14-20 June 2013 #660

Stoker

A violent and very disturbing indeed film and so, in its own way, vintage Chan-wook Park
Sophia Pande

South Korean director Chan-wook Park has had a cult following for years stemming from Sympathy for Mr Vengeance (2002), an astonishingly violent and very stylish film. While Park had been making films from the early 90’s, it was only with the aforementioned movie that he hit his stride – that being having a knack for making the most gorily enjoyable, over the top, hit me over the head with a bludgeon, type films.

He has since made the wildly popular Oldboy (2003), Lady Vengeance (2005), Thirst (2009), and now, Stoker his first English language film. Even if you do not know, or have not seen any of Park’s films you will enjoy Stoker. For those who anticipate his style and are waiting with baited breath for this new film, you will be slightly disappointed. It has all the style and brilliance of his other films, just not as much violence. That being said, Stoker is violent and very disturbing indeed and so, in its own way, vintage Park.

Written by Wentworth Miller, Stoker is a lark of a film, made by a director who just wants to have fun. It is slightly creepy to watch someone so talented indulge himself with visual violence, and yet, the cinematic world would be slightly colourless without a director like Park. Set in a grand old country house, Stoker begins with a voiceover from 18-year-old India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska), a troubled, brilliant young woman who’s father, Richard Stoker, has just died under mysterious circumstances. India sees and feels everything, yet she hates to be touched, and has an eerily distant relationship with her statuesque mother, the beautiful slightly frigid new widow Evelyn (played by Nicole Kidman).

Enter Uncle Charlie (played perfectly by the divinely handsome Matthew Goode), Richard’s long lost brother who turns up at the funeral back from his world travels to commiserate with the family and stay ‘for a while’. And so, the fun begins, with the disappearance of the old, loving, loyal housekeeper Mrs McGarrick (Phyllis Somerville) who clearly is taken aback by Charlie’s unexpected return.

As Evelyn starts to fall under Charlie’s spell, so too does India, however reluctantly in a perverse but fascinating (and incestuous) unfolding of events. There is a scene, perfectly executed, where, believe it or not, Charlie seduces India while playing the piano with her. The scene unfolds with an intensity of acting that makes the entire film worth watching just for its incredible finesse. What happens next? Well, there is some strangling, more seduction, and of course, as in any classic whodunit, some surprising revelations.

Stoker, while without the wild style antics of his previous films, still has some very interesting, very beautiful camera work. Shot by Chung-hoon Chung, the cinematography, sometimes formally classical, sometimes hand held, serves the story so well that it is a pleasure to watch. It is also satisfying to be able to see the work of a naturally exuberant director, toned down to suit the subject matter.

So, a South Korean director makes a classic Western murder mystery film to perfection. I cannot wait to see what he will do next. Watch Stoker and if you like it, go out and buy all his other films, if you haven’t seen them already.

I must warn you though, there is a lot of blood and while I am not condoning violence in any way, you will hopefully understand the fascination that film lovers have for Chan-wook Park’s disturbing but riveting body of work.

Stoker, a film directed by Chan-wook Park

Other reviews:

Lincoln

A Royal Affair

Iron Man 3