FRANCE: Korean film director Bong Joon-Ho presents his monster sci-fi thriller "The Host" in Cannes

Record ID: 644198

  • Title: FRANCE: Korean film director Bong Joon-Ho presents his monster sci-fi thriller "The Host" in Cannes
  • Date: 25th May 2006
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) DIRECTOR BONG JOON-HO SAYING: "My message in this film is for the weak, the people without power because for them the world can be the monster itself."
  • Embargoed: 9th June 2006 13:00
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  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVA8J5YQ5UHZ5RD9FU58HWFSZJS5
  • Story Text: Korean film director Bong Joon-Ho's sci-fi thriller has proved a big success in its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
    Horror movie 'The Host' is just his third movie. It features a family's quest to save their children from being eaten alive by a mutant river monster.
    The horror factor in The Host is not just about the a man-eating ten-legged creature. Bong has based his opening sequence on an incident reported in the year 2000 which involved about 1,500 South Korean workers and students protesting against the dumping of chemicals by U.S. forces into a major river that runs through the capital Seoul. Bong says however, the film is not so much about the political elements that surround the family but more a story about the lonely journey of the family in a society and a government that does not offer any help in their quest.
    "My message in this film is for the weak people without strengths because for them the world can be the monster itself," says Bong.
    The Host is also a production stemming from personal interests as Bong spent close to a year searching for the right technical staff for his visual effects team.
    "The most difficult part about making this film was of course the visual effects. We wanted to make them realistic and it was difficult to find the right people and the equipment in Korea so we had to go overseas. It was definitely difficult but it turned out okay in the end," he said.
    Bong is known for taking accepted genres and adding unusual social and political commentary, and is also known for his sarcasm and humour. In The Host, the comedy also helps relieve some of the tension he creates in the film.
    "When writing a script or directing a film putting humour into my characters is one of my basic instincts so I will never stop doing that. Even if I direct a horror film, I will definitely put humour in it," he said.
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