OldBoy: Squid Game’s iconic father turns 20

OldBoy: Official Italian Trailer

south korean cult Oldboy by Park Chan Wook turns twenty. It is still rightfully celebrated, remembered and reviewed almost all over the world. In June, Lucky Red – the Italian distributor of all Pak’s films – released a 4K restored version.

Dae-soo (Choi Min-sik), married with a young daughter, a promiscuous man with many mistresses and an addiction to alcohol. One night he is stopped by the police for drunkenness. Once freed, he vanishes into thin air…

The man was kidnapped and locked in a cell. They will release him only after 15 years. Dae-soo discovers that his wife has been killed and his daughter is missing. He will do his best to look for the perpetrators in order to take revenge …

OldBoy in the USA: banned 20 years ago and still

Since mid-August, always in a restored version edited by the author, old boy also released in the US, where very few “R” rated, Restricted copies were distributed in 2005. prohibited for children under 18 for violence and excesses. The ban, which is still in effect today, is due to “heavy violence, including scenes torture, sexuality and profanity“. That is, “extreme violence, including sexual scenes and obscene language.”

This does not detract from the fact that in 2013, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary, Spike Lee made a remake of USA. With Josh Brolin

Let’s trace the origin of the cult and how it developed. created and influenced the so-called Korean New Wave. That is copyright filmsbut also Seriesmore and more rude, cruel, frank and without filters … From parasites To Squid game, so to speak…

Happy birthday, old boy!

OLDBOY: Just when he came out.

Pak’s 2003 film, hence his 20th birthday, was actually only seen by the world in 2004. The premiere at the competitive Cannes Film Festival took place just this year. We even released it a year later, in May 2005 thanks to Lucky Red.

Spike Lee remake and Spielberg project

Released in 2013 Oldboy Spike Lee American remake a film that has already become a classic. With Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen and Samuel L. Jackson. It all starts in 1993 with the kidnapping of alcoholic publicist Joe Ducett by an unknown person. For 20 years… But it’s nowhere near as good as the original.

The project is legendary Steven Spielbergthe first Hollywood to fall in love with Oldboy. The director wanted to make a remake already in 2004, and Will Smith…

OLD BOY REVIEW: Kick to the stomach, punch to the eye

Park Chang Wook update information Greek tragedy: A Moral Story Impregnated violence, incest, excesses. He does it with one visual power extraordinary and uncensored. Contrasts between decadence and purity, scenes of imprisonment and liberation mixed with murderous rampage.

Is it true instant cult AND two sequences immediately enter the collective imagination. long corridor in which Dae-soo kills an almost infinite number of hitmen, hammer blows. AND octopus greedily swallowed alive.

OLDBOY: THE BIRTH OF INSTANT CULT

Regarding the new US release, Park revealed Hollywood Reporter USA: “I wanted the film to reach the audience also with physical point of view, not only emotional … “. In fact, anyone who has seen it is unlikely to have forgotten physical perception of violencepain, evil…

When I interviewed him in 2005, I was surprised by the way he presented himself at the meeting. come on gentle ways, loving with his wife and little daughter. Human deep and exterminated culture. We ended up talking about Bible and Gospels. Which for an author known for his cruel excesses may seem like a real freak.

Old Testament and manga cocktail

However, upon closer examination seed of vengeful violence it is rooted in many passages of the Old Testament … In fact Oldboy taken from manga of the same name Garona Tsuchiya and Nobuaki Minegishi (published in Italy by Coconino Press).

The Revenge Trilogy and Quentin Tarantino

Considered the second chapter “Trilogy of Revenge” Paka (other films Mr. Vendetta2002, e Lady Revenge, 2005). It has become a kind instant cult also thanks to sponsorship of Quentin Tarantino, president of the 2004 Cannes jury, who said, “This is the kind of film I would love to make!”.

Pak won at the Cannes Film Festival Grand Jury Prize. In his speech thanked the cast, crew, family and… octopuses! To find the right scene, actor Choi Min Sik had to eat four live octopuses.

By the way, in Korea it is customary to eat octopuses while still alive, although they are usually butchered first. The rest is history…

FROM OLDBOY TO SQUID: THE BIRTH OF THE KOREAN NEW WAVE

Oldboy considered together with Island (2000) end Kim Ki-dukpredecessor new wave Korean in which everyone visual and perceptual excess it is recognized. Even in close-up or detail. Even those who have seen Island Kima at the Venice Film Festival remembers losing my mind in the hall and the projection stopped…

From parasites Bong Joon Ho (Free Stream on RaiPlay) By train to Busan from Young Sang Ho (RaiPlay, Prime Video, Mubi) all the way to the hugely popular series Squid game (Netflix)… graphic model original of violence and blood Oldboy this is reflected, at least in part, on rivals …

Everything is provided in favor of the camera. Of course, not all excesses are capable of Oldboy or de Islandbut it is a fact that “Allowed” in images now contains no strings. and restrictions (other than the ban on the entry of minors).

We could say that Oldboy – in this sense – it represented what it was for American television Twin Peaks David Lynch.

WHERE TO WATCH OLDBOY streams

Oldboy Posted by Park Chan Wook available for viewing on Prime Video, Sky Cinema and Now TV. It can also be bought or rented on Apple TV, Rakuten TV, Chili and Google Play.