This was a random selection that turned out to be a pleasant surprise, like many surprises found while viewing The Housemaid.
It’s a product of the time after the Korean War while still rebuilding from World War 2, and it appears that the directors took extreme cues from their Japanese counterparts — the music, clothing, sets all appear similar to films directed by Akira Kurosawa, Yasuzô Masumura, Seijun Suzuki, et. al.
However, the central theme of adultery and the inclusion of the most aggressive, delusional, and psychopathic femme fatale that I can remember in film was purely borne of South Korea’s decent into misogynistic domestic policies.
I can’t believe how much I enjoyed this old film. The writing is better that most of the junk that’s come out of the 2010s-2020s in Hollywood, it probably would translate well into a book. It’s also an interesting comparison to hear the evolution of the Korean language and bask in the natural beauty of Korean women without cosmetic surgery.
And the ending… so satisfying. One of the best endings I could have imagined! No spoilers.
First screened April 5, 2024 on Criterion Collection.
