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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Memories of Murder is the best film I've seen from Korea's 'new wave' so far. Inevitably marketed as a cop thriller, this story of the botched investigation into South Korea's first serial killer is much more of a character-driven drama. As the bodies mount up, the local cops are joined by a city cop, setting the scene for a clash between brute force - Kang-ho Song's local tortures suspects and plants evidence because that's the way things have always been done - and intellect - Sang-kyum Kim believes that documents never lie and relies more on tracing patterns.
To a degree, the narrative betrays a similar tension, with chases and beatings alternating with throwaway scenes highlighting the sheer incompetence of the investigation (the local police haven't bothered to read the forensic reports and they even try to frame the only witness, while they're unable to prevent more killings because the manpower they need is diverted to suppressing pro-democracy rallies). But it's not that simple: no sooner has one approach been finally been comprehensively disproved than the other is found equally lacking, and as no progress is made the detectives turn on each other and then themselves. It takes a while hitting its stride, but when it does it delivers some powerful blows, and the look of hopeless impotence on Kang-ho Song's face that ends the picture is the most haunting image I've seen on film this year.
The extras are fewer than on the Korean disc, but the deleted scenes are interesting. The disc I got had one minor glitch - when tryng to skip back a few seconds to catch the odd subtitle I missed, it would skip further back than desired for some reason - but it's not enough of a problem to avoid buying the film.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
what with the likes of 'oldboy' and the completely off-the-wall 'save the green planet' korean cinema is carving a niche for itself. 'memories...' shows two rural detectives as they attempt to catch a serial killer, soon to be joined by another from the city. the inevitable clash of styles quickly becomes apparent, but soon we see that nothing seems to be turning up results leading to frustration from all involved and the inevitably ludicrous theories (baldies, anyone?). mixed in with the tension is a rich vein of humour as frame-ups are attempted. also loved the second cop's intro - a nice guy but can get upset at times.
this film says a lot about korea at that time as investigations are foiled by lack of backup (they're suppressing a pro-democrary rally, and we see one of the local cops in action at one themselves). tragic and blackly comic, a great film (though i have have dvd glitches too)
this film says a lot about korea at that time as investigations are foiled by lack of backup (they're suppressing a pro-democrary rally, and we see one of the local cops in action at one themselves). tragic and blackly comic, a great film (though i have have dvd glitches too)
21 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The film is set in a provincial Korean town surrounded by an arable, almost treeless landscape with distant hills. A number of women are murdered in a bizarre and sexual way and these are investigated by the local 'CID' consisting of two detectives who appear to be unaware of the proper procedures. The senior of the two is a great believer in getting suspects to look into his eyes and uses his intuition to determine their guilt - that, plus the planting of a bit of evidence helpful to his case. A real detective is brought in from Seoul, an intense young man who initially makes some sharp observations which make you think he is going to sort it out. The bucolic fuzziness gets to him as well and the three career on their investigation with almost unbelievable ineptitude. They fight, they burst into people's homes without showing their ID and generally terrorise witnesses, whether suspects or not.
Gradually the vaguely slap-stick feeling of the beginning darkens into something much more serious and powerful and the protagonists achieve some sort of self-knowledge. The heightening of the drama is emphasised by the use of darkened landscapes and an atmospheric score. There is a nice twist right at the end which skews your perspective on what has happened.
A minor irritation - why can't they get this right? - is the difficulty in reading the subtitles on a bright background. All they need is a grey, transparent box. There are some gruesome pictures of corpses but nothing worse than in "Waking the Dead" on TV.
Gradually the vaguely slap-stick feeling of the beginning darkens into something much more serious and powerful and the protagonists achieve some sort of self-knowledge. The heightening of the drama is emphasised by the use of darkened landscapes and an atmospheric score. There is a nice twist right at the end which skews your perspective on what has happened.
A minor irritation - why can't they get this right? - is the difficulty in reading the subtitles on a bright background. All they need is a grey, transparent box. There are some gruesome pictures of corpses but nothing worse than in "Waking the Dead" on TV.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Intense Korean mystery.
This film, based on actual events that started in 1986, deals with the hunt for a prolific serial killer, in provincial Korea. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Mr. P. Johnson
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well observed and atmospheric
A really enjoyable Korean film about an unsolved spate of murders back in the 1980s. Slowly and powerfully the film draws you in.
Published 2 months ago by Seoulprovider
5.0 out of 5 stars
Korean cinema gold
This film is based on the real life case of murders that happened in a small town in Korea from 1986 to 1991. The killer was never found so it remains an unsolved crime. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Bamboo blade
5.0 out of 5 stars
On par with seven...
Song Kang-ho is god. This is genius cinema, a true story told with black humour from the gallows, an insight into the communist witch-hunts of South Korea and the breed of... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Mr. A. J. Quaeck
3.0 out of 5 stars
Yeah, it's good n' all...
The story of inane, underfunded detectives in a rural town in South Korea and their investigation of serial sexual assaults and murders committed by someone whom has proved... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Jack
4.0 out of 5 stars
An unusual crime drama
Based on true events this film centres on a botched attempt to solve the murders of Korean women by a group of dysfunctional detectives. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Max Renn
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good example of a Korean film
I didn't know that this film was based on a true story, but it is still entertaining even though I don't like this sort of genre. Read more
Published on 14 Dec 2010 by S. Alvarado Collantes
4.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent Korean serial killer thriller.
Based on the true story of a small South Korean village in which someone begins to murder young women, the plot of 'Memories Of Murder' revolves around pair of detectives and a... Read more
Published on 19 July 2010 by Ernie
4.0 out of 5 stars
Memories of a Korean classic first seen at a local film festival
After a series of rapes and murders in a small town in South Korea the local detectives bungle crucial evidence and their tack is taken over by A more competent Seoul Detective. Read more
Published on 26 April 2010 by Andy B
5.0 out of 5 stars
Killer Film
The linear narrative of the western cop theme opens with the initial brutal opening scene. Any rationale for the brutality is quashed. Read more
Published on 25 April 2010 by Dr. Delvis Memphistopheles
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