BAD GUY and CHAOS: TWO EROTIC ASIAN THRILLERS REVIEWED BY SANDRA HARRIS.

Kim Ki-Duk Double Bill comes to UK DVD

If, like me, you missed out on Kim Ki-Duk's critically praised Arirang during its limited theatrical release, you'll be pleased to know that the Cannes Un Certain Regard winning documentary, supposedly made as "self-administered therapy", will come to UK DVD on 12th November though Terracotta Distribution.

But that's not all, as Kim Ki Duk fans will also get treated to his 1996 directorial debut Crocodile, which will come bundled in the 2 disc DVD. This will be the first time the film has seen a release in the UK, so it's sure to be a treat for those who wish to revisit the Korean filmmaker's roots.

Read the official press release below:

This 2 disc DVD set will include CROCODILE, Kim Ki Duk’s rarely seen 1996 directorial debut which has never been released in the UK; the grittiest of his early work which led the path to series of intense and highly acclaimed features. 

And ARIRANG, the director’s long anticipated documentary about his self-imposed exile, Winner of “Un Certain Regard” Award at Cannes Festival 2011. 

Crocodile: South Korea / 1996 / 102 Mins / Cert 18 / Drama / In Korean with English subtitles
Arirang: South Korea / 2010 / 100 minutes / Cert 15 / Documentary / In Korean with English subtitles
RRP: £19.99

DVD RELEASE DATE:  12^th November 2012

Director Unlike most directors and writers, Kim Ki-duk turned to filmmaking without any prior experience or training.Born in 1960 in South Korea, Kim Ki-duk returned to Korea after studying art in Paris and began his career as a screenwriter. He made his directorial debut with a low-budget movie, CROCODILE, in 1996. Since then, he has been hailed by both critics and audiences for his hard-to-express characters, shocking visuals, and unprecedented messages. He continued on making internationally acclaimed films such as SAMARITAN GIRL which won the Silver Bear Award (Best Director Award) at the 54th Berlin Int’l Film Festival.Kim Ki-duk just won the top award Golden Lion at the 69th Venice Film Festival this year, with his new film PIETA. Selected FilmographyCrocodile (1996), The Isle (2000), Address Unknown (2001), Bad Guy (2001), The Coast Guard (2002), Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring (2003),Samaritan Girl (2004), 3-Iron (2004), The Bow (2005), Time (2006), Breath (2007), Dream (2008), Pieta (2012).

Synopsis CROCODILE Kim Ki-duk’s stunning debut CROCODILE is a study of violence in South Korean society and seemingly unlike any other Korean films made before it.It depicts the life of violent thug, Crocodile, who lives with a peddling boy and an old man by the banks of the river Han in Seoul, a popular suicide spot.Homeless Crocodile makes a living by robbing the dead bodies of those who commit suicide by jumping into the river.One day, he saves the life of a suicidal young woman from drowning but only to use her for sex. Keeping her there, he develops an abusive relationship and, despite his temper and violence, a bond soon forms between the four of them. Starring: Cho Jae-hyeon (Wild Animals, The Isle, Bad Guy, Address Unknown, Sword in the Moon, The Kick)

ARIRANG ARIRANG marks Kim Ki-duk’s triumphant return to cinema after an absence of three years. ARIRANG offers audiences a unique and indiscreet look at the man regarded as one of Korea’s greatest living directors.While shooting a suicide scene for his last film, DREAM, in 2008, the lead actress nearly perished and the incident triggered an emotional and creative breakdown for the director. As an act of self-administered therapy, ARIRANG takes playful liberties with the documentary form as Kim Ki-duk traces his experiences and mindset during this period of crisis. Arirang is a folk song and, according to some sources, Korea’s unofficial national anthem. While ostensibly a love song, its theme of parting and sorrow provides a potent metaphor for Korea’s suffering as a nation and its enforced division at the end of the Korean War

“Arirang is the ultimate work of auteurist cinema” – Empire

“This startling, fascinating and bizarre film is in some ways the strangest arthouse event of the year.” - The Guardian 4/5 stars

"a rare insight into a controversial director who's as divisive as the 38th Parallel." -Total Film

“Arirang is quite simply Kim Ki-duk's best film to date.” – Hangul Celluloid

Malick To De Palma, Venice Film Festival Announces 2012 Line-up

Hot on the heels of this weeks Toronto Film Festival line up, the 2012 line up for Venice Film Festival was announced. Film auteur Terrence Malick will show To The Wonder, unusually second film  for the reclusive film maker in 2 years but still an film which will have the festival goers excited. Malick's film will be one of the 17 other films challenging to win this year's Golden Lion with At Any Price (Ramin Bahrani), Pieta ( Kim Ki-duk), Spring Breakers (Harmony Korine), Outrage: Beyond (Takeshi Kitano) and Passion (Brian De Palma). Usually Venice film festival usually dominated with films that have cross over to Toronto but this year Malick‘s To the Wonder, Robert Redford‘s The Company You Keep, Ramin Bahrani‘s At Any Price, Mira Nair‘s The Reluctant Fundamentalist, and Ariel Vromen‘s The Iceman which is a lot lower than previous years. It's not all about what is crossing over between the two festivals Venice Film Festival does have a few high end exclusives with Brian De Palma's Passion (Noomi Rapace, Rachael McAdams) Michael Mann's Witness Libya and Harmony Korine Springbreakers most notable exclusives.

Mira Nair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist starring Riz Ahmed, Kiefer Sutherland, Kate Hudson will have the privilege of opening this years festival however there will be no PT Anderson's The Master  which will fuel rumours that Toronto maybe the chosen destination to premier.

The 69th annual Venice Film Festival will run from August 29th until September 8th.

Opening Film (Out Of Competition)
The Reluctant Fundamentalist – Mira Nair (U.S.,Qatar)

Competition
To The Wonder – Terrence Malick (U.S.)
Something in the Air – Olivier Assayas (France)
Outrage: Beyond – Takeshi Kitano (Japan)
Fill The Void – Rama Bursztyn and Yigal Bursztyn (Israel)
Pieta – Kim Ki-duk (South Korea)
Dormant Beauty – Marco Bellocchio (Italy)
E’ stato il figlio – Daniele Cipri (Italy)
At Any Price – Ramin Bahrani (US, UK)
La Cinquieme Saison – Peter Brosens, Jessica Woodworth (Belgium, Netherlands, France)
Un Giorno Speciale – Francesca Comencini (Italy)
Passion – Brian De Palma (France, Germany)
Superstar – Xavier Giannoli (France, Belgium)
Spring Breakers – Harmony Korine (US)
Thy Womb – Brillante Mendoza (Philippines)
Linhas de Wellington – Valeria Sarmiento (Portugal, France)
Paradise: Faith – Ulrich Seidl (Austria, France, Germany)
Betrayal – Kirill Serebrennikov (Russia)

Out Of Competition
L’homme qui rit – Jean-Pierre Ameris (France-Czech Republic)
Love Is All You Need – Susanne Bier (Denmark-Sweden)
Cherchez Hortense – Pascal Bonitzer (France)
Sur un fil – Simon Brook (France-Italy)
Enzo Avitabile Music Life – Jonathan Demme (Italy-US)
Tai Chi 0 – Stephen Fung (China)
Lullaby To My Father – Amos Gitai (Israel-France-Switzerland)
Penance (Shokuzai) – Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Japan)
Bad 25 – Spike Lee (US)
O Gebo e a Sombra – Manoel de Oliveira (Portugal-France)
The Company You Keep – Robert Redford (US)
Shark (Bait 3D) – Kimble Rendall (Australia-Singapore-China)
Disconnect – Henry-Alex Rubin (US)
The Iceman – Ariel Vromen (US)

Out Of Competition: Special Events
Anton’s Right Here – Lyubov Arkus (Russia)
It Was Better Tomorrow – Hinde Boujemaa (Tunisia)
Clarisse – Liliana Cavani (Italy)
Sfiorando il muro – Silvia Giralucci and Luca Ricciardi (Italy)
Carmel – Amos Gitai (Israel-France-Italy)
El impenetrable – Daniele Incalcaterra and Fausta Quattrini (Argentina-France)
Witness: Libya – Michael Mann (US)
Medici con l’Africa – Carlo Mazzacurati (Italy)
La nave dolce – Daniele Vicari (Italy-Albania)

Orrizonti
Wadjda – Haifaa Al Mansour (Saudi Arabia-Germany)
The Paternal House – Kianoosh Ayari (Iran)
I Also Want It -, Alexey Balabanov (Russia)
Gli Equilibristi – Ivano De Matteo (Italy-France)
L’intervallo – Leonardo Di Costanzo (Italy-Switzerland-Germany)
Winter of Discontent – Ibrahim El Batout (Egypt)
Tango Libre – Frederic Fonteyne (Belgium-France-Luxembourg)
The Cutoff Man – Idan Hubel (Israel)
Fly With The Crane – Li Ruijun (China)
A Hijacking – Tobias Lindholm (Denmark)
Leones – Jazmin Lopez (Argentina-France-Netherlands)
Bellas Mariposas – Salvatore Mereu (Italy)
Low Tide – Roberto Minervini (US-Italy-Belgium)
Boxing Day – Bernard Rose (UK-US)
Yema – Djamila Sahraoui (Algeria-France)
Araf – Somewhere In Between – Yesim Ustaoglu (Turkey-France-Germany)
The Millennial Rapture – Koji Wakamatsu (Japan)
Three Sisters – Wang Bing (France-Hong Kong-China)

Grim Trailer For Kim Ki-Duk's PIETA

Every so often we get film makers that seem to be more popular outside there homeland than actually in there homelands, Kim Ki-Duk is one of those directors. Regarded as one of the forefathers of the Korean wave who has had success with the likes of  3 Iron, Bad Guy, The Coast Guard, Spring Summer Fall Winter And Spring .Then after a 3 year stint away from the camera he returned to documentary film making with Arirang making an appearance at Cannes 2011 but after mentoring certain young filmmakers it looks like the director may finally find some success on his own feet with his next film.

Pieta looks like to be a dark psychological drama which may not be up there with the dark twisted films we know and love from Korea but enough to say the film maker is on form. Grim but beautifully shot.

he film is about a brutal man who works for a cruel loan shark. Without any family or loved ones to worry about, he has no fear or hesitation when it comes to carrying out his evil deeds. One day, a mysterious woman shows up in his life, saying she is his mother. At first, he doesn't believe her, having no memories of a mother. But as his attachment to her grows, he discovers her gruesome yet sad secret.

source: Hancinema