Memories of Murder
Writing and thinking about Zodiac reminded me of this Korean film which I saw a couple of years back. It is a similar police procedural about a real-life serial killer who was never caught. Unlike Zodiac, which is about the impossibility of making conclusive decisions when subjected to a barrage of facts and information, specially within the intricacies of insitutional liberal justice system, Memories of Murder points its fingers at the crisis of whole Korean society itself. It doesn't just remain a story of two detectives brought to the brink of madness and despair by their inability to catch the killer but about the wider moral apathy endemic in the society. It even hints at the idea of a disembodied, transcendent evil (Twin Peaks style) haunting the verdant paddy fields of Korean rural scape giving the story a metaphysical edge. It is guaranteed to disturb and haunt even the most jaded of viewers. Don't miss it if you get a chance.
I don't remember all the details of the plot so I will just point to some excellent reviews instead:- in Sight and Sound, New York Times and village voice
Nice Trailer here:
2 comments:
Okay, Zodiac was one of the best films I saw all of last year! If this is anything even close, I'd watch it.
My few attempts at Korean cinema are probably topped by "OldBoy" - inspired in part by Manga, and a fascinating ride through something out of a Tarantino movie!
This is in my opinion better than Zodiac though its concerns are slightly different so comparison may not make much sense.
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