Following the death of their mother, sisters Su-mi and Su-yeon are sent to a mental hospital, upon release they come home. Soon after their homecoming, strange, eerie events begin... more
Su-yeon (Mun Geun-yeong) return home from a sanitarium having supposedly recovered their health their stepmother Eun-joo (Yum Jung-ah) welcomes them back. Howev...
A Tale Of Two Sisters
Following the death of their mother, sisters Su-mi and Su-yeon are sent to convalesce in a ... more
mental hospital. When they are released, they are greeted by their father and taken home. Once there, it becomes obvious that this isn't the wholesome family unit that the girls' new step mother wishes it was.On their first night home disturbing and seemingly unexplainable events - footsteps on the stairs, doors opening of their own accord - begin to occur, and strange hallucinations plague the family. It soon becomes impossible to tell whether it is the sisters' unstable mental health, the cruel mind games played by the step mother, or the dark presence of a supernatural force which is at work within the house.Stylish and shocking, this visually arresting tale of family secrets and uncertain realities is based on a traditional Korean folk tale. Guaranteed to have you gasping for breath with each successive scare, you'll be kept guessing until the very end of this unique and brilliant film.
A Tale Of Two Sisters
Following the death of their mother, sisters Su-mi and Su-yeon are sent to convalesce in a ... more
mental hospital. When they are released, they are greeted by their father and taken home. Once there, it becomes obvious that this isn't the wholesome family unit that the girls' new step mother wishes it was.On their first night home disturbing and seemingly unexplainable events - footsteps on the stairs, doors opening of their own accord - begin to occur, and strange hallucinations plague the family. It soon becomes impossible to tell whether it is the sisters' unstable mental health, the cruel mind games played by the step mother, or the dark presence of a supernatural force which is at work within the house.Stylish and shocking, this visually arresting tale of family secrets and uncertain realities is based on a traditional Korean folk tale. Guaranteed to have you gasping for breath with each successive scare, you'll be kept guessing until the very end of this unique and brilliant film.
A review by Zoe on The Tale Of Two Sisters (DVD) August 20th, 2004
Author's product rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Loved it
Story
Satisfactory
Characters / Performances
Outstanding
Special Effects
Good
How does it compare to similar films?
Outstanding
Advantages:
Sustained terror throughout
Disadvantages:
Which may not be to everyone's taste
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
The feeling you get when Janet Leigh takes a shower or Jack Nicholson enters a hotel bathroom, how long do you think a film can sustain that feeling of gut wrenching suspense?
In the case of ‘A Tale of Two Sisters’ the answer is well over an hour and hence it gains the moniker of “the most terrifying film I have ever seen”. An impressive claim which I will struggle to justify on paper (particularly without ruining the scares) but if I persuade only one of you to sit and enjoy this macabre masterpiece in a darkened room without the comfort of the pause button it will be worth the effort.
The film tells the story of two sisters (unsurprisingly) Soo-mi (Lim Su-jeong) and Soo-yeon (Mun Geun-yeong) who return to their family home after time away convalescing due to an unspecified illness. Their family consists of their mild mannered father (Kim Kap-su) and wicked stepmother (Yum Jung-ah). Whilst trying to readjust to family life, particularly their manic and maniacal stepmother, and simultaneously coping with the absence of their real mother, strange things begin to happen in the sisters’ country home. Bad dreams, noises in the dark, people creeping into bedrooms – and what’s that sound coming from Soo-yeon’s bedroom wardrobe?
Inspired by the folk tale Rose Flower and Red Lotus (the film’s original title) ‘A Tale of Two Sisters’ is brought to us by Korean writer/director Kim Ji-woon. He makes the brave decision to launch us into the action with little or no knowledge of what’s going on, and thanks to the rather slow delivery of any kind of back story it’s a state he keeps us in for most of the film. Though frustrating at first this is one of the film’s shrewdest moves, without any clue about why or what is happening it becomes impossible to predict what’s coming next and this certainly helps in maintaining that terror I mentioned earlier. This is Ji-woon’s other hugely successful tactic, in the first half hour of the film we are treated to a good two minutes of sustained horror in a scene which most obviously compares to the end of Ringu. Ji-woon places this relatively early in his story and from this point on you’re constantly waiting for something to petrify you. So though the plot is slow paced, far from being boring the audience is kept in a state of such discomfort that they can never relax. Every time someone walks into a room or opens a cupboard something doesn’t jump out at them, but you expect it to every single time – and that’s suspense.
The film is an atmospheric masterpiece where every element has been designed to scare you senseless. The most obvious construct is the family home, which becomes the central character of the film. Ji-woon’s use of contrast in the film’s opening scenes serves to enhance the house’s claustrophobia and creeping terror. When the girls’ first return we are treated to the sumptuous visuals of the Korean countryside, wide open spaces, warm inviting lakes, beautiful autumnal colours, the cinematography by Lee Mo-gae is breathtaking – and then we enter the house. Jo Geun-hyeon’s stunning art direction is showcased in the dark wood panelling and oppressive floral wall paper, a bizarre mix of east meets west the house is an environment no one could ever relax in. It is a place of almost constant night, daylight never lasting long enough and never really overcoming the shadows. Their stepmother inhabits it like a spider in her web, and what a deadly web it is. Quickly shifting from being purely ‘less the cosy’ the house begins to creak, moan and even bleed. Ji-woon keeps us perpetually trapped in this house of horrors the only brief reprieve near the film’s conclusion being mercilessly snatched away.
Combined perfectly with this beautifully designed abode is the film’s imaginative camera work. There are a lot of character POV shots which always work well in horror by preventing an audience from distancing itself from the film. A staple of oriental horror is the close up on character’s faces at the expense of seeing the action they are reacting to, which is one of the factors that sets recent Asian work in this genre above Hollywood efforts and one which is employed very successfully here. What I particularly liked was the feeling of cameras moving without restraint, round corners or through floors a device previously been used by that other master of suspense David Fincher in the nail biting ‘Panic Room’. Little flashes of invention are apparent throughout; 360 degree rotations, shaking cameras and skewed angles all help to make this more than just a conventionally shot chiller.
Other than the house the other obvious mechanism used to mount dread is sound. Once we are into the house the score is used very sparingly, in fact minutes of silence can pass before a huge discordant piano chord rings out signalling – well I don’t want to spoil any of the surprises…At other times music can be very loud and dramatic Lee Byung-woo’s score always used with restraint and always very effectively. It can even be slightly Hitchcock-esque at times; in one scene a particular combination of score, reveal and camerawork is very reminiscent of ‘Vertigo’. It is not just score and silence which works so well in this film, the whole sound design is magnificent. Ticking clocks, gentle wind chimes and most notably footsteps are all used to maintain a sense of unease and trepidation. The sound effects are particularly effective in a cinema as you are never totally sure where they are coming from and make this one to see on the big screen if at all possible.
The performances of the four leads (that’s not including the house) are all wonderful. The sisters combine innocence and strangeness perfectly. Lim Su-jeong in particular has a huge character arc to work through and demands pathos one minute and disquiet the next. She’s one character you never really know and Su-jeong’s performance keeps the mystery throughout. As the girl’s stepmother Yum Jung-ah is really the star of the show. She’s the only character allowed to make us laugh (though the more easily scared amongst you won’t be laughing much) her performance is awkward and mannered and hammy…and brilliant. A ball of nervous energy she is immediately disturbing and though not technically the villain of the piece she remains a hated figure right to the end. Mun Geun-yeong as the younger sister Soo-yeon is a more conventional role but she is believable and appealing nonetheless. Also saddled with less of a twisted character is Kim Kap-su as the family’s partriarch, such a restrained figure I was waiting for him to snap, but unfortunately the snap never came.
So the film is astonishingly scary, visually impressive and unusual with brilliant performances, but it isn’t perfect. I could have done without the now mandatory staples of Asian horror, the long haired figures with hair covering their face, the static television and of course the vengeful spirit; there’s a point where some new conventions are going to have to be invented and it’s a shame it wasn’t here. By the end of the film I was starting to get slightly frustrated by its reluctance to conclude and there was one particular cupboard I didn’t need to see opened AGAIN. The real let down though is the confusing and convoluted plot. I would have been perfectly happy with the film’s perplexing opening if we were treated to some kind of satisfactory explanation later on, unfortunately what we get is a tired twist that means the film demands a second viewing to make any sense. That said the film’s eventual final scene is both satisfying, scary and open ended – the best way to end a horror film.
This is everything you could want in a horror film and though it’s only a 15, if you are easily scared I would recommend waiting till video when you can watch it with a remote and the lights on (my viewing companion missed half the film as she had her eyes closed every time something scary was about to happen – a lot). Alright so the plot is puzzling and far less spooky than the series of visual jumps and jolts the film offers – but so what? This is intelligent, adult, unabating terror, which though I highly recommend you watch, I don’t recommend you do it alone…
This film is showing as part of Tiger Beer Tartan Asia Extreme 2004 Season exclusively with UGC Cinemas.
From August 13th: UGC Shaftesbury Ave, UGC Glasgow Renfrew St, UGC Brighton, UGC Edinburgh, UGC Dublin
From August 27th: UGC Enfield, UGC Cardiff, UGC Didsbury, UGC Boldon
From September 10th: UGC Nottingham, UGC Birmingham (Broad Street), UGC Sheffield, UGC Middlesbrough
For further details visit http://www.asiaextreme.co.uk/index.html
Advantages: One of the scariest films I have ever seen Disadvantages: Too complicated to understand, inconsistent.
...you not scared (yet) at the idea of looking under your kitchen sink?
Then, A Tale of Two Sisters is for you!
The story
***********************************************
I don't want to get into too much detail, as I believe that horror films are far scarier when one doesn't know the story.
In a few words, Su-Mi and Su-Yeon are two sisters (no kidding!), who return to their family home to live with their dad, Mu-Hyun, and his new wife Iun Joo. ... ...is about to occur.
The film is Certificate 15.
It was directed in 2002 by Korean director par Kim Jee-Woon.
The older sister is played by Im Soo-Jung. I think she fits the role perfectly. The younger sister is played by Moon-Geun-Young.
My opinion about the film
********************************************
It's really hard to tell, as I am torn between two feelings.
Starting with the good bit, as a horror film, "A Tale of Two Sisters" is unbelievably ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
...I often find these are the best films, as you don't have any preconceptions about them. Having said that, this would be a wickedly creepy, disturbing, tense psychological thriller any day of the week. And the tension is throughout the entire film, not just the first half hour. The story is basically two sisters returning to live with their father and step mother after a prolonged stay in some sort of institution. It does not make it clear why they ... ...and her father and step-mother. The house itself is the creepiest place you can imagine, dark and in shadow for the most part.
Not long after they arrive, strange things begin happening to the sisters, although nothing overt to begin with.
It's hard to say anymore without delving too deeply into the plot which is complex and twisted, and giving away some of the twists.
The story appears to be explaining itself only to dart off at another tangent ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Some excellent scenes that aren't likely to leave you any time soon. Disadvantages: An unsatisfactory ending - even by horror film standards!
In the time honoured tradition of Far Eastern horror films this will undoubtedly leave you with a head scratching "huh?" come the end credits.
The film follows the story of two sisters, Su-mi and Su-yeon, and their interaction with their father and step-mother, Eun-joo. The first two-thirds of the film consist mainly of the tensions between the older sister (Su-mi) and her parents, interspersed with some genuinely creepy scenes that although very ... ...We learn that the girls' mother is dead and that they blame Eun-joo, Su-mi goes so far as to refuse to speak to her father because of his new wife. The viewer is left increasingly intrigued as despite Eun-joo's best efforts at acting as a dutiful wife we see the father, Moo-hyeon, leaving the marital bed to sleep on the couch downstairs. It appears that Eun-joo, in turn blames Su-mi for her husband's lack of interest in her, resulting in some deliciously ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Did you enjoy it?
Story
Characters / Performances
Special Effects
How does it compare to ...
helpful
06.08.2006
Terror from Korea Review ofThe Tale Of Two Sisters (DVD)by
poodlegirl
Advantages: Terrifying, Beautiful, and Moving Disadvantages: The Twists in the Plot can be Confusing
I bought the two disk dvd of this film from Amazon, as I am very much into asian horror films and had been waiting in eager anticipation to see it. Without giving too much of the plot away, the story starts with two sisters Su-mi (Im Soo-jung) and Su-yeon (Moon Geun-young) returning home after a mysterious illness. The relationship between the sisters is extremely close, and Su-mi is very protective of her younger sister. When they arrive back at ... ...It is difficult to explain the film as it contains alot of twists, and also visual imagery which is important to the plot. Kim Jee-woon's A Tale of Two Sisters was one of the most terrifying films I've seen in recent years, It created a tense atmosphere that I haven't experienced in a film before. It is beautifully filmed, and It almost felt like watching a piece of artwork. Slightly different from the Japanese horror films I've seen, this Korean ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: The acting and emotions show by the two sister is remarkable Disadvantages: Obviously not for children view as it includes some hair raising scenes too.
...Production Year: 2003 - Horror - Director: Kim Jee-Woon - Original Language: Korean - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Lim Su-Jeong.
This movie is one those movies which though being a horror movie, its not amongst those type having the special effects and the special make up like the ones in all time favourite EXORCIST.Its probably one of the best Korean movies ever made .The movie really involves you into the story and demands you to think about it personally as how the story will unfold.I personally found it irresistible to change the channels between the commercials when I saw this movie.
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The story
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The movie revolves around two different characters of which one is an introvert...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: Good acting, substance over gore Disadvantages: None
...A Tale of TwoSisters is based on a korean folktale known as Janghwa Hongreyon-jon. The director, Kim Ji-woon, initially became known outside of Korean cinema due to this film which was the first Korean horror film to be screened in American theatres. Since this he has directed two more films, both of which have been well received.
We meet a fairly unresponsive Su-mi at a session with a psychiatrist and subsequently discover she is living with her sister (Su-yeong), father and stepmother. Throughout the film there are a variety of incidents which call into question the treatment of the girls by their stepmother but due to the uncertainty of these incidents the audience is unsure of what is real until the end of the film nears.
A Tale of TwoSisters is not a blood bath like a lot of Hollywood and European horror films nor is it...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Intriguing, compelling and beautiful Disadvantages: Confusing in parts
....
Original theatrical trailer. Exactly what it says on the box. It was fascinating to see how the film was originally marketed.
The second disc contains:
Creating a Tale of TwoSisters. This includes a look behind the scenes and how certain scenes were filmed, as well as featurettes on the production design and the music score. The behind the scenes section was particularly good; I found it amazing how much detail had gone in to making the film.
Deleted scenes with director's commentary. Again, this section provided an insight into how the film was made, as well as explaining why some scenes were not included.
Interviews. This includes interviews with the four main actors, another with the director and an interview with a psychiatrist. This was very revealing.
Stills gallery. This could easily have not been included. For me, it...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Plot: Two sisters return home, after spending some time in a mental institution, to their father and cruel stepmother. As well as having to cope with their unbalanced stepmother, an unwelcome ghost affects their health.
Release details
DVD Region: DVD
Studio(s): PALISADES TARTAN; LACE GROUP; SONY DADC
Release date: 22/11/2004
No of Discs: 1
Catalogue No: TVD 3509
Barcode: 5023965350923
Languages
Main Language: Korean
Subtitle Language: English
DVD Description
Following the death of their mother, sisters Su-mi and Su-yeon are sent to a mental hospital, upon release they come home. Soon after their homecoming, strange, eerie events begin to take place- is it a result of the sisters' mental health.
Technical information
Special Features: UK Exclusive Director Interview By Billy Chainsaw, Commentary With Director Cinematographer And Lighting Director, Commentary With Director And Stars, Original Theatrical Trailer, Behind The Scenes, Cast Interviews, Deleted Scenes, Post Production Documentaries, To The Viewer Directors Analysis, Psychiatrists Perspective, Hidden Feature A Letter From Su Mi
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound: DTS 5.1 Surround, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Dubbing Sound: DTS 5.1 Surround Korean Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Korean
Professional reviews
Review: "...The most frightening film since RING..." (i-D, )
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Listed on Ciao since : 20/08/2004
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