A Tale of Two Sisters
(aka `Janghwa, Hongryeon')
(Tartan Asia Extreme Region 1 NTSC DVD)
(2003)
review by Catwalk

The commonly written theme surrounding Asian horror movies is to instantly draw comparisons to the more brutal and openly violent American counterparts. With more and more Asian movies being imported or remade, there are aspects that translate well, and others that suffer. There is possibly no clearer an example of the beauty of psychological terror in Asian film than “A Tale of Two Sisters”.

When sisters Su-mi (Lim) and Su-Yeon (Mun) return from time in the hospital, they are greeted coldly by their father (Kim) and with open cruelty from their stepmother (Yum). They are attempting to stay unified through very difficult times, under the abuse of their new mother and the haunting memories of their deceased mom. What emerges is a tale of twisted relationships.

The film is charged by amazing camera shots, fluently carried and intermingling with a soundtrack that moves from acoustic guitar to electronic sound effects. The use of light and darkness and even temperature gives areas of the film a life of their own. The small size of the cast allows each actor ample screen time to draw viewers in, and each portrays their roles expertly.

Sisters is a Korean movie, adapted from an old fairy tale, that can be classified as horror, thriller or psychological trip. Regardless of what label is thrown on the film, it serves best without any. From the opening shots to the end credits, Sisters is best viewed with no preconceived notion, but an open mind.

For fans of Asian horror, the directors’ perspective feature offers some great insight into Kim’s mind and a view deeper into the genre than the films which have already been imported.

The DVD boasts an anamorphic presentation, Dolby 5.1 surround, and several hidden features. Extras include subtitles, several commentary tracks and additional promotional materials on disk one. Disk Two includes interviews with the key members of the cast and director, Deleted scenes showing clear parallels in the film, Behind-the-Scenes footage, Post-Production commentaries, a psychiatrist’s perspective, and a photo gallery.