Peeking out from underneath the awkward, spoken word/village minstrel/performance art framing device used in Chunhyang is a deeply moving romantic epic. An ancient Korean fable about the forbidden love between a provincial governor's noble son and the beautiful daughter of a former courtesan, this gorgeously crafted film offers up a timeless meditation on passion and tragedy. But prolific Korean director Im Kwon Taek holds the viewer at arm's length by telling the story within the distracting framework of a modern-day pansori performance -- a traditional, rigidly stylized narrative stage show that involves a storyteller singing the tale to an accompanying drumbeat. Ultimately, through its stunning imagery and immaculate performances, the heart of Chunhyang ekes out a minor victory over the peculiar and distancing presentation--which is at best a cultural barrier for Western audiences, and at worst an arthouse gimmick gone awry. Recommended, overall. (R. Blackwelder)
Chunhyang
New Yorker, 120 min., in Korean w/English subtitles, not rated, VHS: $49.95, DVD: $29.95 Volume 16, Issue 6
Chunhyang
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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