[Movie 2008] The Good, The Bad, The Weird 좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈

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The Good, the Bad, and the Weird (2008)

Movie Review

— By James Mudge on June 21, 2009

“The Good, the Bad, the Weird”, the latest film from Korean master director Kim Ji Woon sees him delving into yet another genre, having tried his hand at horror with “A Tale of Two Sisters” and gangster melodrama with “A Bittersweet Life”. As can probably be gleamed from the title, the film pays tribute to the iconic western “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” by Sergio Leone, a director he had long admired and whose works he had frequently referenced in the past. Of course, with this being a Korean production, the film was labelled a “kimchi western” rather than a “spaghetti western” – underlining not only its nationality but also the sense of dynamism and spice that Kim injects into the proceedings.

With a cast that boasts three of the Korean industry’s biggest names, the film does represent somewhat of a change of pace for the director, being far more upbeat and action packed than his last few rather melancholic outings. The move paid off, and the film certainly proved popular with domestic audiences, emerging as the biggest box office hit of the year, and enjoyed similar success overseas, premiering at Cannes and being released on big screens around the world. It now arrives on region 2 DVD via Icon Home Entertainment as a 2 disc special edition with a host of special features including an alternative ending, interviews and several featurettes on the production.

The action is set deep in the badlands of Manchuria in the 1930s, where many Koreans fled to escape the cruel Japanese occupation of their homeland. The film opens as eccentric bandit Dae Goo (popular actor Song Kang Ho, recently in “The Host”) robs a train, snatching a treasure map from under the nose of rival outlaw Chang Yi (Korean heart throb Lee Byung Hun, also in “A Bittersweet Life” and who has taken the questionably brave move of starring in Stephen Sommers’ forthcoming toy-inspired popcorn flick “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra”). Dae Goo falls foul of bounty hunter Do Won (Jung Woo Sung, “The Warrior”), though the two decide to head off to find the treasure together, pursued not only by the psychotic Chang Yi but also by the Japanese army and hordes of other rival bandits.

Although it is fairly obvious which of the three main characters are the titular good, bad, and weird, all three are fascinating figures with their own back story and motivations, and the three stars deliver enthusiastic performances. As such, although familiar and very much in line with the Leone spaghetti western formula, the plot is gripping, with Kim adding a surprising amount of emotional depth and ironic character reversals that give more meaning to the spectacle and violence. As with his other works, he does play upon the conventions of the genre, though in a subtle rather than gratuitous manner, working within the formula with a sly wink. The film is funny throughout, though avoids becoming too much of a spoof, with most of the humour being genre savvy and manic. Indeed, the film has the winning feel of a classic caper, very much in the old fashioned, two fisted Western style, and despite a couple of dips in pace during the more politically charged middle section, it keeps the viewer entertained throughout.

The film is certainly exciting, being filled with shootouts and thrilling chase scenes, and Kim shows a real eye for action. The frequent set pieces are spectacular and creatively staged, with several stand-out sequences that rival anything from Hollywood. The film is surprisingly violent in places, though again this is very much in-keeping with the Leone theme, and the proceedings are never nasty or mean spirited. Kim’s colourful and stylish direction makes the most of the epic desert vistas and local costumes, as well as giving the action an exhilarating sense of danger, and the film makes for supremely enjoyable viewing, marking perhaps his most commercially accessible outing to date.

Ji-woon Kim (director) / Ji-woon Kim, Min-suk Kim (screenplay)

CAST: Kang-ho Song … Yoon Tae-goo / The Weird

Byung-hun Lee … Park Chang-yi / The Bad

Woo-sung Jung … Park Do-won / The Good

Kyeong-hun Jo … Doo-chae

Kwang-il Kim … Two swords

Cheong-a Lee … Song-i

Dong-seok Ma … Bear

Dal-su Oh … Man-gil

Source: beyondhollywood.com

[Guest Nissy.]

I just downloaded the movie from the first page The.Good.The.Bad.The.Weird.2008.DVDRip.XviD-BiFOS

But how can I play it? Tehy have files like Cd1 and Cd2

[Guest Nissy.]

I don't have sound when I played it

[rubie]

I just downloaded the movie from the first page The.Good.The.Bad.The.Weird.2008.DVDRip.XviD-BiFOS

But how can I play it? Tehy have files like Cd1 and Cd2

Hi Nissy., welcome to GBW!

I'm not too sure if I could help you and not quite the tech savvy but what is the extension of the files that you've downloaded? Is it.. divx (in most cases, we could just change it to wmv for instance).. avi.. or something?

[Guest Nissy.]

Hi Nissy., welcome to GBW!

I'm not too sure if I could help you and not quite the tech savvy but what is the extension of the files that you've downloaded? Is it.. divx (in most cases, we could just change it to wmv for instance).. avi.. or something?

Hi

Ok, I have sound now but I don't see the subtitles.

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Hi

Ok, I have sound now but I don't see the subtitles.

For the subs, there's always the code software that we need to install. Do you have that? Aish.. I've got the name of the software at the tip of my tongue but somehow can't remember it.

Once you've got the software in.. the movie files and subs files all in a folder, everything should be alright.

[Guest kiia]

I love this movie! (Awesome cast!) And I'm so excited cause the dvd will (most probably) come in stores even in my country! That doesn't happen too often with K movies...

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^ Hi kiia! Welcome to GBW! Really good to hear your thoughts on the movie.. hope you'll continue to share more with us. ^^

Our Nom Nom Nom sure & simply rock!

June 26, 2009

DONALD CLARKE & MICHAEL DWYER review this week's DVD releases

New DVDs -

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE WEIRD

****

Directed by Kim Jee-woon Starring Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, Jung Woo-sung, Kim Pan-joo. 15A cert

The director of A Tale of Two Sisterspays homage to Sergio Leone in 1930s Manchuria.

At times, it feels like an overly referential postmodern gag, but Kim injects such unique chaos into proceedings that the film eventually starts to breathe its own air. Good, weird, but rarely bad.

Source:

californiachronicle.com

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Captures from auctions yahoo.jp, thanks to the original fan-sharing & highlight

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June 28, 2009

The Good, the Bad and the Weird Korean Western

Joheunnom Nabbeunnom Isanghannom or The Good, The Bad, The Weird might be the best Korean Western I’ve seen so far. Actually it’s the first one I’ve seen but it does justice to the old cowboy movies, including The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.

The Good. Woo-sung Jung (The Good), Byung-hun Lee (The Bad) and Kang-ho Song (The Weird) played their parts well. It also helps that the movie took place in picturesque Manchuria where each scene is breathtaking. The movie takes us to that particular place and time for the duration of the movie. Byung-hun Lee was extraordinary in this movie and I think that casting him as Storm Shadow for the upcoming G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is a good choice.

The Bad. Don’t look for any plot in this one. Everyone’s after a map and when I say everyone that includes the Good, the Bad and the Weird along with opium dealers, thieves and the Japanese army. But it is still entertaining and action-filled as they chase for the map all over Manchuria.

The Weird. Despite the lack of plot, I enjoyed the movie. There were funny moments and the best one is when the three were in the spot where the treasure was supposed to be but they found nothing there. Just as The Good, The Bad, The Weird are killing each other, oil spurted and they don’t know what it was.

I expected the three of them die just like any other Korean action movie but then only Bad died. Good miraculously survived being shot by two expert gunslingers while Weird was wearing a steel plate to protect himself. The Good, The Bad, The Weird is the perfect movie to kill time.

Source: rebzombie.com

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LBH NOM NOM NOM in Seoul Savvy

Discovery Channel: Affectionately known 'Nom Nom Nom' the movie has been called the Kimchi Western, named after the spicy pickles Koreans love to eat. Although the movie had one of the highest budgets in the Korean movie history, and a slate of A-list actors.. it was a new untried genre.

The film would also require Byunghun to take on something that he never tried. In 'A Bittersweet Life', Kim had drawn out Byunghun's dark side. In 'Nom Nom Nom'. he wanted pure, unadulterated evil.

Dir. Kim Jee Woon: It's a very simple story really. There are three guys - the good, the bad, the weird and they come across a treasure map by chance. It's an action-packed film where they all pursue each other to get the map. It's also about the drama of these individuals and how their paths cross. So, it's a Korean style western.

LBH: It's story is different from all the other characters that I have acted. I felt I had a lot of similar character inside of me. I realized I could amplify my cold side, and bad side.

Dir. Kim: He played a truly evil 'bad guy' role for the first time. We put a scar on his pretty face and covered his puppy-dog eyes with his hair. In transforming his appearance and character, he was taking a huge risk.

Jung Woo Sung (The Good): I think it was a very bold decision. Being a villain, breaking away from his previous characters and image was a new challenge.

Discovery Channel

: In summer of 2006, The Good, the Bad, The Weird premiered in Seoul and to everyone's relief, it was an absolute blockbuster success and a celebrated film at the Blue Dragon Awards, Korea's version of the Oscars.

Byunghun had spent a lifetime taking risks and he's proud of his work on the film but the ultimate test would be the reaction of his fans.

LBH: Right now, I feel like a student who studied hard for his exams and is now waiting for his report card. Like waiting to be judged.

Discovery Channel

: As the screen goes up, it's obvious that his fans had given him an A+

Dir. Kim: His fans in Asia, especially in Japan, were really surprised by Lee Byung Hun's transformation. But they also seemed to approve of him broadening his scope as an actor.

Discovery Channel

: Once again, Byung Hun Lee was vindicated. His fans bought into his new evil persona. So too, would Hollywood.

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empire magazine-gbw dvd review, thanks to the fan-sharing at dcinside

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By the way.. tomorrow, July 17th will be GBW's 1st Anniversary after being released nationwide in Korea last year to be 2008's top movie. How time flies so fast! Nom Nom Nom Fighting! 

 

July 16, 2009

 

The NOM NOM NOM's New 2009 movies

- Gi Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Rainy Season, Sworn Brothers

Articles at cbs.co.kr l spn.edaily.co.kr

 

 

South Korea's top actors Song Kang Ho, Lee Byung Hun and Jung Woo Sung affectionately known as the 'Nom Nom Nom' from last year's top-grossing blockbuster Kimchi-western "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" are now back on the big screen with new movies of their own. Not counting SKH's Cannes Jury Prize Winner 'Thirst' released in May, LBH's 'I Come With The Rain' in June and JWS' short movie 'Gift' with Dir. Kim Jee Woon earlier on.. Lee Byung Hun's Hollywood debut in 'Gi Joe: The Rise of Cobra" will be the first to meet the Korean audience on August 6 while JWS' movie 'Rainy Days/Rainy Season' a Korean-China collaboration directed by Dir. Hur Jin Ho (Happiness) will be released in the fall while SKH's action movie with Kang Dong Wan in Dir. Jang Hoon's 'Sworn Brothers' to follow suit.

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July 17, 2009

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July 17, 2009

gbw 1 year

Thanks to the highlight at lovelbh.com, captures courtesy fan-sharing

at GBW-cafe.daum 419 l 418 l 417 l 416 l 415 l 414 l 413

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May 16, 2005

Dialogue: Kim Jee-woon
Source: hollywoodreporter.com

Kim Jee-woon started his career on the stage, as an actor, writer and director. He switched to the big screen in 1998 with the dark comedy "The Quiet Family" and has since then produced a steady run of well-regarded hits. The Hollywood Reporter's Mark Russell spoke with the director about his festival entry, "A Bittersweet Life."

The Hollywood Reporter: "Dal Kom Han In-Saeng," is the Korean name for Fellini's "La Dolce Vita." Is there a connection between your film and the Fellini classic?
Kim Jee-woon: The title indicates some irony, as you will see from the film. Just as my first feature film, "The Quiet Family," told a story about a family that was hardly quiet at all -- stirring up troubles by committing a series of murders -- I thought this film would be a success if people re-examined the title after they watched it. By following an ambiguous life of a man that is not sweet, I tried to make a thoughtful and entertaining movie with the traits and style of an action noir based on many thoughts that were lingering in my mind: Is a life sweet?; Is it possible to dream of a sweet life?; Isn't it (a sweet life) impossible to realize?; To live a sweet life, to what extent should one endure a reality that feels like a nightmare?; Should he pay such a gruesome price for having been swayed by a sweet seduction? It is ironic, but I haven't seen the "La Dolce Vita" by Federico Fellini. I expect I'll receive many questions about this film, so I plan to watch it before I leave for Cannes. I guess the two films may share some similarities in the sense that both deal with the dark and absurd aspects of a life.

THR: Each of your films has been quite different in tone and content. Are there any underlying themes to your films that unite them? What do your films have in common?
Jee-woon: Well... Although I have always dealt with different genres, ranging from black comedy to horror to action noire, I reckon I maintain a consistent cinematic tone. Let's say I am interested in creating the comic and tragic circumstances in life, such as the ironies of life and the breakdown of communications. Perhaps the most consistent element in my films is the lead characters -- they are pitiful, wretched characters. Faced with huge waves of destiny, they resist, strain to fight back, and try to get out to the extent they can. However, they are always reckless, mediocre, or failing.



THR: I heard that you use a lot of psychology when you write your characters and stories, especially Freudianism. Is that true?
Kim Jee-woon: Not exactly Freudianism, but I do use a lot of psychology in advancing my story. Sometimes I am so absorbed in describing the psychology of my character, I almost make the 'existential' side of my character evaporate. Yet I think the psychology of the character is very existential. Many critics and journals try to look for a trend in my work, but not for the psychological existentialism of the character.

THR: "A Bittersweet Life" opens and closes with a kind of Buddhist parable. But in between, there is much violence and revenge and rather un-Buddha-like behavior. What is the significance of these parables, and how do they relate to the rest of the film?
Kim Jee-woon: The parables at the beginning and the end are intended as a key to understand this movie. They also contribute to creating the circumstantial mood of the character. This movie is not simply a revenge story, and maybe it is not interested in revenge at all. It is rather a road movie that follows the internal journey of the main character, Sunwoo. This is also a type of coming-of-age movie, which follows a cool character who seems to have a self-satisfied life from the point he begins to question himself and his motives to the point he comes to his own realization.

THR: What's next for you? What kind of movies do you want to make?
Kim Jee-woon: Nobody knows.

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Capture copied from GBW-cafe.daum

[Guest kiia]

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/6076/2y1o3144.jpg

Oh wow I love this shot! ♥

And I'd so like to own those cute nom nom nom -stuffed animals x)

It's great that GBW grace just keeps on going. When I first heard about the movie I thought the idea of Korean western was simply brilliant : ) And overall, I like westerns alot.

[& I finally got the dvd!]

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All captures credit to All About LBH

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Eastern westerns

Things get weird when spaghetti westerns move farther east

Published August 13, 2009 by John Tebbutt

What happens when spaghetti westerns include Asian characters or when westerns get made in places like Japan, Korea and Thailand? Read on to find out.

• The Good, The Bad, The Weird (2008): Still making the festival circuit, this fantastic oddity is already on DVD and Blu-Ray in the United Kingdom, but we're still waiting over here. South Korea's take on The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966) is fast, frantic and fun, with loads of brilliant action sequences. The plot isn't original, but nobody will care, as the three bigger-than-life title characters try to beat one another to the location of a buried treasure. “The Good” (Woo-sung Jung) is a cool-as-ice bounty hunter, always turning up unexpectedly wherever a well-placed shotgun blast is needed. “The Bad” (Byung-hun Lee) is alternately suave and twitchy as the fearsome yet damaged crime-boss villain. Best of all is the scene-stealing “The Weird” (Kang-ho Song), a freewheeling amoral bandit who breezes through shoot-outs with his dual Walther pistols, a ridiculous leather aviator's cap and a comically laconic expression on his face. You might recognize Song from his brilliant performance in the Korean monster film The Host (2006) and he's just as memorable here. His character survives time and again not because of skill at arms, but simply because he keeps a cool head under fire and uses whatever tools are at hand (diving helmets, motorcycle sidecars, dynamite) to keep himself alive.

Let's hope that a Canadian theatrical release is forthcoming; this one really deserves to be seen on the big screen!

• The Stranger and the Gunfighter (a.k.a. Blood Money) (1974): Putting kung fu icon Lo Lieh into a spaghetti western alongside Lee Van Cleef was a stroke of genius. The film isn't quite as memorable as you'd expect for such a brilliant bit of casting, but it's certainly worth a look. The two stars team up to track down another buried treasure, but with a twist. This time, portions of the treasure map are tattooed on the asses of four beautiful women, all of whom were mistresses of Lieh's rich, dead uncle. The duo travels the American West trying to find the various richard simmons maps, while engaging in the occasional shoot-out or kung fu fight.

• Sukiyaki Western Django (2007): A Japanese homage to Italian westerns, filmed entirely in broken English (with subtitles!). Cult filmmaker Takashi Miike puts his weird and wonderful stamp on the various western clichés, throwing in references to Django (1966), the Genpei Wars of Japan and two characters played by a certain Quentin Tarantino. Utterly berserk from start to finish, this will leave most viewers scratching their heads, but is a real treat for fans of eastern-western cinema.

• Samurai (a.k.a. Il bianco, il giallo, il nero, a.k.a. The White, The Yellow and The Black, a.k.a. Shoot First… Ask Questions Later) (1975): Sergio Corbucci, the director of Django (1966), made this loony western comedy about the hunt for a kidnapped Japanese pony. The pony in question is the responsibility of a stable boy-cum-samurai played by Cuban actor Tomas Milian with his eyes taped down and an aggressively awful “Japanese” accent. He's assisted by a suave gunfighter known as “The Swiss” (Giuliano Gemma) and by a hapless sheriff named “Black Jack Gideon” (Eli Wallach). The trio resorts to cross-dressing in order to infiltrate the bad guy's lair and let me tell you — Eli Wallach looks hideous in a dress.

• Tears of the Black Tiger (2000): Hoo boy! This over-the-top Thai western is one of the most ridiculously melodramatic movies you'll ever see. Hard-bitten Asian cowboys choke back emotion in searing close-ups in scene after scene... and it's hilarious! Betrayal, heartbreak and a tragic love triangle are portrayed so loudly and earnestly that you won't be able to keep a straight face. The emotions are so extreme that when one character breaks out a rocket launcher in the middle of a gunfight, it makes perfect sense. Most ridiculous of all is the colour scheme, which pours so many hyper-saturated pastel hues onscreen that your retinas will squeak. Cowboys in frosted pink shirts and lavendar neckerchiefs stare balefully at one another before a backdrop exploding with freakishly bright reds, blues and yellows. Seriously, if the horses turned out to be those garish little “My Little Pony” toys, they'd fit right in.

Source: http://www.ffwdweekly.com/article/screen/v...-westerns-4289/