Un dernier plaisir avant les vacances !!!
I think I’m a little crazy ! While I’m so busy doing all the preparations for my one month holiday, I couldn’t resist to translate some reviews of April Snow. These are the reviews from 2 young French women I found on the net. I like them a lot and I think it’s interesting and refreshing to translate and to share with you some point of views about April Snow from just common moviegoers who don’t know anything about Yong Joon. I rewrite the French version here because they sometimes use abbreviate words.From http://www.pointscommuns.com/lire-commentaire/medias/cineasiecom/44354.html
translated from french to english by camille
Some words about this movie…. which did not leave me indifferent.
In two words, the scenario…. Hoping not to frustrate you if by opportunity, this movie attracts you…
The hero goes to the East coast of South Korea, after his wife’s car accident. Except that a surprise waits for him at the hospital : his wife was not alone in the car, she was accompanied by her lover. (!!!) This one is married too. (…)
You have the starting postulate there… Which will be used as a plot to the story which will tie this woman and this man, which nothing predisposed them to meet.
A melodrama on adultery backdrop…. Again?!!
(I imagine certain reactions…) well, yes, again and always…
A little sirupy, according to some taste…? Maybe. Slowness and purity in the way of shooting. Long silences, so eloquent unstated things…!
On inanimate bodies backdrop, in the coma (the injured illegitimate couple), the respective spouses will gradually, by going through anger, betrayal, sadness, allow themselves to join together. The sober decorations give even more dimension to the acting of the characters.
Hur Jin-Ho, the director, proves an authentic cinematographic delicacy. It is true that I particularly appreciate the Asian cinema …
(Aren’t we here to share our sudden impulse?!!) After all… ; -)
The physical meeting of the two protagonists illustrates that perfectly. Far from a bodily, indecent and provocative demonstration… (can be appreciable in other circumstances).
By suggesting, by seeing through the intimacy of this illegitimate couple, Hur Jin-Ho shares with us their passionate desire. All in filigree… All in discretion, and yet!! With a right lighting “as it should be” we then assist to a true discovery, a superbly reserved passion. The scene is quite simply beautiful, aesthetic, the trembling bodies presented with a certain decency, so rich of emotions….
WAouuuuuuuuu. I can be moved again while thinking of it here.
Very slow, very strong, moving and also very tough. Contradiction between the feelings and the contextual reality of the meeting (fortuitous?) of the two heroes. Sublime beauty of the characters… With this “refine” manner, which I like to find in the Asian cinema.
Hoping to give you the desire to go watching this movie…
Quelques mots à propos de ce film.... qui ne m'a pas laissée indifférent.
En deux mots, le scénario…. En espérant ne pas vous frustrer si d’aventure, ce film vous tente…
Le héros se rend sur la côte est de la Corée du Sud, à la suite de l’accident de voiture de son épouse. Sauf qu’une surprise l'attend à l'hôpital : sa femme n'était pas seule dans la voiture, elle était accompagnée de son amant. ( !!!) Ce dernier est marié lui aussi. (…)
Vous avez là le postulat de départ… Ce qui va servir de trame à l’histoire qui va se nouer entre cette femme et cet homme, que rien ne prédisposait à se rencontrer.
Un mélodrame sur fond d’adultère…. Encore ?!!
(J’imagine certaines réactions…) hé bien oui, encore et toujours…
Un peu sirupeux, au goût de certains… ? Peut être. Lenteur et pureté dans la manière de filmer. De longs silences, des non-dits… tellement éloquents !
Sur fond de corps inanimés, dans le coma, (le couple illégitime accidenté) les conjoints respectifs vont progressivement, en dépassant la colère, la trahison, la tristesse, s’autoriser à la rencontre. Les décors sobres donnent encore plus de dimension au jeu des personnages.
Hur Jin-Ho, le réalisateur, fait preuve d’une véritable délicatesse cinématographique. Il est vrai que j’apprécie particulièrement le cinéma asiatique…
(Ne sommes nous pas ici pour partager nos coups de cœur ?!!) Après tout …;-)
La rencontre physique des deux protagonistes illustre parfaitement cela. Loin d’un déballage corporel, impudique et provocant… (pouvant être appréciable en d’autres circonstances).
En suggérant, en pénétrant l’intimité ce couple illégitime, Hur Jin-Ho nous fait partager leur désir passionné. Tout en filigrane… Tout en discrétion, et pourtant !! Avec un éclairage juste « comme il faut » on assiste alors à une vraie découverte, une passion superbement retenue. La scène est tout simplement belle, esthétique, les corps tremblants s’offrent avec une certaine pudeur, si riche d’émotions….
WAouuuuuuuuu. Je ne peux qu’être à nouveau bouleversée en y repensant.
Très lent, très fort, émouvant et aussi très dur. Contradiction entre les sentiments et la réalité contextuelle de la rencontre (fortuite ?) des deux héros. Beauté sublime des personnages… Avec cette manière « épurée », que j’aime retrouver dans le cinéma asiatique.
En espérant vous donner envie d’aller voir ce film…
From http://www.blogg.org/blog-22537-billet-340641.html
translated from french to english by camille
April Snow is a Korean drama realized by Jin-Ho Hur who is a recognized film director, (I admit it is true that before seeing this movie I did not know this film director, finally I’m not a reference^^) since this movie is the third feature film of this director. He had realized before Christmas in August, introduced at Cannes festival in 1998 (camille : semaine de la critique section).
I saw this movie in April, at my visit to my sister in Paris… I remember this afternoon of April, the sky was grey and I didn’t know what to do. While drinking a Monaco in a bar at Tuileries garden I browsed Zurban magazine… I decided to go watching a movie… the story of this movie April Snow attracted me, and as I don’t like movies which finish well this one is ideal for me even if we can’t say that this movie really has a sad ending.… At last the beginning of the movie announces its melodramatic direction: In-Su and Seo-Young go to the hospital, because they have just learned that their spouses had a serious car accident. While the last ones are in deep coma, In-su and Seo-Young discover that they maintained an extra-marital relation. Their resentment will push them to love each other at their turn and to face the same torments… I liked this movie very much, we could think that it’s an affected love story, but we find nothing affected in this sensitive melodrama where everyone cries without noises. Besides I don’t usually cry when I see a sad movie, but there I started to cry at an unexpected moment of the movie… the scene happens in spring, in April, then suddenly rises a snow storm, something very rare in April… Seeing this snow falling on the flowers made me cry but to understand it is necessary to go back a little… At a moment in the movie In-su and Seo-Young speak about their favourite seasons… “What is your favourite season? and you? me the spring, but I like snow too. Then it would snow in spring? You think that it’s possible? I don’t know…
Finally that is why I recommend you if it is not already done to go watching this movie which is simply quite heartbreaking and splendid, don’t be too stingy… ^^
April Snow est un drame Coréen réalisé par Jin-Ho Hur qui est un cinéaste reconnu,(je l'avoue il vrai qu'avant de voir ce film je ne connaissais pas ce cinéaste, enfin je ne suis pas une réfèrence^^) puisque ce film est le troisième long métrage de ce réalisateur. Il avait auparavant réalisé Christmas in August, présenté au festival de la critique à Cannes en 1998.
J'ai vu ce film en avril, lors de mon séjour à paris chez ma soeur...Je me souviens de cet après-midi d'avril, il faisait gris et je ne savais pas trop quoi faire. Tout en buvant un monaco dans un bar des jardins des tuileries je feuilletais le Zurban...Je décidais d'aller voir un film...L'histoire de ce film April Snow m'attirait, et comme je n'aime pas trop les films qui finissent bien ce film était l'idéal pour moi même si on ne pas dire que ce film finisse vraiment mal...Enfin le début du film annonce la tournure mélodramatique du film :In-su et Seo-young se rendent à l'hôpital, car ils viennent d'apprendre que leurs conjoints ont eu un grave accident de voiture. Alors que ces derniers sont dans un coma profond, In-su et Seo-young découvrent qu'ils entretenaient une relation extra-conjugale. Leur rancoeur va les pousser à s'aimer de leur côté et à faire face aux mêmes tourments...J'ai beaucoup aimé ce film, on pourrait penser que c une histoire d'amour mièvre, mais on ne trouve rien de mièvre dans ce mélodrame sensible ou chacun pleure sans bruits.. D'ailleurs d'habitude je ne pleure pas en voyant un film triste, mais là je me suis mise à pleurer à un moment inattendu du film...La scène se passe au printemps, en avril, puis soudain se lève une tempête de neige, quelque chose de très rare en avril...En voyant cette neige tomber sur les fleurs cela m'a faite pleurer mais pour comprendre il faut revenir un peu en arrière...A un moment donné dans le film In-su et Seo-young parlent de leurs saisons préférés..."Quelle est ta saison préférée ? et toi ? moi le printemps, mais j'aime bien la neige. Il faudrait qu'il neige au printemps alors ? Tu crois que c possible ? je ne sais pas...
Enfin voilà je vous conseille si ce n'est pas déjà fait à aller voir ce film qui est tout simplement bouleversant et magnifique, ne soyons pas chiche...^^
This is the review from Zurban magazine mentioned by the author (I’ve posted on Quilt sometimes ago).
Korean coma
April Snow, the encounter of two lonely hearts, a duo of moving actors.
A man and a woman discover that their respective spouses, in the coma after an accident, are lovers. With the same plot as Random Hearts of Sydney Pollack, Hur Jin-Ho follows the encounter of two lonely persons.
In-Su and Seo-Young are brought together by their half doomed to silence, but fight to remain the head out of water. To understand the impossible and to continue to live.
Building his story on a succession of sensitive and reserved scenes, the film director succeeds to make a moving “pas de deux”.
The duo of actors faces the daily life through emotions and feelings, without moralizing gaze nor parasitic psychology. The note is deep and delicate, and Hur Jin-Ho excels to describe weakened persons in the contemporary Korea.
A film director to attend to.
posted by Toujours_BYJ @ 6/13/2006 10:13:00 PM
9 Comments:
Dear camille,
Thanks for your translation. These 2 young ladies really understand the doubts experienced by Insu and SeoYoung.Only Yong Joon can express that emotions in such a subtle manner, complemented by his gentle countenance. Other actors would probably have over-exaggerated that role.
Love that AS theme song playing in the background at your blog. Please don't work so hard Camille, take some rest before you go, ok? Knowing that being a mother and wife, you are probably packing for the whole family, right? Better start now! Good luck!
love .... jaime
Dear Jaime
You're right, the majority of French reviews praise YJ's acting with this subtle manner, no overacted at all. And I can't imagine others actors playing In-Su either.
Btw, I already start packing for the whole family, there are so many things to do. Thanks for your concern, I'm very touched, a big big hug to you.
hee... i love how 'crazy' you are.
when r u leaving anyway?
p.s. thanks for the AS reviews :)
camille, thank you for taking the time to translate these great reviews for us. Like you, it always makes me very happy to hear that the moviegoers are so receptive of the subtle nuances of this film.
I will miss you while you are away, but have a wonderful holiday!
Hi Frances,
thanks for your nice words. Me too, I love reading April Snow reviews, and thanks god, there are so many, it's why I always try to translate to share with you.
bb, we will leave next wednesday. Actually I'm trying to translate a beautiful one but I don't know if I have time to finish it because I have too much things to do at home and at the office. Yes, crazy camille !
Dear Flowerbossa, I may go for holiday but I can't live without the net. I think I will not have enough time to blog but I can't stop to visit Quilt and your blogs.
I've been watching Screeen Flash and Showbiz Extra and they do feature comments of critics (good and bad) on korean movies shown abroad but no mention of April Snow. I'm tempted to call their attention on just how much the French appreciated the movie.
Hi Marissa,
Are theses programs Korean ? Because Korean media often see only bad things about YJ but rarely good ones.
We have a French program called "The cercle" on Canal Plus television every week which reunite movies critics (and sometimes famous actors&actresses) they make reviews about movies released each week. I was very proud of AS when I saw AS was highly praised and got the max notes from them.
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