The Red Shoes

Though inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale (as was Michael Powell's sumptuous 1948 ballet film), this Korean offering in the Tartan Asia Extreme series of violent and/or supernatural cinema is hardly kids' stuff. Here, the obligatory haunted/cursed item is a pair of red (pink, really) shoes that bring death and despair to whoever possesses them, so when they're picked up on the subway by a young woman despondent over her recent divorce, nothing good comes of it (like the shoes, the plot itself has a distinctly secondhand feel). The woman's young daughter also becomes obsessed with the footwear, leading to an escalating tussle between the pair in their new terribly dilapidated apartment (strongly reminiscent of the one in Dark Water) where spooky things happen. For those addicted to Asian ghost stories, Kim Yong-gyun's The Red Shoes is a stylish, occasionally striking film, but others will consider it just one more derivative addition to a genre that's already overpopulated. Optional. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Kim Yong-gyun and cinematographer Kim Tae-kyung, a “making-of” featurette including interviews with the director and actors, a featurette spotlighting the special effects team, and a trailer. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a stylish if unexceptional film.] (F. Swietek)