#bedevilled 2010

[schlock-luster-video]

On February 28, 2011, Bedevilled was released on DVD in the United Kingdom.

Here's some new art inspired by the South Korean horror classic!

[brokenmirrorsbrokenminds]

BEDEVILLED (dir. Chul-So Jang, 2010)

This stark and disturbingly violent Korean melodrama plays out with all the conventions of an exploitation picture, particularly in the first half to that controversial 70s staple I Spit On Your Grave.

The film opens in a somber realistic tone, reminiscent of the work of fellow Korean Kim-Ki Duk of which director Chul-So was once assistant director to, following Hae-Won as she experiences a succession of bad luck experiences including an alleyway beating of a prostitute with which she testifies and eventually holds back the truth. She decides to leave Seoul for a vacation and visit her childhood friend, Bok-Nam, who now lives on a nearby island with her daughter. Once on the island the film then changes focus and we discover the life of Bok-Nam, subject to abuse both sexual and physical at the hands of the brothers that also live on the island - one of which a cheating, misogynistic husband, as well as emotional abuse by the elderly women, who support the males (except for one old man who amusingly seems content to be out of the clique) actions, ignoring the pleas of Bok-Nam, who is somewhat doctrinated to accept her life.

When a particular violent physical encounter between Bok-Nam and her husband leads to a tragic death, Bok-Nam's mental state breaks and it is her that hands out a violent retribution.

Coming over as a hybrid of genre takes, Bedevilled puts the viewer in an uncomfortable position. Beautifully shot and with outstanding performances from all involved, this is set against moments of very disturbing scenes of domestic abuse put upon Bok-Nam, going further to also involve the young daughter with suggestions of potential molestation. Undeniably cruel and depressing.

If the first half plays to a sort of type, the second half has its foothold in the conventional horror film, even so much as to mimic the slasher sub-genre. It's here that the film seems to fall over and belie what has gone before as realistic violence is replaced by gore, with a finale that would almost suit the many predictable US horrors of the past 25 years, as Hae-won is thrown back into the mix, again portrayed as the main character of the story.

Now despite the films shortcomings there are justifications for such a nihilistic and depressing approach, clearly the reason for Hae-wons presence - a telling scene occurs when she dismisses Bok-nam of her daughters possible molestation and refuses to help her return to Seoul with her. It is also Hae-won who denies seeing the aforementioned death that is the crux of the film midway through, although we later find that she had but chose to stay quiet as she did at the films beginning.

Is the director telling us that we live in a society where morality is non-existent; that we have lost a sense of empathy; that we are happy to conform and be controlled. Or that we have become individuals, with the sense of community now clearly corrupted and diminished - the old man's natural, quiet death, is one of the films more touching, if darkly humorous, moments, but more poignantly echoing the sometimes futility of peoples lives.

No doubt there are many questions asked throughout, with the director making no apologies for any sort of redeeming conclusion. Even Hae-won at the end testifying against the men who beat the prostitute at the beginning appears trite and tacked, but this is another example of the honesty that the film shows and its damned refusal to paint an optimistic portrait.

Highly uncomfortable viewing.