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The Good, The Bad, and The Weird (Review)
The Good, The Bad, and The Weird
aka 좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈 aka Joheunnom nabbeunnom isanghannom
2008
Directed by Kim Ji-woon
Written by Kim Ji-woon and Kim Min-suk
The Good, the Bad, and the Weird is the best Korean movie I have seen in years. There was a point a few years ago where Korea was the darling of the cult movie lover’s heart. Korea produced more good films a month than certain places (like Hong Kong at the time) made all year. From about 1998 until 2005, South Korea was supreme as far as Asian film was concerned. Then Korea started to falter. Movies became less good, budgets became smaller, the market became flooded with inferior products from the boom years, and the government let more foreign films into theaters. Other Asian film markets started to climb out of their slumps, and now the whole region is more competitive. Only a few great gems come out of Korea each year now, and this is one of the brightest.
From the title alone, you can guess where much of the influence comes from. The Good, the Bad, and the Weird borrows from Sergio Leone westerns in style and basic character archetypes, moving the setting to 1930’s Manchuria and allowing the influences of the Indiana Jones films. The stylization creates a universe of its own, sucking you in and taking you along for the ride. The action is non-stop, the only pauses are just to set up even bigger and more exciting action sequences.
With a budget of 20 billion won (US $15.43 million) it still lost money even with the year best ticket sales of 6.68 million tickets (at 10,000 won ($7.70) each, that should be 66.9 billion won, so something isn’t adding up even if they lose half the money to the theater owners.) Maybe someone with more knowledge of film costs in South Korea can enlighten me, but until then, we’ll just be confused. Just dub this thing and drop it off at Blockbuster, it will make money in a week. Of course, this assumes this ever shows up in America, as the track record for movies like this is that they disappear for years and everyone who wanted to see it gets it by other means… EDIT: I wrote this several months before it appeared on site, and since then a limited theatrical release was announced.
New Review – The Good, The Bad, And The Weird
The Good, The Bad, And The Weird – A Korean Western manages to be the best thing I’ve seen them release in years, thanks to wonderful action sequences, great characters, and genre elements picked from the best inspirations. A treasure map causes trouble in Japanese-occupied Manchuria, and before it is over scores of people will be dead. A much recommended film, complete with a video clip. Read it today!
Why the frak are they remaking Drop Dead Fred?
WTF?
Universal is resurrecting “Drop Dead Fred,” this time as a starring vehicle for Russell Brand.
Dennis McNicholas, one of the writers of Universal’s upcoming “Land of the Lost,” will pen the remake. Marc Platt is producing via his studio-based Marc Platt Prods. along with Working Title’s Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner.
The 1991 original starred Phoebe Cates as a wallflower who loses her job and husband during the course of a lunch hour. Forced to live back home, she’s reunited with her childhood imaginary friend (Brit actor Rik Mayall), who promises to help but causes more havoc.
Produced by PolyGram and Working Title, the first “Fred” was critically drubbed and commercially unsuccessful. But it did achieve a certain cult status and is considered a film that fell short of its full potential.
When this film fails, they will blame internet piracy and the recession.
Filipino Little Actors – Weng Weng and kin
Here is a cool article on PEP about little people who have become stars in the Filipino entertainment industry. It mentions the popular Weng Weng along with several other little people who most have not heard about.
Ernesto “Weng Weng” dela Cruz is the headline star, but several others are Noel “Ungga” Ayala, Romy “Dagul” Pastrana, Noemi “Mahal” Tesorero, and Allan “Mura” Padua
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Ernesto “Weng Weng” dela Cruz. This guy, standing two feet and nine inches only, was the smallest actor to play a lead role.
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Noel “Ungga” Ayala. Noel’s showbiz nickname, Ungga (short for “unggoy,” monkey), was first heard in the movie Starzan III: The Jungle Triangle. The nickname became his screen name.
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Romy “Dagul” Pastrana. In Pampanga, “dagul” means “tall or big.” But given Romy’s height, it’s the opposite. Dagul stands out among the midgets since he is still an active member of showbiz.
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Noemi “Mahal” Tesorero. Of all the midgets in showbiz, Mahal is perhaps the “controversy-magnet.” Some think the issues are for real, others say they’re for publicity—from her romantic relationships to her “video scandal” to her “lasengga” issue.
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Allan “Mura” Padua. The Bicolano Allan Padua considers his stint in Masayang Tanghali Bayan as his way of penetrating the world of showbiz. Mura was discovered and introduced as the twin of Mahal.
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Swine Flu is for pigs!
As the media freaks out over some people getting sick and whips the public into a panic, those of you wondering what will happen if there is a giant flu outbreak pandemic can take comfort in the fact this all happened in a 2005 TV movie called Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America. Suffice to say, everyone who lives is pretty much dead at the end when the deadlier strain shows up. Sorry, maybe you should be freaking out!
Timmy, NO! He's already dead!
Read about Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America
