Comments on: Oldboy . . . yeah, fashionably late http://www.farawaynowhere.com/blog/2007/12/12/oldboy-yeah-fashionably-late/ nowhere near somewhere . . . Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:26:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: j.valdez http://www.farawaynowhere.com/blog/2007/12/12/oldboy-yeah-fashionably-late/#comment-906 j.valdez Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:36:37 +0000 http://www.farawaynowhere.com/blog/2007/12/12/oldboy-yeah-fashionably-late/#comment-906 > dhulve kjtd xbahdnwt soklrwgn wujn ahpl phqulzfx ...totally. > dhulve kjtd xbahdnwt soklrwgn wujn ahpl phqulzfx

…totally.

]]> By: mwsxdrut uxrsla http://www.farawaynowhere.com/blog/2007/12/12/oldboy-yeah-fashionably-late/#comment-882 mwsxdrut uxrsla Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:05:41 +0000 http://www.farawaynowhere.com/blog/2007/12/12/oldboy-yeah-fashionably-late/#comment-882 dhulve kjtd xbahdnwt soklrwgn wujn ahpl phqulzfx dhulve kjtd xbahdnwt soklrwgn wujn ahpl phqulzfx

]]> By: j.valdez http://www.farawaynowhere.com/blog/2007/12/12/oldboy-yeah-fashionably-late/#comment-124 j.valdez Tue, 25 Dec 2007 09:51:35 +0000 http://www.farawaynowhere.com/blog/2007/12/12/oldboy-yeah-fashionably-late/#comment-124 Matt - "The only explanation can be that Dae-Su was completely mad by that point." I have no doubt that Dae-su was a bit crazy by this point in the movie. I think that was the characterization made throughout. It wasn’t as much that Dae-su became a “bad-ass” as much as it was that he was an animal of sorts. While Dae-su didn’t seek redemption, the story sought it for him. It is at this point in the movie he finds that he and his daughter had been hypnotized to not recognize each other (that’s why they didn’t know each other in the restaurant). Woo-jin shows him a photo album of his family and daughter, which brings back his memory. Woo-jin then threatens to show the same to Dae-su’s daughter in order to bring back her memories as well. It is this realization that makes Dae-su grovel for forgiveness even though he has nothing to be sorry about. BTW, for those that didn't see the movie (yet), there is a very good reason why he doesn't want his daughter to remember. It has to do with...best just watch the movie. Matt - “The only explanation can be that Dae-Su was completely mad by that point.”

I have no doubt that Dae-su was a bit crazy by this point in the movie. I think that was the characterization made throughout. It wasn’t as much that Dae-su became a “bad-ass” as much as it was that he was an animal of sorts.

While Dae-su didn’t seek redemption, the story sought it for him. It is at this point in the movie he finds that he and his daughter had been hypnotized to not recognize each other (that’s why they didn’t know each other in the restaurant). Woo-jin shows him a photo album of his family and daughter, which brings back his memory. Woo-jin then threatens to show the same to Dae-su’s daughter in order to bring back her memories as well. It is this realization that makes Dae-su grovel for forgiveness even though he has nothing to be sorry about.

BTW, for those that didn’t see the movie (yet), there is a very good reason why he doesn’t want his daughter to remember. It has to do with…best just watch the movie.

]]> By: Matt http://www.farawaynowhere.com/blog/2007/12/12/oldboy-yeah-fashionably-late/#comment-123 Matt Mon, 24 Dec 2007 23:51:37 +0000 http://www.farawaynowhere.com/blog/2007/12/12/oldboy-yeah-fashionably-late/#comment-123 I just don't get the tongue scene. Woo-Jin never deserved a bit of respect to begin with, then he blew Dae-Su's rumor out of proportion, and took 15 years of his life away for it. That Dae-Su would show any bit of respect for Woo-Jin is unthinkable... and yet he's willing to make that kind of sacrifice as some sort of penance, for what Woo-Jin mistakenly percieves as a terrible wrong? Ridiculous. I was waiting for it to somehow be a trick, like he only cut his tongue open to make it bleed. The only explanation can be that Dae-Su was completely mad by that point. I just don’t get the tongue scene. Woo-Jin never deserved a bit of respect to begin with, then he blew Dae-Su’s rumor out of proportion, and took 15 years of his life away for it. That Dae-Su would show any bit of respect for Woo-Jin is unthinkable… and yet he’s willing to make that kind of sacrifice as some sort of penance, for what Woo-Jin mistakenly percieves as a terrible wrong? Ridiculous. I was waiting for it to somehow be a trick, like he only cut his tongue open to make it bleed. The only explanation can be that Dae-Su was completely mad by that point.

]]> By: j.valdez http://www.farawaynowhere.com/blog/2007/12/12/oldboy-yeah-fashionably-late/#comment-110 j.valdez Fri, 14 Dec 2007 03:09:07 +0000 http://www.farawaynowhere.com/blog/2007/12/12/oldboy-yeah-fashionably-late/#comment-110 Indeed, the hammer scene was well executed. I particularly like how they positioned the camera as if they were fighting in a tube. It was a bit side-scroller video game~ish. I took the "animals in an enclosed space" angle when interpreting the symbolism there. I had almost forgotten about the wings. I had intensionally taken two scenes that happened at the beginning and end of the movie. Many of the story elements have roots stemming from the very beginning such as the wings, which appeared in the first scene. That element seems to play multiple roles, now that I think about it. They are the proverbial <em>salt on the wound</em>, given the knowledge that we know she is his daughter already. Yet, the wings symbolize innocents. Also, that couple of seconds is rather humorous as well with her attempting to flutter the pair of feathers while sitting alone, bored. Indeed, the hammer scene was well executed. I particularly like how they positioned the camera as if they were fighting in a tube. It was a bit side-scroller video game~ish. I took the “animals in an enclosed space” angle when interpreting the symbolism there.

I had almost forgotten about the wings. I had intensionally taken two scenes that happened at the beginning and end of the movie. Many of the story elements have roots stemming from the very beginning such as the wings, which appeared in the first scene.

That element seems to play multiple roles, now that I think about it. They are the proverbial salt on the wound, given the knowledge that we know she is his daughter already. Yet, the wings symbolize innocents. Also, that couple of seconds is rather humorous as well with her attempting to flutter the pair of feathers while sitting alone, bored.

]]> By: Asuka http://www.farawaynowhere.com/blog/2007/12/12/oldboy-yeah-fashionably-late/#comment-109 Asuka Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:52:33 +0000 http://www.farawaynowhere.com/blog/2007/12/12/oldboy-yeah-fashionably-late/#comment-109 I also saw this movie quite late - a couple of months ago, in fact. One of the scenes I found very memorable was the hammer scene, with such beautiful yet beastly cinematography. And, without a doubt, the squid scene. Also, the shot with Mi-do wearing the wings sent me such ghastly realizations, which I still can't shake off even today. The film questions the issue of taboo and civilization in general, where sometimes the smallest thing that we do can greatly change the life of another. It's quite brilliant. I also saw this movie quite late - a couple of months ago, in fact. One of the scenes I found very memorable was the hammer scene, with such beautiful yet beastly cinematography. And, without a doubt, the squid scene. Also, the shot with Mi-do wearing the wings sent me such ghastly realizations, which I still can’t shake off even today. The film questions the issue of taboo and civilization in general, where sometimes the smallest thing that we do can greatly change the life of another. It’s quite brilliant.

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