Spider Forest

Fans of Mulholland Drive will find immense mind-warping pleasure in the relatively unknown South Korean horror thriller 'Spider Forest.' Dark imagery, asymmetrical chronology, shades of mythology and a narrative that takes the viewer on a sojourn through a stylized, blended reality comprised of both waking and dream states are familiar parallels that all Lynch fans will recognize (ps. look for the blue key!) and undoubtedly appreciate. The disjointed timeline may feel chaotic at first, but the plot is never incoherent and it never insults your intelligence by spoon-feeding the audience plot points with overly verbose expository, ridiculous cliches and contrived script/sound cues like the majority of mainstream studio movies have a compulsion to do. This is a story crafted with wit and it never fails to pile on the tension or ply your anxieties and fears with macabre/grotesque imagery (like spiders crawling on corpses--which always gets my skin crawling without fail--similar to the opening sequence in 2003's 'Memories of Murder').The Tartan Asia Extreme release is officially out of print and EXTREMELY hard to find in new, unopened condition. The fact that Amazon is selling these last 9 copies for $13 when such mint copies of this sought-after foreign cult classic are worth at least 3 to 4 times more, is shocking. If you're looking for a Korean homage to David Lynch and are thirsty for the kind of graphic noir you can sink your teeth into and rewatch multiple times (undoubtedly a necessity with this gem), Spider Forest is your introductory point to the more philosophical side of Korean horror. Metaphysics and eschatology are just some of the film's more exploratory themes and the structure of the story is such that you almost feel as if you yourself are in some kind of lucid dream state when the credits start rolling.A perfect addition to any movie night where you watch Mulholland Drive. It would make an excellent movie double-pack if they sold both films together in the same set like the distribution studios do with countless other films. It's unfortunate that Spider Forest is from that pre-blu ray age of Korean Cinema where lack of popularity means no future access to getting a 1080/2160p transfer on BDR. Despite its 480p transfer quality, the transfer is still rather pristine considering the restrictive resolution and bitrate, and a 768kbps DTS track ensures a sound profile clear and fleshed out enough to sate any audiophiles sound-lust (most DVDs are 192-224 kbps AC3; 768kbps DTS is a DEFINITE and most desired inclusion that helps compensate for the lower resolution and bitrate of the video track).5/5, a required midnight-no-lights viewing experience.

I re-watched this again last night. Boy, K-films need two showings!( for any one who does not understand Korean) One to get the gist of the plot from the subtitles, the next to really watch the actors! All the differance in the world. Did anyone notice the puppets? The presence of horror and the warmth of love, grief and remorse are perfect in this little piece.

Amazing Movie

SPIDER FOREST (a.k.a. Geomi Sup, 2004) is a South Korean film that relatively took in a fair box-office take. Fortunately, from what I've gathered, the film did take in a surmountable amount in dvd sales. Directed by Il Gon-Song, "Spider Forest" is equal parts mystery, detective thriller and the supernatural. It also stars one of my favorite South Korean actresses; Jung Suh (Sometimes known as Seo Jeong), renowned for her role in Kim Ki-Duk's "The Isle", "Yellow Flower" and "Green Chair". This film is geared towards those who can appreciate good cinema, with a methodical approach that sidesteps the basic style of linear storytelling. The film has a Category III rating in Asia, which equals to NC-17 in the U.S.Plot synopsis based on the dvd back cover:Deep in the forest, a man and a woman have been brutally attacked in a cabin and left to die. Arriving too late, Kang (Gam Woo-Sung) chases the killer only to be hit by a speeding car. Barely surviving the surgery, he now finds himself a prime suspect in the double murder case. While a police investigation sets out to confirm his story, he cannot shake the feeling that there are strange gaps in his memory regarding the night in question and the killer's identity. As he tries to piece together the fragments of a bizarre dream, He crosses paths with a very beautiful and enigmatic woman named Su-jin (Jung Suh). Kang slowly begins to realize that his own nightmares may hold the key to the truth.Not surprising that "Spider Forest" may alienate viewers used to the basic plot and twists, the film jumps around in timeline from Kang's relationship with his wife, to his investigation, to his conversations with Su-jin. What is truly amazing with the screenplay is that the film really encourages the viewer to work and take in the hidden, subtle clues and details dispersed throughout. It will probably make some folks say "I give up, the heck with this" but those who pay attention will be rewarded with a very awesome experience. The proceedings are almost "dream-like" in its execution and contains some smaller tales as well; such as "The legend of Spider Forest" which tells of restless and unloved souls who hide in this forest until they are remembered and loved again. No, the film is not about huge spiders spewing webs and devouring anyone in its path. I cannot spoil the fun for you, you will have to find out the relevance of its title for yourself.While the killer's identity may be seen halfway through the film, and experienced viewers (like me) will no doubt figure out the mystery. What really grabbed me is the "slow reveal" that gives you tiny bits of information that lets you go by in every waking moment. "Spider Forest" isn't too much of detective work but a mystery saga that doesn't rely on the usual gruesome crap to keep you on your toes. Don't get me wrong, there is blood and gore, and for a Korean film, it does have quite a lot of sex scenes and nudity to awaken male hormones. Kang's a very likeable guy and viewers will no doubt form an attachment to him, it was very interesting to see him doubt himself and his memory of the said evening. The film's psychological aspect gives a possible scenario after possible conclusion after conclusion that causes us to argue the fact that the proceedings may be nothing more than fiction. Very nice touches, reminiscent of films like "Memento" and "Next Door".The outstanding cinematography and visuals are what carried the film aside from its unorthodox style. There are some subtle symbols to be interpreted by the viewer (as to why Kang's wife plays mime), hidden secrets that effectively adhere to a whole. The wonderful shots of the countryside, that shifts to the impression that it may be a dream, then it grabs you by the throat with a touch of violent behavior; "sickle stabbing", anyone? The haunting music, the terrific performances by Gam Woo-Sung and the awesomely beautiful Jung Suh, all complement this film to climactic questions. The supporting cast isn't bad, either. Particularly, Kang's girlfriend (I lost her name), she exudes a certain intimidating sexiness to her character that rivals Jung Suh's erotic charisma. (Too bad, this is one film that you won't see Jung Suh in her Birthday suit)There are a lot of questions that may arise from this film. The director somewhat relies on the film's climax to give us an idea that two separate issues did happen, is it a dream? Is it a parallel to a reality? Some viewers will be frustrated unless they paid extra attention to its entirety. It may leave some viewers scratching their heads and a bit depressed for Kang's situation.True, South Korea may still be developing in the horror genre, and sadly, "Spider Forest" has been billed as being one. To close, the film is truly enthralling and an effective "Noirish" psychological thriller for the esoteric few (I've been using this term a lot lately) that appreciates methodical cinema. Equal parts murder mystery and the mind-boggling, it succeeds in all the areas that "A Tale of Two Sisters" wanted to but failed. It kicks the heck out of MOST Hollywood thrillers!Highly Recommended! [4 Stars]

Excellent movie and service.

The plot is interesting but the twist at the end ruin a litle the story. The acting was decent. I've seen much better from Korea.

A superior Korea horror thriller not to miss.

weird wonderful movie! great transaction

Fürchterlich langweiliger Film. Absolut nicht empfehlenswert.Ich konnte mir ihn nicht mal bis zum Schluss ansehen - wegen wiederholter Müdigkeitsanfälle wie gesagt - Sch...