Take One Awards 2011
Take One’s writers decide upon the best Feature, Documentary, Short and (non-Cambridge) Festival from their experiences on the festival circuit in calendar year 2011.
Ryoo Seung-wan Interview
Director Ryoo Seung-wan was in Cambridge as part of the London Korean Film Festival, which was showing a retrospective of his work. He took some time to speak to Take One about his past and future projects.
Dance Town (댄스 타운)
DANCE TOWN brings a snowy rallentando to Jeon’s trilogy which began with ANIMAL TOWN and MOZART TOWN. Each film looks at Korean life through the eyes of urban misfits who have been excluded from, or simply ignored by the rest of society.
Arahan (아라한 – 장풍대작전 / 아라한 장풍 대작전 )
Near the start of ARAHAN, the hero can’t believe that the old duffers surrounding him are the fabled Seven Masters. One of them punctures the moment by suggesting that maybe he thinks they’re Power Rangers instead.
Dachimawa Lee (다찌마와 리 – 악인이여 지옥행 급행열차를 타라!)
Ryu Seung-wan’s comedy DACHIMAWA LEE started life as a short film in 2000, kick-started lead actor Im Won-hee’s career and then upgraded to full feature status in 2008. Although allegedly set during the Second World War with Korea under Japanese occupation, Im Won-hee dresses like John Shaft and acts like Leslie Nielsen.
The City of Violence (짝패)
Wonder no more why the fights in Far Eastern films often seem to pause at critical moments: it’s because everybody’s really breakdancing. Director Ryu Seung-wan presents a credible reason for this by making one set of assailants in THE CCITY OF VIOLENCE body bop along the pavement before simultaneously all pulling handstands. Along with the [...]
Die Bad (죽거나 혹은 나쁘거나)
Ryoo Seung Wan’s critically revered 2000 debut, DIE BAD is yet to receive a UK release but it remains ripe for discovery as it showcases the origins of a talented young film maker. TAKE ONE will be interviewing Ryoo this weekend, when he visits Cambridge Art Picturehouse in the last leg of the Korean Film Festival. Oh, and before you ask – yes, a pointless English remake is on the cards. Step away from Korean film, lazy English film makers!
London Korean Film Festival 2011
2010 marked the London Korean Film Festival’s fifth anniversary with their biggest events to date but 2011 sees the start of a new era for the festival where they are striving to bring even more of the best of Korean cinema, past and present, to the UK shores.
Long Road Student Reviews: The Yellow Sea
Long Road student reviewers James Doughty and Jack McCurdy offer their thoughts on The Yellow Sea, which screened at CFF2011 and is also part of this year’s London Korean Film Festival programme.
The Yellow Sea
Claire Henry reviewed YELLOW SEA, an “ambitious but very well executed bloodbath”, which was screened at CFF2011 and more recently at the London Korean Film Festival.