The United States so dominates the world of film that the American style of cinematic storytelling is very much an international language. While the films that come out of America are enthusiastically welcomed in cinemas all over the world, it is, to our shame, not the same in reverse. Though films from Britain, Australia, and other English-speaking countries easily find their way into American theaters, it is very rare that a foreign-language film will find a wide release in the U.S. In the big cities of America, it is possible to find good foreign-language fare playing in the theater. Even though, most of the time, they tend to be Dramas, every now and then a cool, fun, crowd-pleasing, popcorn movie leaps across the ocean and finds an audience. This was the case in 2006 with the South Korean Horror/Comedy creature feature THE HOST.
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THE HOST tells the story of a misfit father named Park Gang-doo (played wonderfully by Song Kang-ho) who lives with his daughter, Hyun-seo (Ko Ah-sung) in the food hut that he works at with his father, Hie-bong (Byeon Hie-bong). The hut is near the Han River where a crowd gathers to look at something strange. Gang-doo joins the crowd and sees a strange, large creature hanging from the bottom of the bridge. The creature attacks the crowd on the shore and takes several people away with it, including Hyun-seo. After escaping government officials and the U.S. military, Gang-doo and his family track the creature into the sewers adjoining the Han in a desperate attempt to save Hyun-seo.
Though a familiar plot, THE HOST has a distinctive flavor to it that is special to South Korean cinema. The premise of the film - that the creature is the mutant result of a careless disposal of formaldehyde by the U.S. military - is based on a very real event from 2000. The U.S. military was found to have polluted the Han, but the guilty employee was never prosecuted for it. This incident permeates THE HOST. Not only as the catalyst of the story, but also in the film’s attitude towards authority. The U.S. and South Korean governments are depicted as unconcerned with the well-being or concerns of the public, and the movie constantly jabs these entities with some wry and direct satire. The story never gets bogged down with commentary, though. The film expertly moves through the scares and action sequences, yet never looses it’s tongue-in-cheek humor. While Comedy doesn’t always translate across borders, the humor here is absolutely universal - delivered perfectly by the cast. The result is a very exciting, very funny monster movie with a lot of character.
The creature itself has a lot of character as well. Director Bong Joon-ho, in a very rare decision, shows us the creature fully very early in the film. We get a good, long look at the monster as he attacks the people on the shore of the Han, and this allows us to get to know the creature as another player in the drama - on par with the human characters. Bong Joon-ho based the creature’s personality on Steve Buscemi’s character from “Fargo” and designed all of the monster’s movements himself. Bong’s early, hands-on supervision of the creature’s design and realization allowed him to direct the monster as if it were another actor - giving the creature, and the film, a whole new level of depth.
THE HOST was a smash in South Korea. It had a life in North Korea, as well - a very rare thing indeed - no doubt due to this film’s willingness to criticize the U.S. and South Korea. It took some time for the film to find its way to western shores, but when it did, it enjoyed a level of success rare amongst popcorn films from the East. THE HOST is now considered a cult classic among filmgoers and it is beloved with creature-feature aficionados. THE HOST is proof that if a movie is fun, well made, and original, it can find an audience anywhere in the world.
American cinemas should take note…
Parental Guide: Most ages will like this one, and it is ok for younger teens. 13+
THE HOST fun facts - Metal barrels were dropped into the water to create the monster’s splash when it dives into the river.
Much of the over-the-top mourning at the mass funeral was improvised.
Though filmed in North Korea, most of the CG work on the monster was done in New Zealand and Los Angeles.
Filming in the real sewers near the Han River necessitated the cast and crew all getting tetanus shots before shooting began.
Park Hie-bong - “Have any of you heard it? The heartbreak of a parent who’s lost a child? When a parent’s heart breaks the sound can travel for miles.”
Suicidal Businessman - “You are dimwits right to the end. I’ll see you in Hell.”
U.S. Doctor in Morgue - “Formaldehyde, to be precise. To be even more precise, dirty formaldehyde. Every bottle is coated with layers of dust. Pour them into the sink.”