Memories of Murder (2003)
New episode out now! We watched Bong Joon Ho’s Memories of Murder (2003), a cult crime movie often considered one of the best East Asian films ever made. We get right into the main characters, discussing how they are not good at their jobs and start out morally and ethically terrible, rightfully being called out by the community. We talk about the journeys the detectives go through and how their country and city cultures clash, discuss the aspects of masculinity the film depicts, hit on the many parallels we saw between Korean and American culture, and figure this is more a slice of life/culture of crime-solving film rather than a straight detective story. We also consider the fact that it is the first non-English language film we’ve covered, wonder if some of the aspects went over our heads because of an unfamiliarity with both Korean culture and 1980’s Korean history, and talk about the visual style of the film such as desaturated colors and impactful composition. Katy severely misremembers Stand By Me, Carrie shares product placement theories, Maddy teaches us how the Swiss lightly curse, and Mack remembers a psychological study about bullying. We get terrified of killers in fields, believe America is a Western ideal but a bad reality, get infuriated by sexism in the police force, and wonder about the real life case this is based on. We also talk about getting old, medical consent, cool chase scenes, great adages, and generalizations about men. Listen to the very end for a post credit surprise!
TW: Rape, murder, abuse of developmentally disabled individuals, police brutality both past and present, abuse, torture and coercion, militarization of police, school shootings, abuse by Christian leaders, emergency amputation, authoritarian military politics
Show Notes:
Guillermo del Toro on Bong Joon Ho's 'Memories of Murder' | Rotten Tomatoes
10 Things I Learned: Memories of Murder By Curtis Tsui for the Criterion Collection
IndieWire article Carrie mentioned about the real life case finally being solved
IMDB Trivia about the film
BBC article Dec 2022 “As South Korea abolishes its gender ministry, women fight back”
NYT article Jan 2023 “Women in South Korea Are on Strike Against Being ‘Baby-Making Machines”
Third-Degree Wiki Here
Appeal Article: Chicago Police Torture: Explained
Book Carrie mentioned: Link The Color of the Third Degree: Racism, Police Torture, and Civil Rights in the American South, 1930–1955 by Silvan Niedermeier
