

Okay, I downloaded it, but with all the buzz and the fact that it's not playing in my timezone can you blame me?

Anyway, awesome looking films. Once I figure out what all that business about

SpoilerShow

that drowning girl

and other trivialties were all about, I can return and have an intelligent discussion on the content of it.

The Invunche · #20 Post by **The Invunche** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 5:35 am

There are several DVD versions available in other regions (with English subs).

Napoleon · #21 Post by **Napoleon** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:07 am

The Invunche wrote:There are several DVD versions available in other regions (with English subs).

Like this one?

Fair enough to download something genuinely OOP, but Oldboy isn't exactly gold dust is it?

The Invunche · #22 Post by **The Invunche** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 12:23 pm

Also, the Korean versions are pretty good (and subtitled).

The comparison page for Oldboy at the Beaver is being redone so I can't post it.

Pinback · #23 Post by **Pinback** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 1:08 pm

The Invunche wrote:Also, the Korean versions are pretty good (and subtitled).

The huge advantage of the Tartan UK R0 release is that it subtitles all extras, including three commentary tracks. I really can't recommend this release enough, I think it's a superb treatment for a superb film.

Lino · #24 Post by **Lino** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 1:21 pm

Shame about the cover, though. I positively hate most of UK DVD covers. Why do they have to put those quotes and ratings all over the place?! Isn't it enough to put that horrid age classification logo on the front AND spine of the box?! Good grief!

Pinback · #25 Post by **Pinback** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 1:26 pm

Annie Mall wrote:Shame about the cover, though. I positively hate most of UK DVD covers. Why do they have to put those quotes and ratings all over the place?! Isn't it enough to put that horrid age classification logo on the front AND spine of the box?! Good grief!

An irritatingly high number of UK DVDs do seem to fall victim to poor design and over-quoting. I don't think the Oldboy cover is too bad though...the image is pretty much the original UK poster art, and the slipcase has a nice reflective shattered-mirror pattern that doesn't show up on scans of the cover.