Blu-ray Collection
The Flower in Hell (1958)
The 21st title from the Korea Film Archive, The Flower in Hell is the Archive’s second Blu-ray release commemorating the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. The first, North Korean Partisan in South Korea depicts the activities of guerrillas during the War, while the Flower in Hell, set against the backdrop of a U.S. military camp town, captures postwar South Korean society among the scars and ruins left behind. One of the top 100 Korean films as selected by the Archive in 2014, the Flower in Hell is an early representative work by director Shin Sang-ok. Although largely ignored at the time of its release due to an unconventional theme and forms of expression, the film has been repeatedly rediscovered by international film festivals since the 1990s.
The Flower in Hell is one of the masterpieces of 1950s Korean film. It shows the postwar Korean society and economy clearly, as well as the broken ethical compass of a people who lost everything in the War. That is why the film is often said to have been influenced by Italian Neo-realism. However, The Flower in Hell is an inhomogeneous film, one in which not only Neo-realism but also Hollywood action, western and noir genres co-exist. It is a problematic film, too, one that captures the reality of postwar Korean society and offers proof that Korean films of the era existed within the flow of world cinema. At the same time, it gives us a chance to gauge young Shin Sang-ok’s directing talent and original perspective.
This Blu-ray is sourced from the 4K restored version of The Flower in Hell, which was completed by Korea Film Archive in 2020. Restored in 4K high-definition, the highest quality available to date, the Blu-ray provides an opportunity to fully recognize the value of this film.
There are two commentary tracks. In one, film critic and director Chung Sung-ill brings his unique insight to bear on not only the meaning of the film in Korean film history, but also on the film world of Shin Sang-ok and the composition style of the film. In the second, director Kim Il-ran and culture critic Sohn Hee-jeong analyze the film from the perspective of women’s history and representations, providing an important reference point for understanding the film’s value. The Blu-ray booklet also includes Park Yu-hee’s article in which she introduces both the film and director Shin Sang-ok. Park is a professor at Korea University in Seoul and a prominent Korean film history researcher. Thanks to her article, we can comprehend Shin Sang-ok’s film world, as well as the status and meaning of The Flower in Hell.
The Flower in Hell is one of the masterpieces of 1950s Korean film. It shows the postwar Korean society and economy clearly, as well as the broken ethical compass of a people who lost everything in the War. That is why the film is often said to have been influenced by Italian Neo-realism. However, The Flower in Hell is an inhomogeneous film, one in which not only Neo-realism but also Hollywood action, western and noir genres co-exist. It is a problematic film, too, one that captures the reality of postwar Korean society and offers proof that Korean films of the era existed within the flow of world cinema. At the same time, it gives us a chance to gauge young Shin Sang-ok’s directing talent and original perspective.
This Blu-ray is sourced from the 4K restored version of The Flower in Hell, which was completed by Korea Film Archive in 2020. Restored in 4K high-definition, the highest quality available to date, the Blu-ray provides an opportunity to fully recognize the value of this film.
There are two commentary tracks. In one, film critic and director Chung Sung-ill brings his unique insight to bear on not only the meaning of the film in Korean film history, but also on the film world of Shin Sang-ok and the composition style of the film. In the second, director Kim Il-ran and culture critic Sohn Hee-jeong analyze the film from the perspective of women’s history and representations, providing an important reference point for understanding the film’s value. The Blu-ray booklet also includes Park Yu-hee’s article in which she introduces both the film and director Shin Sang-ok. Park is a professor at Korea University in Seoul and a prominent Korean film history researcher. Thanks to her article, we can comprehend Shin Sang-ok’s film world, as well as the status and meaning of The Flower in Hell.
Subtitles: Korean, English, and Japanese
Screen ratio: 1080P FULL HD 16:9
Audio: Korean LPCM Mono
Rated 15: Ages over 15 admitted.
Special Features
- Commentary by: Chung Sung-ill(Film Critic & Director), Kim Il-rhan(Film Director), Shon Hee-jeong(Film Critic)
- Image gallery
- Digital Restoration: Before & After
Booklet
- “Fascination of Creative Hybridity: Auterism and Genre” Park Yu-hee(Professor, Korea University)
Miscellaneous
- Three Film Postcards
Screen ratio: 1080P FULL HD 16:9
Audio: Korean LPCM Mono
Rated 15: Ages over 15 admitted.
Special Features
- Commentary by: Chung Sung-ill(Film Critic & Director), Kim Il-rhan(Film Director), Shon Hee-jeong(Film Critic)
- Image gallery
- Digital Restoration: Before & After
Booklet
- “Fascination of Creative Hybridity: Auterism and Genre” Park Yu-hee(Professor, Korea University)
Miscellaneous
- Three Film Postcards