Park Chan-wook

Discussion and info on people in film, ranging from directors to actors to cinematographers to writers.
Message
Author
soma
Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Melbourne

#51 Post by soma » Sat Sep 16, 2006 9:23 pm

I saw that a while back - looks good but far too expensive. Since I've already got excellent releases of Sympathy For Mr Vengeance and Oldboy I'm really just hoping Tartan release the Lady Vengeance SE at a later date, including the greatly anticipated Fade To Black version as included in the box set.

User avatar
Lino
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:18 am
Location: Sitting End
Contact:

#52 Post by Lino » Sun Oct 22, 2006 9:48 am

Menus from the upcoming UK Vengeance Trilogy Boxset seem to indicate that only the fade to black version of Lady Vengeance will be included in this new set and not both versions as previously announced (or suggested).

User avatar
Lino
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:18 am
Location: Sitting End
Contact:

#53 Post by Lino » Fri Nov 10, 2006 10:24 am

DVDActive reviews the new UK set:
Well, there's certainly no doubting the quality of the films presented in this collection, but it's the quality of the set that's the biggest surprise. I've been fairly critical of Tartan UK in the past, with their dodgy NTSC to PAL transfers and limited bonus material, but they really have delivered the goods this time. Sure there is still room for improvement—the set should include the full-colour version of Lady Vengeance and all of the bonus material from their current Oldboy release—but on the whole it is a very good effort. Still, I feel that the lack of the aforementioned bonus material and slightly lazy presentation dictated a score of eight, rather than nine out of ten.

Even so, if you don't own these films this is currently the best English-language release around and you simply must get your hands on it. Even those familiar with Park Chan-wook's trilogy might find something of interest here, especially if they previously bought Tartan's relatively featureless, standards-converted versions of the films. I've longed for the day when I could unreservedly recommend a Tartan release, and that day has arrived.
Hmm, this set really looks and sounds fantastic but I'll wait for an eventual R1 release with hopes that it will include both versions of Lady Vengeance. That way, it will truly be a complete collection and I would be able to ditch all my current Trilogy single DVDs.

User avatar
Lino
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:18 am
Location: Sitting End
Contact:

#54 Post by Lino » Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:31 am

DVDTalk reviews the R1 3 disc Oldboy:
Fans of foreign film have most likely already crossed paths with Oldboy, but this new Collector's Edition is one of the best ways to experience it. The film itself is a genuine cult classic from a talented director and cast, filled with action, drama and plenty of revenge. The DVD presents the film with a nearly-excellent technical presentation, but the exhaustive amount of bonus features are simply icing on the cake. Region 1 fans who have yet to purchase Oldboy on DVD should certainly aim for this three-disc release, while those who own the one-disc edition should easily be swayed by the plentiful extras and slick packaging job. Either way, it's no surprise that this one comes Highly Recommended.

patrick
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 12:15 pm
Location: Philadelphia

#55 Post by patrick » Thu May 17, 2007 3:14 pm

From YesAsia:
With his masterful, multi-award-winning vengeance trilogy, Park Chan Wook won accolades at home and abroad, and became the object of cult for many film fans, from the grindhouse aficionado to the arthouse purist. Following the anger and violence of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, and Old Boy, however, Park was ready for something new - a romantic comedy, albeit one like no other. For his whimsically titled I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK, the director enlisted versatile actress Lim Soo Jung (Lump Sugar, Tale of Two Sisters) and film newcomer Jung Ji Hoon, better known to fans across Asia as Rain, as his mentally ill romantic leads. A cyborg romantic comedy starring Rain? If anyone can pull it off, it's Park Chan Wook.

After attempting suicide, Young Goon (Lim Soo Jung) ends up in an asylum outfitted with retro accessories, concerned doctors, and plenty of quirky patients. Young Goon's problem? She thinks she's a cyborg. Her bigger problem? A cyborg can't eat human food. Refusing to eat, she spends all her rapidly depleting energy communicating with her machine friends (like the coffee vending machine), plotting against the doctors, and trying to recharge herself with batteries. The cute and quirky Young Goon immediately attracts the attention of asylum mate Il Soon (Jung Ji Hoon), a young man with a knack for stealing. He can steal anything, even Thursday, and his specialty is stealing other people's skills. Recognizing that Young Goon is in trouble, the love-struck Il Soon tries his hardest to help her eat again, bringing both of them onto a path of romance and healing.

Perhaps the most irreverent of all Park Chan Wook films, I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK is a delight for the eyes, and much more than a simple romantic comedy. It features the usual stylish innuendo and eye-grabbing visuals of Park's past works, but with a markedly different, more light-hearted sense of humor. The film is whimsically surreal and often laugh-out-loud funny. Although the talent of Lim Soo Jung is certainly not a surprise, it's Rain who raises eyebrows with this role. One of Asia's biggest pop stars, Rain has also found success and popularity as a television actor with dramas like Sang Doo, Let's Go to School and Full House, but the verdict on his acting skills was still open. If anything, I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK proves that with the right guidance Rain can truly become a fine actor, and that Park Chan Wook still has many more surprises under his belt.

Disc 1
Audio Commentary with Director Park Chan Wook, DP Jung Jung Hoon
Audio Commentary with Director Park Chan Wook, Writer Jung Seo Kyung, Rain, and Lim Soo Jung
Audio Commentary with Film Critic Kim Young Jin
Disc 2
Interview with Director Park Chan Wook (12 Minutes)
Making Of Documentary (22 Minutes)
Interview with Lim Soo Jung and Rain (18 Minutes)
Digital Cameras Featurette (11 Minutes)
Interview with Crew (52 Minutes)
Deleted and Alternate Scenes with Director's Commentary (7 Minutes)
Berlin Film Festival Featurette (6 Minutes)
Short Film 2 Minutes by Jung Tae Kyung (14 Minutes)
Promotion Footage (4 Minutes)

See more product details

Product Information
Product Title : I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (DVD) (Limited Edition) (Korea Version)
Region Code : DVD Region Code 3 - South East Asia (including Hong Kong, S. Korea and Taiwan) (What is it?)
Picture Format : NTSC Picture Format (What is it?)
Artist Name(s) : Rain (Jung Ji Hoon) | Park Chan Wook | Lim Soo Jung
Release Date : May 10, 2007
Language : Korean
Subtitle : Korean, English
Package Weight : 170 g
Publisher : CJ Entertainment
Other Information : 2 DVDs
YesAsia Catalog No. : 1004739194
Shipment Unit : 1 (What is it?)
Looks like this 2-disc version is extremely limited and has already sold out from a few places over here.

patrick
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 12:15 pm
Location: Philadelphia

#56 Post by patrick » Thu May 17, 2007 3:16 pm

Also, according to Xploited Cinema, only the film itself has English subs, so I don't know if I'll be rushing out to buy this set.

User avatar
Lino
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:18 am
Location: Sitting End
Contact:

#57 Post by Lino » Fri May 18, 2007 5:25 am

Already got mine in the mail yesterday and the DVD artwork alone is reason enough for anyone even vaguely interested in this film to pick it up. Haven't had the chance to watch it yet but when I do, I'll post my comments on the respective thread.

User avatar
Awesome Welles
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2007 6:02 am
Location: London

#58 Post by Awesome Welles » Tue Oct 02, 2007 8:50 am


User avatar
Lino
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:18 am
Location: Sitting End
Contact:

#59 Post by Lino » Tue Oct 02, 2007 9:47 am

I've got this movie ever since it came out on DVD and I really need to give it another go. The thing is, it didn't quite click the first time around, you see. Yes, it was wonderfully inventive and yes, Chan-wook's storytelling techniques are improving as we speak but somehow I found myself being sort of bored midway through it.

Maybe it wasn't the right story for him or maybe I was expecting something else. Now, I don't want to fall in that lot that thinks he can only do revenge/violent/complicated narrative-driven movies because the way he handles this quite simple story is always with an inovative eye and ever present sense of an acute attention to detail. As I mentioned before, this is kind of his own "Punch-drunk Love" phase and I really hope he goes on to far grander things because he really has the talent for it.

Let's all hope his upcoming horror-oriented new opus, Live Evil, will put him back on the right track. Meanwhile, this is a very interesting and very worthwhile addition to his very impressive resume. Worth a shot.

lady wakasa
Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:26 pm
Location: Over Yonder
Contact:

#60 Post by lady wakasa » Wed Oct 03, 2007 4:10 am

I picked up a copy of this last spring and I'm feeling like I saw a different movie from everyone else here... It's not perfect, but it's a pretty innovate look at a love story (which is what I've read that Park was going after). Beyond the primary-color and bizarre-treated-as-normal visuals, Park treats the inmates with a lot of respect (something I really appreciate). It would have been very easy to pass them off as a bunch of loonies, with accompanying jokes, but he defines the visuals in terms of what they're experiencing and makes it valid.

I actually saw it in a theater about a month after seeing it on DVD. I'm not sure it would hold up with too many multiple viewings, but it's still more substantive than a rain-day popcorn movie.

About a month ago I was speaking to a couple of people running a Korean film festival about different Korean directors. Interestingly enough, they felt that Park isn't really that "Korean" as Korean directors ago. And unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to go into detail on that.

And - just say "vampire" and you have my complete attention. I will be catching Evil Live.

User avatar
domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Park Chan-Wook on DVD

#61 Post by domino harvey » Thu Jan 05, 2017 5:59 pm

The Handmaiden is only receiving a DVD release, no Blu-ray, from Sony in R1

User avatar
mfunk9786
Under Chris' Protection
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Philadelphia, PA

Re: Park Chan-Wook on DVD

#62 Post by mfunk9786 » Thu Jan 05, 2017 6:03 pm

Baffling. One of the most visually luscious films of the last several years.

User avatar
bradass
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 6:03 pm

Re: Park Chan-Wook on DVD

#63 Post by bradass » Thu Jan 05, 2017 6:12 pm

Even stranger if you consider that Magnolia Pictures was Amazon's theatrical partner for the release; perhaps they are the ones getting out of the disc game and are now licensing titles to Sony. There will be a Canadian Blu-ray released by Mongrel Media on the same date.

No Korean release as of yet but I understand that Plain Archive is in charge of the packaging (CJ Entertainment is the publisher), perhaps with the extended cut.

User avatar
chiendent
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2016 12:32 pm

Re: Park Chan-Wook on DVD

#64 Post by chiendent » Thu Jan 05, 2017 6:13 pm

That's ridiculous, glad I caught it in theaters despite the crazy limited release. Hope they at least make it convenient to stream so it can attract a wider audience.

User avatar
domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Park Chan-Wook on DVD

#65 Post by domino harvey » Mon Jan 09, 2017 6:53 pm

Who is distributing it in the UK? Maybe it'll fare a Blu there

User avatar
mfunk9786
Under Chris' Protection
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Philadelphia, PA

Re: Park Chan-Wook on DVD

#66 Post by mfunk9786 » Mon Jan 09, 2017 6:56 pm

I'm not sure about the UK, but a Canadian release with both French and English subs is coming from Mongrel Media in two weeks. $24.28 USD including shipping on Amazon Canada. They're who Kino trusts to release their titles in Canada, among some other bigger film studios' new releases and legacy stuff (Terminator 2!) so I would buy with confidence if you're interested. I just did.

User avatar
domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Park Chan-Wook on DVD

#67 Post by domino harvey » Mon Jan 09, 2017 7:00 pm

Oh nice, I somehow missed that above

User avatar
mfunk9786
Under Chris' Protection
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Philadelphia, PA

Re: Park Chan-Wook on DVD

#68 Post by mfunk9786 » Mon Jan 09, 2017 7:02 pm

So did I! :oops:

CORRECTION: I just saw that it's only $14.99 on Amazon Instant Video, and they streamed their offering of The Neon Demon in 4K, so perhaps they'll do the same with this. Think I'll skip the disc. Yes, I am part of the problem.

User avatar
Brian C
I hate to be That Pedantic Guy but...
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2009 11:58 am
Location: Chicago, IL

Re: Park Chan-Wook on DVD

#69 Post by Brian C » Mon Jan 09, 2017 7:38 pm

domino harvey wrote:The Handmaiden is only receiving a DVD release, no Blu-ray, from Sony in R1
This happened with Park and THIRST, too, if I recall. Poor guy.

User avatar
antnield
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:59 pm
Location: Cheltenham, England

Re: Park Chan-Wook on DVD

#70 Post by antnield » Mon Jan 09, 2017 7:48 pm

domino harvey wrote:Who is distributing it in the UK? Maybe it'll fare a Blu there
Curzon Artificial Eye, which would make a Blu-ray very likely - but with the cinema release not happening until April, it'll be summer before it comes out.

User avatar
The Fanciful Norwegian
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:24 pm
Location: Teegeeack

Re: Park Chan-Wook on DVD

#71 Post by The Fanciful Norwegian » Wed Jan 11, 2017 3:41 pm

bradass wrote:Even stranger if you consider that Magnolia Pictures was Amazon's theatrical partner for the release; perhaps they are the ones getting out of the disc game and are now licensing titles to Sony.
Amazon Studios has some sort of ongoing relationship with Sony for home video. It's a not a comprehensive one (Café Society came out through Lionsgate and The Neon Demon through Broad Green, for example), but Complete Unknown (released theatrically through IFC) is a Sony title on DVD, as are two earlier Magnolia releases (Creative Control and Author: The JT Leroy Story). Magnolia released Little Men on DVD in December and have several titles in the pipeline for the next few months, so while I don't know why some Amazon Studios titles go to Sony and some stay with their theatrical distributors—maybe Sony puts in a guaranteed minimum first bid and anyone else who wants the disc rights has to exceed it—I don't see any reason to think Magnolia is abandoning discs.

User avatar
domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Park Chan-Wook on DVD

#72 Post by domino harvey » Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:04 pm

Sony has done an about-face, will now be releasing the Handmaiden on Blu-ray March 28th

lady wakasa
Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:26 pm
Location: Over Yonder
Contact:

Re: Park Chan-Wook on DVD

#73 Post by lady wakasa » Thu Feb 23, 2017 8:58 pm

domino harvey wrote:Sony has done an about-face, will now be releasing the Handmaiden on Blu-ray March 28th
Aaaaaand I just received it from Canada yesterday. :|

User avatar
rockysds
Joined: Wed May 19, 2010 11:25 am
Location: Denmark

Re: Park Chan-Wook on DVD

#74 Post by rockysds » Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:14 pm

Artificial Eye is releasing The Handmaiden on blu-ray in both a release with just the theatrical cut and one with both the theatrical cut and an extended (Director's?) cut in August.

beasled
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2016 9:16 am

Re: Park Chan-Wook on DVD

#75 Post by beasled » Fri Mar 24, 2017 7:29 am

rockysds wrote:Artificial Eye is releasing The Handmaiden on blu-ray in both a release with just the theatrical cut and one with both the theatrical cut and an extended (Director's?) cut in August.
The PCC in London is screening the "Extended Director's Cut" this Sunday.

Post Reply