Film Preview, `Goose Bumps` - Closing Work Of Puchon Film Festival

The mysterious horror film `Goose Bumps`, the closing film of the 5th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, deals with a chain murder case. But there is no scent of blood in the film.

In the film, a foreshadower is simply provided, in which a person died 30 years ago, and another person has been killed by, similarly with the first victim, an arson in the apart unit number 504 where the taxi-cabbie Yong-Hyun (Kim Myung-Min) live.

Instead, director Yun Jong-Chan showed his fine workmanship in describing the characters and surroundings at its early stage. He created a bizarre atmosphere with the twinkling electric lamp, the gloomy corridor, and the melancholy looks of the neighbors. Although the film is a bit boring, the bloodless thrill is in beyond expectation.

All characters in the film are unusual people with internal wounds. There are no common characters in a horror movie, such as a smart detective or a hero or heroin with charisma. The heroin Sun-Young (Jang Jin-Young), with whom Yong-Hyun feels a curious sentiment, has bruises in all over her body due to her husband’s repeated assaults, and chain-smokes without minding other people.

The piano teacher Eun-Soo suffers from the hallucination of her deceased lover. The third-class storywriter Lee writes a novel based on the murder cases that took place in the apartment 504.

The movie is progressed with mixed form of mystery and psychological drama. After burying the body of Sun-Young’s husband, Yong-Hyun finds intimacy with Sun-Young who accidentally killed her husband.

One regrettable aspect of this film is the way the film ends. Director Yun prepares a unexpected conclusion hinting that Yong-Hyun is the survivor of the fire which took place 30 years ago through the burning scars on Young-Hyun’s body and photographs. However, the effect is significantly reduced as the ending is exceedingly stretched.

Kim Myung-Min, who took part in the MBC’s `I Like The Hot Thing`, delivered an impressive performance in his film debut showing a sensibility in which he internally roared like a wild beast. Jang Jin-Young also shows a brilliant acting with her crushed face by bruises.

It is the first full-length work by director Yun Jong-Chan, who became the center of attention with three short-length films about memory, `Play Back`, `Memento` and `The Scenery`.

Permitted for 18 and over. Shown at midnight on 20th in the Boksagol Culture Center during the festival. Cinema open : August 4th.

Kim Gab-Sik gskim@donga.com