[HanCinema's Film Review] "A Shaman's Story" + Full Movie

Based on a 1936 novel by Kim Dong-ri, "A Shaman's Story" is one of the first movies to feature shamanism prominently on screen, although Choi Ha-won's movie moves into a number of alternate directions.

Advertisement

Mo-hwa is a famous shaman, the head of a group that also includes a kind of jester who performs a ritual only virgin men can perform, Heo-sool, and a young girl who is also her apprentice and potential successor, Nang. Among a number of crude jokes between the members of the group, mostly involving Heo-sool, Mo-hwa also reveals that her son has been left in a monastery since childhood, and that he should have become an abbott by now, in her mind at least. Furthermore, her relationship with Nang does not seem to be restricted only on the teacher-apprentice level, as sensualism becomes a central factor early on in the movie.

At some point, however, her son, Wuk, returns to her, with a series of flashbacks showing how she came to be a single mother, introducing a melodramatic element to the narrative. Ever more so, Wuk and Nang seem to have feelings for each other, while the young man soon reveals that he abandoned Buddhism and has instead become a Christian, after studying theology. Expectedly, Mo-hwa sees her world crumbling on a number of levels.

Choi Ha-won, through the usual episodic approach of Korean cinema, at least as presented in the movies featured on the Korean Archive's YouTube Channel, comes up with a rather layered narrative that revolves around three axes. The one that appears first is sexuality, which is highlighted either through humoristic crudity, particularly through Heo-sool, or through Mo-hwa's interactions with Nang, which actually touch upon sadomasochistic tendencies. Even more surprisingly, the sensualism actually continues upon the appearance of Wuk, with Mo-hwa's touch and comments not exactly being fitting to a mother, although in an element that seems more misplaced than something that is pursued.

The second, again in order of appearance, is the intense melodrama that begins with Mo-hwa's back story, but finds its apogee with the appearance of Christianity, even more so since in this case, the "enemy" is actually the protagonist's son. The relationship of the two youths also moves into the same path, although, inevitably, the truly tragic character is Mo-hwa, in an aspect that owes a lot to the excellent performance by Yoon Jung-hee, in probably the most entertaining aspect of the movie.

The third one is the clash between Christianity and Shamanism, which eventually becomes a clash between the then previous and new generation, the old and the new if you prefer. In melodramatic fashion, Choi highlights it as an intense struggle, which has, though, a definite winner. The ending in particular, even as a metaphor, is so clear in its message that could even be described as propagandistic.

The visuals of the movie are on a very high level, with DP Jang Seok-jun capturing the shamanistic rituals, the sensualism, the romance, the idyllic scenery and the many night shots with artfulness, while also benefiting the most by the coloring. Yu Jae-won's editing results in a relatively fast pace that suits the episodic approach of the narrative nicely, while the flashback is well placed within the narrative.

"A Shaman's Story" despite its somewhat muddle messages and overall story, is definitely a movie worth watching, both for the uniqueness of the subject matter, as much as an overall artistry that extends to both acting and visuals.

Review by Panos Kotzathanasis

___________

"A Shaman's Story" is directed by Choi Ha-won, and features Yoon Jung-hee, Sin Yeong-il, Kim Chang-sook, Heo Jang-kang, Sa Mi-ja, Cho Yong-soo. Release date in Korea: 1972/05/13.