The Isle (Seom) : Review
Nov. 2nd, 2006 01:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alexandral
A long while ago, I did a post about films definitely worthy to watch, but too disturbing for yours truly’s comfortable consumption. I am afraid I have a winner in this category. As I am so fascinated with all things Korean at the moment (And I do not lie to myself and admit that this has all to do with amazing Bi/Rain), I was looking for some interesting film to watch on the weekend and came across "The Isle".
Director Kim Ki-duk: South Korean director, born in the working class family in 1960, he started working at the factory at the age of 17. When he reached the age of 30 (so much for the late start!!) he went to Paris, buying a ticket by collecting every penny he had. In Paris Kim Ki-duk lived on selling his paintings on the street and took part in the script-writing contests. The break-through came for him in 1993 with the the top award from the Educational Institute of Screenwriting. The most inetersting thing about Kim Ki-duk is that though he is apparently very well recognised and critically received internationally, he fails to impress Korean audiences. I actually don’t find this unlikely at all, considering the nature of his films.
Some of the films he has made:
“Spirng, Summer, Autumn, Winter.. and Spring”
“3-Iron”
“Coastguard”
“Samaritan Girl”
“The Bow”
“Time”
The story: The film takes place on a remote fishing resort – a beautiful lake with floating huts for the people who want to come and fish. As any beautiful lake, it has it’s own Spirit – mute girl Jung Suh who makes her living by selling all sorts of things to fishers, including herself. When a young man troubled by his past memories comes to the Lake to hide from the police, Jung Suh saves him from suicide attempt and becomes obsessed with him.
Actors The actress playing the main heroine Jung Suh, Hee-Jin, is beyond words. This is probably the first time in my memory when a character who did not utter a single word during the cause of the film managed to keep my attention absolutely captivated. Usually in films, if there is a character unable to speak, we get his/her thoughts translated into words, like in “Dear Frankie”. What we get in “The Isle” is complete silence, the honest way to feel the world in which a mute person could be living in.
Allegory There were many many levels of allegory in “The Isle”. If I felt I can stomach watching this film again, it could be interesting to see more of these levels unravel. Initially I thought that the main theme is about the nature of love, about the inherent cruelty of any romantic relationship (OK, I don’t agree with this personally, but I can see the point!). People go about sticking fishing hooks into each other and maiming each other and themselves in passing. It doesn’t make any difference that the wounds we create are invisible and the hooks which we use are invisible too. This doesn’t make it all any less painful.
Another level of allegory I remembered later, the old-time metaphor that sea (or lake in this case) is a representation of the human conglomerate/population. And here it all connects with the drowning as a metaphor for loosing ourselves in this world.
Disturbing Part Saying all this, oh boy! “The Isle” had some of the most disturbing scenes EVER! I am still considering if the use of these scenes was justified in a sense of the message Kim Ki-duk was trying to convey, but at the moment my answer is “No”. Some of the cruel and painful to watch scenes did come across to me as just pure fascination with cruelty on the aprt of director. (only my own opinion)
PS My next film to watch is “Kung fu Hustle” That should be a happy film, right???
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Date: 2006-11-02 02:42 pm (UTC)If you want to watch some more comercial Korean movies, you can try "My Sassy Girl", which is a adorable comedy. I'm a big fan of "Windstruck", but it's a combination of comedy/romance plus really dramatic scenes (get lots of kleenex handy if you watch this one). You may like Bichunmoo, it has beautiful costumes and tragedy, and it's a period film.
Kung fu Hustle was very fun to watch, with stunning action scenes and plenty of hilarious moments. I'll be looking forward to your thoughts on it!
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Date: 2006-11-02 04:15 pm (UTC)** Writes down recs very quickly ** . I have seen “Bichunmoo” , I am sorry , I did not like it that much at all, it was far too pretentious for my tastes. I have heard about “My Sassy Girl” from koala, I want to watch it very badly! Though this is not an easy film to find in UK, it seems. I don’t like downloading films at all :(
I'm a big fan of "Windstruck", but it's a combination of comedy/romance plus really dramatic scenes (get lots of kleenex handy if you watch this one).
Good ending? No one wonders into the snow-covered wilderness?Funny enough, I can cope with almost any ending in independent films, but not in commercial ones!
Kung fu Hustle was very fun to watch, with stunning action scenes and plenty of hilarious moments.
EEEEE! I have heard so much good about this film! I am really looking forward to see it!
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Date: 2006-11-02 07:44 pm (UTC)Well, the ending is kind of hopeful. There's a tragic twist in the middle of the film, which makes the female protagonist very sad and upset during the second part of the movie... but the ending is beautiful, hopeful, and romantic.
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Date: 2006-11-03 12:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-02 02:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-02 04:31 pm (UTC)No, unfortunately “The Isle” is the first film I have seen of Kim Ki-duk’s. I want to watch “Time” too, it is supposed to be very beautiful (in every way) as according to the reviews I have heard. Hmm. I am fascinated!
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Date: 2006-11-02 03:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-02 04:40 pm (UTC)Fantastic! I was thinking that “The Isle” reminded me of something. I definitely can see the connection with some of David Lynch ‘s films. May be in a dreamy or rather parallel-reality feel of it. Have you seen any of the other films by Kim Ki-duk? Do they all contain gruesome elements?
I understood what was going on and why, in both cases, and was impressed as all hell, but... ewww!
I know! For me, the film I can compare “The Isle” with is “Cries and Whispers”. Not so much in the films themselves, but in some disturbing scenes.
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Date: 2006-11-02 03:44 pm (UTC)It's like ballet! With knives!
Truly, a stunning and fun film.
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Date: 2006-11-02 04:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-02 04:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-02 04:54 pm (UTC)BTW, have you ever watched films by Kar Wai Wong? "In the mood for love"?? Amazing, amazing film!
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Date: 2006-11-02 05:02 pm (UTC)And no, I haven't watched Kar wai Wong - but it seems I must. I take it "in the mood for love" is a good place to start?
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Date: 2006-11-02 05:11 pm (UTC)And I can't contain my glee that you saw Liv Ullmann in person. Isn't she so unbelievably gorgeous?
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Date: 2006-11-02 05:14 pm (UTC)Ooo - and thank you for the link - I will run over and read.
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Date: 2006-11-03 12:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-30 11:32 pm (UTC)May I add another recommendation for '3-Iron'. If you've enjoyed the wordlessness of 'The Isle' then I think you definitely will like '3-Iron'. Very mesmerising. If you'd like to have a first look at it, then I can hook you up with a trailer.
I'm not sure if you've already seen 'Kung Fu Hustle' by now, but as the others have said, it's a much more relaxing/fun movie compared to all the others you've mentioned. :)
I don't watch TV series and I very rarely squee about male actors but I'm very much interested in international, non-mainstream movies about which you seem to write a lot, so I was wondering if you would mind if I friend your journal. :)
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Date: 2006-12-01 12:56 pm (UTC)Absolutely! I post about almost everything in my LJ , including a little about RL, but I love international, non-mainstream movies with the passion. I had a look at you LJ and if you don't mind, I will friend it too.
It's been a while now since I saw 'The Isle' and I don't remember all the details, but I think there was a final scene at the end in the boat that I was unable to interpret (at least I think that's what it was). What did you make of it?
Do you mean where Hee-jin is laying in the boat under the water? I see several explanations again, one of the most obvious and blunt ones is that she is finally murdered by Hyun-shik.
But for me probably it is all about the fact that Hee-jin is some sort of the water Spirit, a mermaid of a kind. I believe mermaids in the mythology often are the drowned young women and this is Hee-jin body (or her liar).
If you'd like to have a first look at it, then I can hook you up with a trailer.
This can be very nice! Thank you!
I'm not sure if you've already seen 'Kung Fu Hustle' by now, but as the others have said, it's a much more relaxing/fun movie compared to all the others you've mentioned.
I have seen it already! It was full of fun indeed!!
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Date: 2006-12-01 08:53 pm (UTC)I wrote a bit of a of personal introductory entry (http://www.livejournal.com/users/trailer_spot/38111.html) some time ago, in case you want to have a look. From time to time I also make picture posts about the World (http://trailer-spot.livejournal.com/98885.html) Cup (http://trailer-spot.livejournal.com/101159.html) and balloons (http://trailer-spot.livejournal.com/112025.html). :)
Although I don't remember the details of the ending 'The Isle', I very much like your interpretation that she was kind of a water spirit/mermaid. That would make a lot of sense.
Trailer for Bin-Jip (http://movies.apple.com/movies/sony/3_iron/3_iron_m480.mov).
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Date: 2006-12-01 10:08 pm (UTC)And WOW! The trailer is so dreamy and full of emotion. And the music is beautiful. Definitely something worthy to see. Thank you!!
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Date: 2006-12-02 12:28 pm (UTC)Digressions are always welcome. :)
Since I had a brief look at your older entries two days ago I noticed that you were very much interested in the World Cup, so I thought it might be a good idea to include the links to the picture posts. :)
It was a lot of fun around here. The event was much more than anyone had expected before the competition started. On the field and off the field.
And '3-Iron' was really a nice little movie. I'm really glad I was able to catch it here at the movie theatre.
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Date: 2006-12-02 12:56 pm (UTC)It was interesting to see so many German flags around. And it was really a well-managed event.
And thank you for the links - I have studied Computing as well (twice, once in Russia and once in UK) and I work as Oracle database developer part-time.
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Date: 2006-12-02 03:14 pm (UTC)I work as Oracle database developer part-time
At Larry Ellison's company. If I had chosen the 'regular' path after I finished my study and had looked for a job at a computer company (instead of working in the banking/brokerage business) I probably would've tried to get a job at Oracle's big competitor SAP. Their headquarter is about an one hour's drive from here and they were hiring a lot of people back then. :)
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Date: 2006-12-03 12:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-03 04:00 pm (UTC)I remember (very, very faintly) attending a lecture about database management and programming. :)
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Date: 2006-12-03 07:16 pm (UTC)It is all not that bad at all. :D
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Date: 2006-12-03 10:10 pm (UTC)I have nothing against databases. Just the opposite, I like to juggle with relations and keys. ;)
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Date: 2006-12-04 12:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-29 03:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-06 12:33 pm (UTC)