Woman is the Future of Man (DVD)

Connect to Facebook/Twitter, recommend via email and much more.

---

Hong has been a critical favorite for the past decade, but only in the past few years have his films really drawn the attention of a broader festival audience. "Woman is the Future of Man" was a modest success, and his most recent film "Woman on the Beach" (2006) played to much acclaim at Toronto and the highly selective New York Film Festival. Among contemporary filmmakers, Hong draws comparison to Hou Hsiao-hsien and Tsai Ming-liang, though I think the latter comparison is a bit of a stretch. Critic Michael Atkinson goes old-school by comparing him to Antonioni and Resnais which sets the bar awfully high for a director who has only made seven films. Out of the choices, Resnais makes the best match, but it´s just too early in Hong´s career to pigeon-hole him that way.

Though the film appears at first to be a gentle and sentimental look at old friends, the emerging story takes a more critical turn. Munho and Hunjoon are both self-absorbed and immature, and though Sunhwa fares somewhat better than her male counterparts, she is hardly idealized. "Woman is the Future of Man" delineates its characters and their relationship with warts and all.

Video

The film is presented in an anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen aspect ratio. The transfer is not progressive, and shows some instances of combing though it´s not too bad. The colors are particularly rich, and except for a few soft moments the image quality is sharp. A solid transfer from New Yorker.

Audio

The DVD is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 and an option Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound track. Optional English subtitles support the Korean audio.

Extras

A brief (2 ½ minutes) and deeply appreciative video introduction by Martin Scorsese sets the stage for the film.

A substantial "Making of"" featurette (38 min.) presents an unusually intimate portrait of life on the set with Hong Sangsoo and his actors. The fly-on-the-wall footage captures the spirit of a collaborative and playful film set. This is much better than the usual "making of" offering.

Interviews with each of the three principal actors (32 min. total) don´t offer any real surprises, but will be of some interest to fans. The DVD also includes Korean and French Theatrical Trailers.

The slim insert includes a brief essay by Michael Atkinson and an excerpt from a presentation by scholar Kyung Hyun Kim.

Film Value

Bittersweet, funny, both easy-going and intense, "Woman is the Future of Man" invites multiple viewings. Hong´s ability to create such complex, richly drawn relationships in such a brief period of time is at least a minor miracle of modern cinema. Don´t miss this one.