O bal tan
Korea,
1960, 110 min
Shown in 1963
CREDITS
- dir
-
Yoo Hyun-Mok
- prod
-
Kim Seong Chun
- scr
-
Lee Chong Ki
- cam
-
Kim Hok Sung
- editor
-
Kim Hui-su
- mus
-
Kim Seong-tae
- cast
-
Kim Jingue, Moon Jongsook, Choi Moorong, Moon Heran
-
COMMENTS
Yoo Hyun-Mok, Kim Jingue in person.
Critics in Seoul and Pusan deemed The Aimless Bullet as the best Korean film ever made; one that “stands very high in its philosophical concern.” Influenced by Visconti and Kazan in the use of realistic situations that give a documentary flavor to even the most dramatic story, director Yoo Hyun-Mok in making The Aimless Bullet (O bal tan), said he was presenting his “manifesto.” The Aimless Bullet is his eighth picture, one that deals with a protest against apathy, poverty and injustice. Modern in setting and identification, the Korean picture is also presenting a universal theme. Yoo Hyun Mok is really protesting against a non-directional pattern of living, aimlessness that wastes vital energy. Dr. Richard McCann, consultant of the National Film Production Center in Korea, comments that the production of a country’s films can gain attention through the influence of one director. He sees The Aimless Bullet as a high quality production which could lead the Koreans to a foreign language Oscar for their recently developed industry. Actor Kim Jingue, with a background of 14 years on the legitimate stage, has won 11 best actor awards in seven years of movie-making. Playing opposite him is Moon Jongsook, considered one of Asia’s brightest stars. In this film, which for two years was prevented by the government of Korea from being shown (after being released originally in 1961) the “depression and hopelessness” was considered a poor representation of the county. But official opinion recently reversed itself.
FACTOID #80
Irving ’Bud’ Levin, owner of San Francisco’s Metro Theatre, founded the SFIFF in 1957. However, Levin credited the idea for creating the Festival to the Italian consul general at the time, Pierluigi Alvera, who became one of its staunchest supporters.
