Thirst
Directed by: Park Chan-wook Starring: Kang-ho Song, Ok-bin Kim, Hae-sook Kim Synopsis: Sang-hyeon (Song)is a Catholic priest who works at the local hospital, delivering the Last Rites to people as they lie dying. He is sick of it, and feels his presence is ineffective. He asks his seniors to be allowed to participate in a drug trial for a new vaccine, for a disease which currently has no cure. When he contracts the disease as part of the trial, he is given a transfusion of blood which had come from a vampire. Out of 500 participants, Sang-hyeon is the only one to survive. Hailed by many desperate and sick people as a saint, he tries to settle back into his old life. However he now needs fresh blood to keep his disease from reappearing, his senses are all heightened and he has superhuman strength...and then he meets Tae-Ju, wife of a cancer-ridden parishioner, and things start to go really crazy... Review: Park Chan-wook continues his incredible run of form with his tale of a modern-day vampire who doesn’t want to kill anyone. Sang-hyeon deals with his predicament in a very pragmatic manner – at least initially – by feeding off unsuspecting coma victims and those who wish to commit suicide. Not possessing the iconic vampire incisors, he has to make do with IV lines. 
When Sang-hyeon meets Tae-Ju, she is a trapped in a loveless marriage of convenience. When life at home becomes too stressful, she goes off running through the streets, often barefoot. One of the film’s most lyrical moments sees Sang-hyeon make a gift of his shoes to her. Sang-hyeon decides to be honest with Tae-ju about his being a vampire and he introduces her to his condition in a matter-of-fact manner (letting her see him feed), and is shocked by her reaction of fear and disgust. However soon Tae-Ju sees Sang-hyeon’s vampirism as a way out of her loveless marriage and endless servitude to her domineering mother-in-law. The tone shifts to 50’s noir as Tae-ju becomes a femme fatale, coercing her lover to commit a deadly act. However guilt soon manifests itself in a rather amusing if horrific manner. 
Thirst is a very adult, sexual movie - compared to the likes of the Twilight movies which contain a lot of unfocussed teen/pubescent sexual tension, Park Chan-wook brings back the sexual nature of the vampire, which has been missing for some time. However, he leaves out the usual erotic romanticism which is usually associated with the likes of Anne Rice novels. The sex here is between two people who have little experience – one is a priest, the other used to servicing her husband and had grown to hate sex.
Thirst
also picks and chooses which elements of vampire lore it wants – no fangs, garlic or wooden stakes are apparent, but heightened senses, superhuman strength and a desperate need to stay out of the sun are all present.
Kang-ho Song will instantly be recognisable to fans of Korean genre cinema, having starring roles in The Host, JSA and The Good, the Bad and the Weird. Here he plays the most passive vampire you’re ever likely to meet. Interestingly he uses his vampiric state as a crutch to his lapses in moral behaviour. After he exposes his condition to Tae-ju, he confronts her and explains that his being a vampire is the only reason he can have an affair with her – he is after all, a priest. When things get ugly towards the end (a scene which is very much in spirit with the classic bar scene from Near Dark), he is unable to act in either direction. Verdict: Thirst is on a par with Let the Right One In as one of the best modern vampire movies. People new to Park Chan-wook’s work should definitely check this out as it is a showcase for nuanced performances and excellent cinematography. Like Love Exposure, this comes Highly recommended. 9 out of 10 (MikeOutWest)
|
