Comments on: Memories of Murder http://www.play-mastermind.com/memories-of-murder Play Mastermind Online And Improve Your Memory, Logic & Math Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:41:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Justin Pack http://www.play-mastermind.com/memories-of-murder/comment-page-1#comment-2146 Justin Pack Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:33:18 +0000 http://www.play-mastermind.com/memories-of-murder#comment-2146 Don't be put off by the tacky title and silly cover! This may sound pretensious, but I found Memories of Murder to be a wonderfully subtle criticism of the pretensions and tragedy of science -- a lamentation of the failure of Western modernity to deliver the orderly utopia it promised. <br /> <br />In CSI, science almost always reveals the truth, reveals the bad guy. What if the world is not so transparent, however? What if the life is such a complicated mishmash that no amount of methodological digging will reveal the truth? <br /> <br />[spoiler warning] <br /> <br />In Memories of Murder we begin with two old school detectives who have no notion of proper scientific procedure and criminology. When they come accross a nude body shoved under a drain pipe they blame it on the retarded guy in the villiage and coerce him into a confession. Of course he didn't do it and another body shows up making everyone look stupid. The methods of these "primative" detectives is beating reality to fit the vision they want. <br /> <br />Eventually a "true" detective from Seoul shows up -- a guy who knows criminology, a scientist. He immediately begins finding new clues and showing how inept the other two were. His methodological, scientific approach gets them ever closer to the perpetrator. Eventually they find what seems to be the right guy, but the DNA doesn't match! When the science fails the smart Seoul detective tracks the suspect down and ends up doing exactly what the other detectives did: attempting to beat a confession out of the suspect. When they can't get it there is nothing to do but let the likely criminal free. <br /> <br />The descent from science to brutality expresses perfectly the pain that comes with the realization that science has not brought, and likely will not bring the utopia it promised. Don't get me wrong it bring about a lot of good, but ultimately it fails in its promises. This is, in a way, the same point made in Yellow Earth (Chinese) about communism. It failed it's promise. <br /> <br />I love the final scene. Like many other Korean films it left me with the feeling so prevalent in Asia: the random wonder of the mishmash world and the inevitable failures of our pretensions to control it. Rating: 5 / 5 Don’t be put off by the tacky title and silly cover! This may sound pretensious, but I found Memories of Murder to be a wonderfully subtle criticism of the pretensions and tragedy of science — a lamentation of the failure of Western modernity to deliver the orderly utopia it promised.

In CSI, science almost always reveals the truth, reveals the bad guy. What if the world is not so transparent, however? What if the life is such a complicated mishmash that no amount of methodological digging will reveal the truth?

[spoiler warning]

In Memories of Murder we begin with two old school detectives who have no notion of proper scientific procedure and criminology. When they come accross a nude body shoved under a drain pipe they blame it on the retarded guy in the villiage and coerce him into a confession. Of course he didn’t do it and another body shows up making everyone look stupid. The methods of these “primative” detectives is beating reality to fit the vision they want.

Eventually a “true” detective from Seoul shows up — a guy who knows criminology, a scientist. He immediately begins finding new clues and showing how inept the other two were. His methodological, scientific approach gets them ever closer to the perpetrator. Eventually they find what seems to be the right guy, but the DNA doesn’t match! When the science fails the smart Seoul detective tracks the suspect down and ends up doing exactly what the other detectives did: attempting to beat a confession out of the suspect. When they can’t get it there is nothing to do but let the likely criminal free.

The descent from science to brutality expresses perfectly the pain that comes with the realization that science has not brought, and likely will not bring the utopia it promised. Don’t get me wrong it bring about a lot of good, but ultimately it fails in its promises. This is, in a way, the same point made in Yellow Earth (Chinese) about communism. It failed it’s promise.

I love the final scene. Like many other Korean films it left me with the feeling so prevalent in Asia: the random wonder of the mishmash world and the inevitable failures of our pretensions to control it.
Rating: 5 / 5

]]> By: James M. Hawk http://www.play-mastermind.com/memories-of-murder/comment-page-1#comment-2145 James M. Hawk Sat, 06 Feb 2010 22:36:16 +0000 http://www.play-mastermind.com/memories-of-murder#comment-2145 from the director who brought you THE HOST, MEMORIES OF MURDER is based on a true story of south korea most nortorius serial killer. women are murdered and a killer might be sending postcards to a radio station to alert police of upcoming murders, the song SAD LETTER is played during rainstorms(why either are connected are never fully explained). slow but involving with some strained attempt at humor. the pace of the film just feels ackward better editing/tightening would have helped. overall, a lackluster yarn based on real events. I enjoy foreign films and the dubbing is usually fine--the movies dubbing is nicely done but I think it looses translation. I think this film would have been better viewed if subtitles are on. ultimately unsatisfying ending but easily forgettable too. kind of mixed bag for me. 2.5 stars actually. Rating: 3 / 5 from the director who brought you THE HOST, MEMORIES OF MURDER is based on a true story of south korea most nortorius serial killer. women are murdered and a killer might be sending postcards to a radio station to alert police of upcoming murders, the song SAD LETTER is played during rainstorms(why either are connected are never fully explained). slow but involving with some strained attempt at humor. the pace of the film just feels ackward better editing/tightening would have helped. overall, a lackluster yarn based on real events. I enjoy foreign films and the dubbing is usually fine–the movies dubbing is nicely done but I think it looses translation. I think this film would have been better viewed if subtitles are on. ultimately unsatisfying ending but easily forgettable too. kind of mixed bag for me. 2.5 stars actually.
Rating: 3 / 5

]]> By: Cynthia A. Williams http://www.play-mastermind.com/memories-of-murder/comment-page-1#comment-2144 Cynthia A. Williams Sat, 06 Feb 2010 21:09:27 +0000 http://www.play-mastermind.com/memories-of-murder#comment-2144 I ordered this movie for my son (age 19) and I watched it with him. We both loved it. Rating: 4 / 5 I ordered this movie for my son (age 19) and I watched it with him. We both loved it.
Rating: 4 / 5

]]> By: D. Hupp http://www.play-mastermind.com/memories-of-murder/comment-page-1#comment-2143 D. Hupp Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:33:42 +0000 http://www.play-mastermind.com/memories-of-murder#comment-2143 A good movie based on a series of murders committed in Korea in 1986. Good acting by the cast. This film and a few other recent ones shows that South Korean film-makers are appealing to broader international audiences. Has humor, suspense, action, and tragedy. Portrayal of police brutality of suspects might offend some viewers, but it's consistent with the known tactics that were practiced and tolerated at that time by Korean law enforcement. 3+ stars. Don't miss this one. Rating: 3 / 5 A good movie based on a series of murders committed in Korea in 1986. Good acting by the cast. This film and a few other recent ones shows that South Korean film-makers are appealing to broader international audiences. Has humor, suspense, action, and tragedy. Portrayal of police brutality of suspects might offend some viewers, but it’s consistent with the known tactics that were practiced and tolerated at that time by Korean law enforcement. 3+ stars. Don’t miss this one.
Rating: 3 / 5

]]> By: Philip S. Kashdan http://www.play-mastermind.com/memories-of-murder/comment-page-1#comment-2142 Philip S. Kashdan Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:49:43 +0000 http://www.play-mastermind.com/memories-of-murder#comment-2142 I watched this film because it got an outstanding review on public radio's Fresh Air. The critic said it was one of the best mysteries in years. I would say it was one of the worst I've ever seen. The portrayal of the police and murder case was unrealistic and unsophisticated. The clues were simplistic and uninteresting. Worst of all, it was not entertaining. I found it hard to sit through this lackluster movie Rating: 1 / 5 I watched this film because it got an outstanding review on public radio’s Fresh Air. The critic said it was one of the best mysteries in years. I would say it was one of the worst I’ve ever seen. The portrayal of the police and murder case was unrealistic and unsophisticated. The clues were simplistic and uninteresting. Worst of all, it was not entertaining. I found it hard to sit through this lackluster movie
Rating: 1 / 5

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