Peppermint candy : movie review
My review: I watched this movie to further my understanding of the brilliant world of South Korean movies.
Life happens forward, but can be understood only by looking back (or something like this). This is a very poignant movie, about tender love, hope, fate, how innocence can be lost by the sands of time, to the point of no return, and how society can screw one up everything irrevocably. Five phases of a man's life are shown, each containing a defining moment, connecting which we understand the steps taken by the protagonist. The sadness builds up as we unwrap the layers of the protagonist's life, layer by layer, backward. Reverse chronology of events here: Outdoor excursion (Spring 1999), Life is beautiful (Summer 1994), Confession (Spring 1987), Prayer (Fall 1984), Military visit (May 1980), Picnic (1979). Each of these phases are named based on the events that follow.
What is the title about? (Kind of spoiler alert) It is a symbol of purity for the protagonist, the one thing which reminds him of the nostalgic time of young love. It is like the song we listen to, and it takes us back to a less complicated time. It is your island. What it it?
From what I read, the story of Yongho (the protagonist) is intertwined with events from South Korea's history. The turning points of the nation are linked closely with those in Yongho's life, Gwangju democratization movement being the critical point. So this is not only an exercise in viewing, but also in some reading and research. Being non-native, I may not have understood all the nuances of the movie, but I tried. Chang- dong - Lee, the director,is a former high- school teacher, novelist, and later worked as the Minister of culture in South Korea!
Kyoung-gu Sul has given us an extremely compelling performance from the hopeful, optimistic young man with a full life ahead of him and dreams in his eyes, to the shaken and eventually scarred soldier, to the remorseless police official, to someone who cannot return to purity, and finally to the tormented middle aged person with many dark passengers.
This movie made me think a lot. About life, love, innocence and fate. Did you have a good life? Enough to base a movie on? (modified from a Doors song). Some questions I had : How would this movie affect someone, if narration was linear? How would things change? I guess, it was a good decision to include the reverse chronology - type narration, as here, the protagonist's life takes a downward spiral, with no ray of hope and a lot of cynicism (maybe by his helplessness to make things better). So we are given an answer, and our questions are answered along the way.
The soundtrack drips with melancholy, and made me nostalgic of a time of innocence. I felt that no other score could have completed the sadness of trains moving backwards. The shots of the train going backwards are a treat to frayed minds. There was something very calming, and to observe cleverly included objects in the fringes of the scene was a peaceful and easy feeling.
I think, for me, this movie will become one for a few viewings. For me, this is a work of art, a great endeavor to take us on a cinematic and historical journey. I would say that this isn't your typical movie, and not because of the non-linear narration, but because of the amount of thought that has been put behind this story.
The last few minutes of the movie when everything comes together, and man, has it been crafted wonderfully! The words, sounds and images come together seamlessly to create such a compelling tapestry of emotions. My respect and awe for South Korean movies has increased manifold.
Thanks, Kripa, for proofreading this :)
Life happens forward, but can be understood only by looking back (or something like this). This is a very poignant movie, about tender love, hope, fate, how innocence can be lost by the sands of time, to the point of no return, and how society can screw one up everything irrevocably. Five phases of a man's life are shown, each containing a defining moment, connecting which we understand the steps taken by the protagonist. The sadness builds up as we unwrap the layers of the protagonist's life, layer by layer, backward. Reverse chronology of events here: Outdoor excursion (Spring 1999), Life is beautiful (Summer 1994), Confession (Spring 1987), Prayer (Fall 1984), Military visit (May 1980), Picnic (1979). Each of these phases are named based on the events that follow.
What is the title about? (Kind of spoiler alert) It is a symbol of purity for the protagonist, the one thing which reminds him of the nostalgic time of young love. It is like the song we listen to, and it takes us back to a less complicated time. It is your island. What it it?
From what I read, the story of Yongho (the protagonist) is intertwined with events from South Korea's history. The turning points of the nation are linked closely with those in Yongho's life, Gwangju democratization movement being the critical point. So this is not only an exercise in viewing, but also in some reading and research. Being non-native, I may not have understood all the nuances of the movie, but I tried. Chang- dong - Lee, the director,is a former high- school teacher, novelist, and later worked as the Minister of culture in South Korea!
Kyoung-gu Sul has given us an extremely compelling performance from the hopeful, optimistic young man with a full life ahead of him and dreams in his eyes, to the shaken and eventually scarred soldier, to the remorseless police official, to someone who cannot return to purity, and finally to the tormented middle aged person with many dark passengers.
This movie made me think a lot. About life, love, innocence and fate. Did you have a good life? Enough to base a movie on? (modified from a Doors song). Some questions I had : How would this movie affect someone, if narration was linear? How would things change? I guess, it was a good decision to include the reverse chronology - type narration, as here, the protagonist's life takes a downward spiral, with no ray of hope and a lot of cynicism (maybe by his helplessness to make things better). So we are given an answer, and our questions are answered along the way.
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| Return to innocence |
I think, for me, this movie will become one for a few viewings. For me, this is a work of art, a great endeavor to take us on a cinematic and historical journey. I would say that this isn't your typical movie, and not because of the non-linear narration, but because of the amount of thought that has been put behind this story.
The last few minutes of the movie when everything comes together, and man, has it been crafted wonderfully! The words, sounds and images come together seamlessly to create such a compelling tapestry of emotions. My respect and awe for South Korean movies has increased manifold.
Thanks, Kripa, for proofreading this :)
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