Choyonghan kajok (1998)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Ji-woon Kim

Writer:

Ji-woon Kim (writer)

Release Date:

25 April 1998 (South Korea)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Horror

Plot:

A family decides to buy a lodge in a remote hiking area. Their first customer commits suicide and the...

Plot Keywords:

Lodge | Suicide | Shovel | Forest | Family Relationships

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

In-hwan Park	...	Tae-gu Kang (Father)
Mun-hee Na	...	Mrs. Kang
Kang-ho Song	...	Yeong-min Kang (Son)
Min-sik Choi	...	Chang-ku Kang (Uncle)
Ho-kyung Go	...	Mi-na Kang (Daughter)
Yun-seong Lee	...	Mi-su Kang (Daughter)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cheol-ho Choi	...	Male lodger (committing suicide by taking pills)
Ju-bong Gi	...	Lonely man
Ka-hyeon Jang	...	Hyun-suk's lover
Jae-yeong Jeong	...	Hyun-suk (as Ji-hyeon Jeong)
Woong-in Jeong	...	Mi-su's admirer
Su-Won Ji	...	Eun-su
Gi-yeong Lee	...	Killer
Gloria Sauve	...	Mrs. Reed

Also Known As:

The Quiet Family

Runtime:

Germany:98 min | Japan:101 min

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Certification:

South Korea:18 | Australia:M (2006) | Hong Kong:IIB | UK:15

Company:

Myung Film Company Ltd.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Katakuri-ke no kôfuku (2001)

Soundtrack:

Wild Saxophone

It's scary it's comedy it's a really bad day in an inn!!

This film is incredibly dynamic. There are multiple concepts at once. It's a horror film yet it's a tragic-comedy. It's a drama yet it's almost a documentary. It's a great film concept and the cinematography is second to none.

It's very slow yet instantly jerks into action. It's got great casting. The actors are flawless. Even down to 5minute appearances. The score is first class and diverse. Rock-glam from the Stray Cats to hip hop. The setting is also a little interesting.

It's based in a remote area outside some woods. There is scheduled yet delayed construction for a "road" which will provide transportation for guests to the inn. However during the film the inn guests are mainly hikers and scenic people.

The opening of the film involves this new family moving into a little run down house. They prepare the house and botch it up ready for guests. They have minimum advertising which is a sign. Literally. They wait for the guests to arrive. This opening scene is lighthearted and slow.

Then the guests eventually arrive. All hell breaks loose. There is a moment of continuous bad luck from the moment the first guest arrives. This is when the film turns to film noir. All in all the film goes from an easy melodrama to something completely insane. It's a marvelous script and the slowness is rewarded by great tense sequences and various dilemmas for the unfortunate home owners.

The film is superb. The casting spot on. The cinematography is awesome. A lot of different shots and slow camera movement to mimic the pace of the film. Then the unfortunate sequences occur the camera shots become more rapid and quick snappy close ups. I'm a big fan of this director and this film has to be his benchmark with the diverse range on offer.

All in all a great film worth tracking down. Comedy; film noir, suspense, horror, isolation and deprivation. Superb acting and direction to match. I recommend it fully. 8 out of 10.