By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: Kim Dae-Seung
Starring: Jo Yeo-Jeong | Kim Dong-Wook | Kim Min-Joon | Park Ji-Young
Original language title: Hoo-goong: Je-wang-eui cheob
Country: south_korea
Year: 2013
Running time: 122
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2544120/combined
Kyle says: “THE CONCUBINE received its North American Premiere at the New York Asian Film Festival. Fans of the hit HBO television series GAME OF THRONES will feel right at home, although I am not sure that is the proper characterization for a film rife with scheming women, weak and villainous men, terrified and manipulative subordinates, naked bodies, lavish costumes, clashing weapons, continuous battle, extreme violence, multiple murders and castrations. Set in a mythical medieval royal court of the Chosun Dynasty, THE CONCUBINE is the story of the rise to power of Hwa-Yeon (Jo Yeo-Jeong) from a court minister’s young daughter to Queen of the land.
“The facts that the Chosun Dynasty extended from 1392 to 1910, and that a post-modern sensibility conflicts with the cinematic details of costume and production design should not disturb us. This is clearly a fantasy world where plot details of lust and power drive the narrative and fuel the characterizations. The main characters who form a quartet with Hwa-Yeon are the spineless future king Prince Seong-Won (Kim Dong-Wook), villainously manipulative Regent and Queen Mother (Park Ji-Young), and Hwa-Yeon’s handsome lover Kwon-Yoo (Kim Min-Joon), who pays for his indiscretion first by being castrated and then being appointed court eunuch to Hwa-Yeon. When Hwa-Yeon early on realizes that she can never have the life she wants, she must use her wiles with the few facts of court life in her favor to launch a quest for survival and absolute power.
“In this world, almost literally the last person left standing is the winner. Except there is no one to cheer for in this battle royal. Nastiness triumphs, and a slightly skewed sensibility are required to find this material appealing. Cinematography, production design, costumes, sound, and music are exemplary aids in telling the sometimes-confusing story. The widely publicized sex scenes are more humorous than titillating, especially the subtitle to beat for outrageousness in the entire NYAFF, spoken by servants attempting to inspire copulation: ‘Accept the royal penis’ 3 cats
“Seen Monday, July 1, 2013, New York Asian Film Festival at the Walter Reade Theater, Film Society of Lincoln Center, New York.”