1st John Schlesinger
I didn’t realise how much I liked this film until nearly 24 hours later when I got to log the film. Midnight Cowboy is quite rich in texture. Its editing style was experimental for the time, being heavy with flashbacks being overlaid onto the present day image, and plentiful use of intellectual montage as well as almost documentary style monologues. There is quite a lot to talk about strictly in the edit. The film is a frank,…
This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.
Rewatch
I’m rewatching this so I’m seeking out things that I didn’t quite capture on the first viewing, such as the early emphasis on the decaying remains of old legionnaires. We see many shots of things they left behind, such as a decrepit tank and singular wheels left in the sea to erode and decay. The film constantly reinforces the idea of the contrast. The contrast between the dullness of life (the rigidity, the lack of excitement in their duties)…
Naturally, this will draw comparisons to Something In The Rain. Similar backroom staff, same male lead, similar vibe in the story but this plays out much smoothly and has a way more satifying ending. The love story is heartfelt and relatable even if you're not in the same situations. The ordeal with the parents and side characters is more bearable and fleshed out. I like that there was no real villain. Ki Seok's character is bullish and arrogant but in…
Ahn Pan Seok has a certain way with his dramas. The themes may not always be the exact same but the atompshere and auras are instantly recognisable. There is a lot of secret, underwordly dealings regarding corruption and extortion. It's a battle for control. So when you have the young, pure hearted Sun Jae who just wants to play piano and be with Hye-won, there is a wide contrast. And that's what makes this such a good drama.
The story…
