I am Thirsty!

Thirst:

In searching for images for this movie, I read a review of it on some dudes blog. It was a good review overall and I felt like all his complaints about this movie being too long, were valid. However, he must not watch very many Park Chan - wook movies, right? They all seem to be like three movies in one film, but thats just how he do. First item of business, he called him Chan-wook Park. Which I guess could be the proper way, considering Park is technically his last name. He is even credited on IMDB that way. But on wikipedia as Park Chan - wook, which is the way I know his name, so, i'm putting all my eggs in the Park Chan -wook basket. Or, PCW, so my fingers don't break off. PCW is a very brilliant director from South Korea. His filmography includes, but is not limited to: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Sympathy for Mrs. Vengeance, Oldboy and Thirst. I have seen parts of Oldboy about a dozen times, and watched Sympathy for Mrs. Vengeance a handful of times. The thing I like the most about PCW, is his writing. His direction is brilliant and his camera work, incredible. But his writing gets me every time. They way he weaves his stories together, is something you see so little of in American cinema. For example. Thirst. His version of a vampire love story. Here is a very quick synopsis:

A young priest is turned into a vampire through a tainted blood transfusion after briefly dying during and experimental vaccine treatment. He becomes regarded as a saint, due to his miraculous recovery and survival. Soon after realizing his survival may not be so divine, he meets a young women. A women who is forced into servitude by her husband and mother in law.

They begin a relationship, because both need rescuing, need understanding.

Which, make no mistake, even in its crazy, sometimes, unbelievable hyper reality, is all about love. But brilliantly so. Its a love story that explores the complexity of what it means to love someone- despite-who they truly are. Whether that person is a vampire or simply, a manipulative thrill seeking whore. It also cracks open the age old question of sin and redemption. How both things can change the way you love someone or how you love yourself. But even this is not enough, I don't give it enough, the movie is more than the sum of its parts. PCW creates a story that is more alive, more understanding, he gives it more than I do. Which is why he makes the movies and I just watch them.