A Korean all-girls school, a spate of murders, a curious new teacher -- a ghostly whodunit. It also addresses themes of teacher brutality, conformity, and the rigors of South Korea's educational system. The true significance of this movie is probably lost on everyone who isn't from South Korea and doesn't know the context of this movie, that it came out following the liberalization of the country's censorship policies and was actually meant as a strong social commentary. Since I'm not from South Korea, it's just another horror movie to me. Decent, but no reason for anyone to see it.
This is one of the many times I've thought I watch too many movies. I actually know of a whole subgenre in Korean film of movies about ghosts haunting all-female schools. This, "Memento Mori," and "Wishing Stairs" are part of a series, but there are others inspired by "Whispering Corridors." To my mind, "Memento Mori" is the best of this subgenre. It's basically "Whispering Corridors 2," but with a different cast, different characters, and different themes. It addresses Sapphic love among students and is an unlikely combination of "Brokeback Mountain," "Ringu," and "King Kong." It's unlike anything else I've ever seen.
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1 comment:
you had me at "korean all-girls school"...
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