3 Extremes (includes trailer)
June 22nd 2010 14:08
3 Extremes was designed, I suppose, to be a juicy sampler, of sorts, for show casing Asia’s most sadistically accomplished cinematic chefs of subversiveness. 3 Extremes feature three Asian director’s short films, two of which are the most exciting craftsmen working in Asian cinema today. Each half an hour film teases us with the promise of going to places no other film dares, 3 Extremes talks the talk – but can it walk? The three offerings for this DVD comprise of ‘Cut’, directed by Chan-Wook Park (J.S.A., Olboy, Thirst, Sympathy For Lady Vengeance). The second is The Box, directed by Takashi Miike (Audition, Sukiyaki Western Django, Ichi The Killer, Imprint) and the final addition, Dumplings, directed by Fruit Chan, a director who I’m not as familiar with.
Typically in the past, when these ‘Anthology’ type films have been released, they’ve been promoted by the strengths of several great maestros all coming together to share a common theme, this it seems has generally been done to poor avail. The only time it has worked is if it’s one director doing all of the film’s short stories (Max Ophuls’ Le Plaisir and Masaki Kobayashi’s Kwaidan are both prime examples) and it’s all clearly expressed through one uniform vision, but it’s generally not the case with films all directed by different artists..
Exhibit A) We have the example of Four Rooms, the woeful outing from the Sundance class of 92, which was marred by egos and favouritism and hampered by poor planning. Exhibit B) New York Stories, which had it’s strengths but was clearly indicative of how such an outing can fail to inspire the authors. This is very much the problem with 3 Extremes, for whatever reason you get the feeling when watching it that all of these guys, while still displaying strong qualities and flashes of genius, for whatever reason, they just don’t seem on the top of their game. They have their moments but they’re ultimately never resonant in an way.
‘Cut’ tells the story of a film director, played by Byung-Hun Lee (The Good The Bad The Weird, J.S.A., A Bitter Sweet Life). He arrives home to his wife to find that a menacing stranger has the director’s house and wife both under his psychotic reign. This man, who is actually an extra that has been turned down time and time again, and has an axe to grind with this big director. Directed by Chan-Wook Park, who is famous for his beautifully cold visual wit, icy emotionalism and visceral power, feels more like he’s just spit balling here, there are traces of his talent to be found, with some memorable and hypnotic production design, the black and white, tiled floor gives the impressionistic feel of these characters being caught in a spiders web, as blood drips down on to the cold, patterned, chess like surface and we faintly feel those traces of Chan-Wook Park’s boldness. Ultimately, it all feels like a contrived situation, partly due to you not knowing anything about these characters and frankly not really caring either. The torture/shock factor is tame here and might milk out the odd squirm or two but is no reflection of what Park as a director is capable of and all the thrilling places he can take audiences to. ‘Cut’ plays like a weakened poor man’s man version of the truly torturous and sadistic film Funny Games.
The Box, is the second short, directed by cult favourite Takashi Miike. This is big step up from the previous film, it tells the contorted tale of twin girls. Both drifted a part in their older years, there is an obvious secret of a foul committed by the one on the other. The Box has the freakish distinction of telling a tale that words would only serve to hurt, it’s freak show kinkiness and disquieting mood will appeal to those who came into this film, looking to dig up morbid perversions. The segment is still flawed but stands up decently as some twisted fun for it’s targeted audience. The final surprise at the end however is a sign of The Box’s generic weaknesses, which includes an ending looking to provoke but suffers from a case of ‘Seen that before by someone who did it better’. It seems that the producers of the film are looking to shock but never to the threat of alienating their audience, which ironically enough would have pleased the very audience that it was designed to appeal to.
Finally, we have Dumplings, by Fruit Chan, a film with a disturbing story concept which lacks any real punch to follow through, which is a shame because as we watch it, it seems to be trying to fit in as the centre piece of the film. Dumplings while visually beautiful, with it’s cinematography by Christopher Doyle (2046, In The Mood For Love, Paranoid Park), it’s this very glossy form of photography which seals the film in plastic, making it shock-proof. Mei runs a beauty clinic for overly vein women obsessed with maintaining their youth, Mei is famous for her dumplings which she claims contain the essence of youth in them – doesn’t sound very shocking but there’s a ghastly twist regarding what she is putting in her food that would thoroughly kill your appetite. The whole affair should be the most disturbing and it is in theory, but there’s a visual glaze which underwhelms, protecting your stomach from truly turning. That might be a good thing – but the film is called 3 Extremes, it’s meant to be shocking and Dumplings lacks the impact of it’s own premise to do so as it ironically falls in love with it’s own cinematic beauty.
For the seasoned horror viewer or long time fan of provocative material 3 Extremes will seem luke warm, that’s not say it will have some fans of the genre who champion it, but all I can say is I love most of the directors who made these short films and yet I have no desire to see any of these short films again. I would recommend 3 Extremes for viewers who are newer to this cringe worthy form of cinematic deviance. It best works as an introduction to hardcore Asian cinema, kind of like a barometer to test what you can handle if you are looking to get in touch with your darker cinematic side.
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
3 Extremes had great Directors but sub standard stories that didn't resonate (Though there were flourishes in design)...I just expected more form this trio.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile