Midnight 미드나이트 (2021)

Parasite is a South Korean film that was released in 2019. Directed by Bong Joon-ho, the film is a dark comedy that explores themes of class, poverty, and greed. The film was a critical and commercial success, winning several awards, including the Palme d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and becoming the first South Korean film to win the award.

The film revolves around the Kim family, a poor household living in a cramped basement apartment. When the son, Ki-woo (played by Choi Woo-shik), is offered the opportunity to tutor a rich family’s daughter, he sees it as a chance to escape poverty and improve his family’s situation. However, as the Kim family infiltrates the rich household and begins to manipulate them, they soon find themselves in over their heads and facing the consequences of their actions.

The acting in “Parasite” is exceptional, with each actor perfectly embodying their character. One of the standout performances in the film is by Song Kang-ho, who plays the Kim family patriarch. Song’s performance is nuanced and multi-layered, perfectly capturing the desperation and cunning of his character. Choi Woo-shik, who plays the son of the Kim family, is also particularly impressive, delivering a performance that is both comedic and dramatic. The rest of the cast, including Park So-dam and Lee Sun-kyun, are also exceptional, delivering performances that are both subtle and powerful.

Cinematography

Masterfully executed by director Bong Joon-ho and cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo, the cinema film’s visual language is expertly crafted, with each shot beautifully composed and precisely executed to create a rich and layered experience for the audience.

One of the most striking aspects of the cinematography is the use of contrasting visuals to create a sense of class divide. The film features two families, one wealthy and one poor, and the visual language is used to highlight the differences between them. The Kim family is often shown in cramped and dingy locations, while the Park family’s home is grand and spacious. The contrast is stark, and it helps to communicate the themes of class struggle and inequality that run throughout the film.

The use of camera angles and movements is also expertly executed, creating a sense of unease and tension. The camera is often positioned at unusual angles, creating a sense of distortion and disorientation. The use of close-ups and extreme close-ups also creates a sense of intimacy and helps to draw the audience into the film’s world.

The lighting in the film is also exceptional, with both natural and artificial lighting used to great effect. The film makes use of a range of lighting techniques, from soft and diffused light to harsh and contrasting light, creating a visually rich and layered experience. The use of light and shadow is also expertly executed, creating a sense of depth and dimensionality.

The film’s use of color is also a standout feature of the cinematography, with a carefully curated color palette used to create a sense of mood and atmosphere. The color blue is used extensively in the film, often to signify wealth and luxury, while the color green is used to represent the poorer sections of the city. The use of color helps to communicate the themes of the film and create a visually striking experience for the audience.

Score

The score for “Parasite” by Jung Jae-il is an exceptional component of the film that plays a critical role in creating the film’s mood and atmosphere. The music is haunting, unsettling, and perfectly matches the tone of the film, adding an extra layer of emotion to the story.

It’s characterised by its minimalist approach, with a sparse use of instruments and a focus on atmospheric sounds. The main theme of the score is a simple, repetitive melody that creates a sense of tension and unease. The use of strings, piano, and other instruments is subtle, creating an understated but powerful effect that perfectly complements the film’s visuals.

One of the most striking elements of the score is its use of silence. At key moments in the film, the score is completely absent, creating a sense of anticipation and heightening the tension. The silence creates a vacuum of sound, drawing the audience’s attention to the visuals and creating a sense of unease and discomfort.

The music in “Parasite” also plays a critical role in communicating the themes of the film. The score often accompanies moments of transition or change, such as when the Kim family are infiltrating the Park household. The music communicates the sense of unease and tension that comes with these moments of change, creating a sense of anticipation and foreshadowing the danger that is to come.

Jung Jae-il’s minimalist approach creates a haunting and unsettling atmosphere that perfectly matches the tone of the film. The score adds an extra layer of emotion to the story and helps to communicate the themes of the film, creating a rich and layered experience for the audience.

Direction

The direction of Bong Joon-ho is masterful, (demonstrated by the Academy Award for Best Director) with each scene expertly crafted and executed to create a sense of tension and unease. The pacing of the film is perfect, with each scene building on the previous one, creating a sense of anticipation and dread. The film also explores complex themes of class struggle and human greed, and Bong Joon-ho expertly balances these themes to create a film that is both socially relevant and emotionally resonant.

One of the most impressive aspects of the direction is the film’s use of visual storytelling. Bong Joon-ho makes use of a range of visual techniques, including contrasting visuals, camera angles, lighting, and color, to create a rich and layered experience for the audience. The use of visual storytelling is particularly effective in creating a sense of class divide and highlighting the differences between the two families at the center of the story.

The direction is also marked by a sense of subtlety and restraint, with Bong Joon-ho allowing the story and the actors to speak for themselves. The film is understated and never feels overbearing, allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves in the story and the characters.

Overall, this is a cinematic tour-de-force, a film that will leave audiences breathless and on the edge of their seats. Bong Joon-ho has created a masterpiece of modern cinema, a film that is both thrilling and socially relevant. The film is an exceptional work of art, and it is sure to be remembered as one of the greatest films of all time.