I really rather like the two films for August. I’ll definitely give Guns and Talks a second viewing; and while a feelgood sporting romance is not the sort of thing that generally ticks my boxes, I amazed myself by enjoying Someone Special first time round, and I’m seriously considering giving it a re-watch, particularly as Tony Rayns will be introducing it.
Guns and Talks (킬러들의 수다, 2001)
13 August, KCCUK, 7:00 pm, Book Here
Directed by Jang Jin, starring Shin Ha-kyun, Won Bin, Kim Young-hun
Cert 15, 123 minsA group of professional assassins for hire: Sang-yun, the cool-headed leader of the group, Jung-woo the specialist in custom-made bombs, Jae-young the unmatched sniper, and Ha-yun the computer whiz. They’re not your typical wise guys, supplying a service for people of all walks of life who need someone terminated. They even have a discount rate for students.
On one particular job they leave behind a clue, attracting the attention of one, Inspector Cho to their presence. While he is hot on their trail, Sang-yun meets a client and is confronted with a dangerous order he cannot refuse. The client wants someone killed in the middle of a sold-out performance of “Hamlet” which will be attended by high-profile businessmen, politicians and law officials. Inspector Cho learns of this and sends the whole police force to catch them in the act. Still undaunted by the risks, Sang-yun leads his group in what could be the last mission they’ll ever get away with.
Someone Special (아는 여자, 2004)
27 Aug, KCCUK, 7:00 pm + introduction by Tony Rayns
Directed by Jang Jin, starring Lee Na-young, Jung Jae-young
Cert 12A, 107 mins.Despite having dated a number of women, professional baseball player Dong Chi-sung has never been in love and has never been loved. Sure enough, his latest girlfriend dumps him, and on the same day, he goes to the doctor and finds out he has a malignant tumour, with only three months to live. With his mind in a tailspin, he goes to a friend’s bar to drink away his pain. Not a heavy drinker, Chi- sung quickly passes out and wakes up to find himself in a hotel room with the strange female bartender that had been serving him all night. Confused about the strange room he finds himself in, with the strange woman and the possible strange things she might have done to him. He asks how she managed to bring him to the hotel room and she tells him she folded him up and carried him in a box. He quickly makes his exit.
This night begins a series of events forcing Chi-sung to look past the strangeness of this girl and ask the question “could she be someone special?”
Links:
- Jang Jin had a retrospective at the 2010 London Korean Film Festival. Read LKL’s coverage here (Nyomi Anderson’s) and here (mine)