A Devilish Homicide
Encyclopedia
A Devilish Homicide is a 1965 South Korean horror
film, written and directed by Lee Yong-min. It tells the story of a woman, who, having been murdered by her jealous cousin and mother-in-law, returns as a spirit to take vengeance on her killers. The film's English title is sometimes given as A Devilish Murder or A Bloodthirsty Killer. It was released on DVD in 2007.
only to find the building empty, and is shocked to find a portrait
of his ex-wife, Ae-ja, whom he has not seen for ten years. Shi-mak takes a taxi home, but is taken against his will to a house in the countryside. There he meets an artist, Park Joon-chul, who gives him the portrait of Ae-ja and pleads with him to take it and leave. At the stroke of midnight he becomes hysterical and hides Shi-mak under the bed, who watches as a woman stabs the artist in the back. After she has gone, Shi-mak flees with the painting, only to find the unconscious body of Ae-ja, looking as she did ten years earlier. He takes her to his friend Dr. Park, who, perplexed by her condition, doubts that she is alive. While Shi-mak is out of the room, Ae-ja awakes and kills the doctor before vanishing again.
After he returns home with the painting, Shi-mak's family continue to be troubled by strange occurrences. As his mother returns home from the temple
, she is attacked by Ae-ja, and, after a struggle, she falls into the river and is swept away. At the house, Shi-mak’s wife, Hye-sook, is powerless to stop Ae-ja from disappearing with their eldest daughter. Shi-mak’s mother then returns home apparently unhurt, though she acts oddly, showing fear at the sight of the rosary
and licking the children like a cat. Later, a strange woman arrives at the house claiming to be the new housemaid, and soon after the other two children disappear. The next day, Shi-mak follows his wife to an abandoned temple, where she is killed by Ae-ja. He is prevented from saving her by the housemaid, who tells him that he has a greater hardship ahead of him. She gives him a globe, asking him to return it when he no longer needs it. Shi-mak returns home to his mother, but when he notices in a mirror that her reflection is that of a cat’s, she reveals her true nature as a spirit and attacks him. He stops her attack with the housemaid’s orb, and she dies.
Distraught, Shi-mak takes the portrait and smashes it on the floor, discovering a diary that was concealed in the frame. Reading it, he finds a confession made by the artist Joon-chul, telling of the plot made ten years ago to kill Ae-ja. At that time, Shi-mak and Ae-ja had been a happily married couple. Hye-sook, jealous of the couple and resentful of her position as the family’s maid, conspired with Shi-mak’s mother, who despised her daughter-in-law for her inability to bear children. Enlisting the help of Joon-chul and Dr. Park, they convinced Shi-mak that his wife was having an affair, and poisoned Ae-ja. As she lay dying with only a cat for company, Ae-ja swore vengeance on those that had killed her. Years later, Joon-chul was enslaved by Ae-ja’s spirit, who commanded him to create the cursed portrait as a means of taking her revenge.
Though saddened by this news, Shi-mak is relieved to hear the voices of his children. Noticing that the third eye
is missing from the Buddha
statue in the garden, he replaces it with the orb in his pocket and at once the three children reappear. Realising that the housekeeper was a guardian angel
sent to protect his family, Shi-mak gives his thanks to Buddha and prays for Ae-ja's soul.
It was a late addition to the lineup of the 7th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival
(2003), and was described by Midnight Eye correspondent Jasper Sharp as "a delirious B-movie shocker". In 2007, A Devilish Homicide was released on DVD by CineLine Korea. In a review for BeyondHollywood.com, James Mudge noted that the film shared many of the themes and motifs of more recent Korean horror films, blending folklore
with then-current concerns, in this case fears over the changing role of the traditional family unit. He commented, "Lee’s direction has at times an almost expressionistic feel, with exaggerated camera angles and weird set design working well to keep the viewer on edge and to give the film a surreal look... The murky black and white photography, along with some good suggestive use of shadows gives the proceedings a nightmarish,gothic air". He also considered the special effect
s to be "fairly accomplished for the time", and regarded the film as "far more than just a curiosity piece".
The Korean Film Archive offered free viewing of A Devilish Homicide on its website in July 2008.
K-Horror
Korean horror, sometimes referred to as K-Horror, is the term given to horror films made as part of the cinema of Korea. Korean horror features many of the same motifs, themes, and imagery as Japanese horror. Korean horror has been around since the early years of Korean cinema; however, it wasn't...
film, written and directed by Lee Yong-min. It tells the story of a woman, who, having been murdered by her jealous cousin and mother-in-law, returns as a spirit to take vengeance on her killers. The film's English title is sometimes given as A Devilish Murder or A Bloodthirsty Killer. It was released on DVD in 2007.
Plot summary
Family man Lee Shi-mak arrives at an art exhibitionArt exhibition
Art exhibitions are traditionally the space in which art objects meet an audience. The exhibit is universally understood to be for some temporary period unless, as is rarely true, it is stated to be a "permanent exhibition". In American English, they may be called "exhibit", "exposition" or...
only to find the building empty, and is shocked to find a portrait
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
of his ex-wife, Ae-ja, whom he has not seen for ten years. Shi-mak takes a taxi home, but is taken against his will to a house in the countryside. There he meets an artist, Park Joon-chul, who gives him the portrait of Ae-ja and pleads with him to take it and leave. At the stroke of midnight he becomes hysterical and hides Shi-mak under the bed, who watches as a woman stabs the artist in the back. After she has gone, Shi-mak flees with the painting, only to find the unconscious body of Ae-ja, looking as she did ten years earlier. He takes her to his friend Dr. Park, who, perplexed by her condition, doubts that she is alive. While Shi-mak is out of the room, Ae-ja awakes and kills the doctor before vanishing again.
After he returns home with the painting, Shi-mak's family continue to be troubled by strange occurrences. As his mother returns home from the temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
, she is attacked by Ae-ja, and, after a struggle, she falls into the river and is swept away. At the house, Shi-mak’s wife, Hye-sook, is powerless to stop Ae-ja from disappearing with their eldest daughter. Shi-mak’s mother then returns home apparently unhurt, though she acts oddly, showing fear at the sight of the rosary
Buddhist prayer beads
Buddhist prayer beads are a traditional tool used to count the number of times a mantra is recited whilst meditating. They are similar to other forms of prayer beads used in various world religions; thus some call this tool the Buddhist rosary.-Mala:...
and licking the children like a cat. Later, a strange woman arrives at the house claiming to be the new housemaid, and soon after the other two children disappear. The next day, Shi-mak follows his wife to an abandoned temple, where she is killed by Ae-ja. He is prevented from saving her by the housemaid, who tells him that he has a greater hardship ahead of him. She gives him a globe, asking him to return it when he no longer needs it. Shi-mak returns home to his mother, but when he notices in a mirror that her reflection is that of a cat’s, she reveals her true nature as a spirit and attacks him. He stops her attack with the housemaid’s orb, and she dies.
Distraught, Shi-mak takes the portrait and smashes it on the floor, discovering a diary that was concealed in the frame. Reading it, he finds a confession made by the artist Joon-chul, telling of the plot made ten years ago to kill Ae-ja. At that time, Shi-mak and Ae-ja had been a happily married couple. Hye-sook, jealous of the couple and resentful of her position as the family’s maid, conspired with Shi-mak’s mother, who despised her daughter-in-law for her inability to bear children. Enlisting the help of Joon-chul and Dr. Park, they convinced Shi-mak that his wife was having an affair, and poisoned Ae-ja. As she lay dying with only a cat for company, Ae-ja swore vengeance on those that had killed her. Years later, Joon-chul was enslaved by Ae-ja’s spirit, who commanded him to create the cursed portrait as a means of taking her revenge.
Though saddened by this news, Shi-mak is relieved to hear the voices of his children. Noticing that the third eye
Third eye
The third eye is a mystical and esoteric concept referring in part to the ajna chakra in certain spiritual traditions. It is also spoken of as the gate that leads within to inner realms and spaces of higher consciousness...
is missing from the Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
statue in the garden, he replaces it with the orb in his pocket and at once the three children reappear. Realising that the housekeeper was a guardian angel
Guardian angel
A guardian angel is an angel assigned to protect and guide a particular person or group. Belief in guardian angels can be traced throughout all antiquity...
sent to protect his family, Shi-mak gives his thanks to Buddha and prays for Ae-ja's soul.
Cast
- Lee Ye-chun ... Lee Shi-mak
- Do Kum-bongDo Kum-bongDo Kum-bong was a South Korean actress whose fame peaked in the 1950s and 1960s. She starred in more than 283 films.- Filmography :- Awards :* 1963 2nd Grand Bell Awards : Best Actress for New Wife...
... Ae-ja - Jeong Ae-ran
- Lee Bin-hwa
- Nam Koong WonNam Koong WonNam Koong Won is a South Korean actor. Nam Koong was born Hong Gyeong-il in 1934. He was a popular actor of the 1960s along with Shin Seong-il, Shin Young-kyun and Choi Moo-ryong...
- Ju Seok-yang
- Gang Mun
- Jo Seok-geun
- Ra Jeong-ok
- Lee Up-dong
- Kim Hwak-sil
- Choe Jeong-ae
- Chu Seok-yang
- Im Yun-hui
- Han Jae-gyeong
Release and critical response
A Devilish Homicide was produced by Jeil Films, and was originally released on August 12, 1965.It was a late addition to the lineup of the 7th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival
Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival
The Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival , or PiFan, is an international film festival held annually in July in Bucheon, South Korea...
(2003), and was described by Midnight Eye correspondent Jasper Sharp as "a delirious B-movie shocker". In 2007, A Devilish Homicide was released on DVD by CineLine Korea. In a review for BeyondHollywood.com, James Mudge noted that the film shared many of the themes and motifs of more recent Korean horror films, blending folklore
Korean mythology
Korean mythology consists of national legends and folk-tales which come from all over the Korean Peninsula. Even within the same ethnic group, myths tend to have slightly different variations...
with then-current concerns, in this case fears over the changing role of the traditional family unit. He commented, "Lee’s direction has at times an almost expressionistic feel, with exaggerated camera angles and weird set design working well to keep the viewer on edge and to give the film a surreal look... The murky black and white photography, along with some good suggestive use of shadows gives the proceedings a nightmarish,gothic air". He also considered the special effect
Special effect
The illusions used in the film, television, theatre, or entertainment industries to simulate the imagined events in a story are traditionally called special effects ....
s to be "fairly accomplished for the time", and regarded the film as "far more than just a curiosity piece".
The Korean Film Archive offered free viewing of A Devilish Homicide on its website in July 2008.
External links
- A Devilish Homicide at the Korean Movie Database