The Host (film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Host (괴물) | |
 |
|
|---|---|
| Directed by | Bong Joon-ho |
| Produced by | Yong-Bae Choi |
| Written by | Baek Chul-hyun, Bong Joon-ho |
| Starring | Song Kang-ho, Byeon Hee-bong, Park Hae Il, Bae Du-na, Go Ah-Sung |
| Music by | Byeong Woo Lee |
| Release date(s) |  July 27th 2006 November 10th 2006 February 2007 (predicted) |
| Running time | 119 minutes |
| Language | Korean |
| Budget | US$ 12,000,000 |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul: | 괴물 |
| Hanja: | 怪物 |
| Revised Romanization: | Goemul |
| McCune-Reischauer: | Koemul |
The Host is a 2006 South Korean film directed by Bong Joon-ho. It was released on July 27, 2006 and exceeded 6 million viewers on the morning of August 6, 2006.[1] This made it the 8th most popular movie in South Korean cinematic history. As of September 10, 2006, this is the highest grossing South Korean film of all time, with its 12.5 million viewers beating the recent winner The King and the Clown which attracted 12.3 million people. This film was in part inspired by an incident in 2000 in which a mortician working for the U.S. military in Seoul dumped a large amount of formaldehyde down the drain. In addition to its environmental impact, this has added some antagonism against the United States.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Plot
In Seoul, Park Gang-du, a slow-witted but good-natured man of 36 runs a snack bar by a river along with his 59-year-old father, Hee-bong, who often picks on him for his lack of intellect and sensibility. The movie starts off with Gang-du snoozing while tending to the store, which nearly results in a young boy attempting to steal a snack but is stopped by his father. Gang-du only snaps awake when he hears a girl exclaiming "Father!", thinking that it was his own daughter, but upon seeing that it is not, he drops his head to continue his peaceful slumber.
Shortly after, his real daughter, Hyun-seo appears, and Gang-du is delighted. They retreat into a cabin to watch Gang-du's sister, Nam-Joo, in an archery competition on television. Before it starts, Gang-du pulls out a hidden stash of coins kept in an instant noodle container to show to Hyun-seo, whispering delightedly that he had been saving up to buy her a new cellphone. Hyun-seo merely comments that the coins would never be able to pay for the phone, but Gang-du is however undeterred.
Before the archery competition ends, however, Hee-bong enters the cabin to call Gang-du out, complaining about his tampering with customers' orders. Gang-du reluctantly does so, but as he serves the customer, he realizes that something is not right.
People who frequented the grassy area near the river were starting to gather at the water's edge, pointing at a queer-looking creature hanging off a bridge. After a series of wild guesses about what it is, the creature slides into the river, causing the already large crowd to get increasingly excited.
Gang-du, still carrying the customers' orders in a tray, stupidly throws a can of beer at the creature, which pulls it underwater with its tail. The action amuses the spectators immensely and soon everybody starts hurling random types of titbits at the animal.
Their joy, however, is shortlived when they spin around to see the enormous critter advancing towards them, bowling down anything in its path. Gang-du reacts slowly yet again, running for his life only when it was barely metres away from him.
Terror reigns as the creature makes his way across the area, terrorizing people, attacking them and even devouring them whole.
In the process, a distressed mother calls out for help in search for her son, and Gang-du unwittingly becomes the hero, along with an American man, named Donald, who break into a cabin to save the various people who ran there in search of salvation from the creature.
The monstrous sea creature makes its way towards an overweight man, but as it is swallowing the unfortunate person, Donald and Gang-du, without thinking, pounce onto it. When the monster reacts, Gang-du is able to escape. Donald, who was not as fortunate was in turn savagely attacked himself, losing an arm.
The movie switches back to Hyun-seo and Hee-bong who are still in the cabin watching the competition, blissfully unaware of the catastrophe happening just outside. Nam-joo, even though is extremely efficient in her archery, was only able to clinch a bronze medal because of her hesitation. Dejected, Hyun-seo steps out of the cabin to meet a deserted field, but only notices that something is amiss when her father sprints past, grabbing her hand and dragging her along.
Hyun-seo, confused, collides with another person and loses her balance. Gang-du grapples for her hand and finds it, continuing his way, only noticing that he has grabbed the wrong person when he turns around to check. He panics, turns around to find Hyun-seo, and in absolute mortification finds her slowly getting up to her knees, and to be yanked from the ground by the raged monster.
Gang-du chases after the monster in a fruitless attempt to save his daughter, but it is in vain as the creature simply dives back into the river and swims to the other end, swallowing his catches of the day before making its way back into the murky waters of the Han River.
Gang-du falls into utter shock and depression at watching his daughter's morbid death.
The next scene cuts to a place where the friends and family of the victims pay tribute to their lost loved ones, where Nam-joo, Gang-du and Hee-dong are crying hysterically over their loss. In this scene, the movie introduces a new character: Nam-il, the uncle of Hyun-seo and brother of Gang-du and Nam-joo. He brandishes a bottle of soju, clearly drunk and showing his devastation over losing his beloved niece. He is however, also equally bitter towards Gang-du. "Grabbed the wrong person's hand, did you, moron?", and the very first interaction you see between them is Nam-il shoving a rather emotionally unstable (drunken?) Gang-du roughly aside so he could mourn in front of Hyun-seo's picture, and the latter merely responds by tumbling onto the floor, incapable of anything else but wailing in despair.
It is then that the rather dysfunctional family decides to wage a crusade against the monster, leading to the unfolding of real story behind The Host.
[edit] Main cast
- Park Hee-Bong, father; Byeon Hee-bong
- Park Gang-Du, elder son; Song Kang-ho
- Park Nam-Il, son ; Park Hae-il
- Park Nam-Joo, daughter; Bae Du-na
- Park Hyun-Seo, daughter of Gang-du ; Go Ah-Sung
- Voice of the monster ; Oh Dal-su
[edit] Reception
- This film became South Korea's all time box office champion in early September, selling more than 12.3 million tickets since its release just over a month ago in a country of 48.5 million.
- The Host was released in the UK on November 10th 2006. This was its first official release outside of film festivals, outside Asia and Australia.
- Its CG is done by Orphanage, which also did CG of The Day After Tomorrow.
- The film ended with a reception of over 13 million people on November 8th.
- Over 2,000 monsters were designed.
[edit] Foreign actors
Two foreign actors that starred in the movie, David Anselmo and Clinton Morgan, were deported from Korea for violating Article 20 of Korea's immigration law, that foreigners may not engage in activities other than those specifically specified in one's sojourn status.
[edit] References
- ^ Kim Tae-jong (2006-08-06). 'Host' Breaks 6-Million-Viewer Mark. Korea Times (online edition). Retrieved on 2006-08-07.
- ^ Jon Herskovitz (2006-09-07). South Korean movie monster gobbles up box office. Reuters. Retrieved on 2006-11-02.
[edit] Soundtrack
(Translated into English from Korean) Format: English name (Korean name)
- Prologue - Wide Han River, the Monster Grows. (드넓은 한강, 괴물은 자란다)
- Attack in the day (백주의 대습격)
- Uncatchable hand (잡히지 않는 손)
- Leaving Family (떠나는 가족)
- Yellow Virus (노란 바이러스)
- Snail (골뱅이 @)
- The Monster's House (괴물 하우스)
- Hyun-seo in Darkness (어둠 속의 현서)
- Song in Praise of Han River (B4-A3) (한강찬가 (B4-A3))
- Inspection in the Rain (빗속의 검문)
- Hyun-seo! (현서야!)
- Missed Shot (헛총질)
- Hungry Brothers (배고픈 형제)
- Hungry Monster (배고픈 괴물)
- Brother and Sister in the Gutter (시궁창의 오누이)
- Dawn, Rainfall and Big Battle (새벽, 폭우 그리고 대혈투)
- Wet Newspaper (젖은 신문지)
- Wanted (수배전단)
- Tax Exemption (비과세 기타소득)
- Genius of Running (도발이의 천재)
- Vague Message (희미한 메시지)
- Turtle (거북이)
- Lonely Run Ver.1 (외로운 질주 Ver.1)
- New Family Ver.1 (새 식구 Ver.1)
- No Virus
- Over the Won-Hyo Bridge (원효대교 너머로)
- A Girl Runs (소녀, 달리다)
- Scream (비명)
- Unreachable Hand (닿지 않는 손)
- Agent Yellow
- Hand that is Unable to Let Go (놓을 수 없는 손)
- Reunion (재회)
- Lonely Firebomb (외로운 화염병)
- God of Archery(신궁)
- New Family Ver.2 (새 식구 Ver.2)
- Song in Praise of Han River Trumpet Ver. (한강찬가 Trumpet Ver.)
- Abandoned Song (버려진 노래)
- Snowing Stand (눈 오는 매점)
- Song in Praise of Han River Vocal Ver. (한강찬가 Vocal Ver.)
- Lonely Run Ver.2 (외로운 질주 Ver.2)
[edit] External links
- The Host Official Site (Korean)
- The Host Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
- The Host LoveAsianFilm.com
- The Korea Times "USFK Employee Gets Suspended Prison Term for Toxic Dumping"
- Reuters "South Korean movie monster gobbles up box office"
Reviews
