Starring: Bang Eun-Jin, Moon Jeong-Sook
Director: Park Chul-Soo
Studio: Planet Entertainment
Rating: 15+
Genre: Comedy
About This DVD
When the patriarch of a large, extended Korean clan dies suddenly in a bicycle
accident, his kin from far and near arrive for a few days of mourning, burial
preparation and the funeral. It's a drawn-out process that exposes rifts and
resentments among various family members. If that plot sounds a lot like Juzo
Itami's skillful and delicate 1984 black comedy "The Funeral," it's because
"Farewell My Darling" is virtually the same story, complete with the obligatory
relative who wants to make sure proper custom is followed at all times. The
problem with "Farewell My Darling" is that it coarsens all that was so wonderful
about Itami's film. Its characterizations are one dimensional--audiences never
learn anything about the relatives during the two hours of screen time--and
Park's direction is crass. He moves the camera crazily but to little end, while
the sensitivity and tact the film needs remain absent.
When old Mr. Park dies, his first son Chan-Wu, a film director, and his
troublesome daughter Mi-Seon hurriedly come back to their rural hometown, and
third son Chan-Se comes back to Korea from America. As the quiet country village
gets busy preparing funeral, the house in mourning becomes a meeting place where
villagers gather to ask how they are getting along and meet old friends. The
children mourn their father's death and above all Mi-Seon, who caused her
parents a lot of grief, can't stop crying. Chan-Wu, the chief mourner, has a
revelation about his career, and Chan-Se prepares to sing hymns for the
Confucian funeral service. Old Man Park's sister sells insurance products and
gradually the funeral service becomes for the living rather then the dead.
| Audio Format: | DD 5.1 Surround, DD 2.0 Stereo |
| Video Format: | Full Screen 4:3 |
| Languages: | Korean |
| Subtitles: | English |
| Country Made: | Korea |
| Region Code: | All |
| Year Made: | 1996 |
| Running Time: | 115 |
| Special Features: | - |
| Availability: | Usually ships in 5-10 days |
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