The Housemaid

My introduction to director Kim Ki-young's celebrated film (called by many the greatest Korean film ever made), The Housemaid (1960) actually came via the 2010 re-make by Im Sang-soo. This film was chosen as one of six films released on by Criterion from Martin Scorsese's World Film Project (which restore films in countries where there are scare funds for such projects). The film seems as something of a prototype for Fatal Attraction-hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Here a popular music teacher at a woman's factory hires the wrong girl as a housemaid and she turns his life and household upside down. The period details show that there is a strong American military presence in the streets of Seoul where every other car is an army vehicle. The city itself also resembles Tokyo of that time. I also learned that Korean like Japanese prize curry rice (apparently a hold over from the Japanese occupation). The director reveals himself to be an expert craftsman with framing, camera movements, and exposition of the melodramatic story. I can see why it is so highly praised.