(aka "Bin-jip" )
directed by Kim Ki-Duk
South Korea / Japan 2004
Once in a while a striking film comes along that exceeds
the mould of Korean pulp cinema. Director Kim, Ki-duk’s masterful use of his
celluloid canvas in his latest production “3-Iron” is a great example of the
depths Korean cinema can reach.
A beautifully crafted film, “3-Iron” follows an outsider-protagonist,
Tae-suk (Jae Hee), as he quietly lives life under the social radar. By day
he posts flyers on apartment doors and for an abode he breaks into the homes
of people who are out of town and briefly enjoys the luxury each residence
affords. Yet he takes nothing of great value: he does eat the food, sleep in
the beds, and drink the alcohol but repays the owners with minor repairs and
a laundry service.
And as we journey with him, it is not long before we see him enter one home
to find it still occupied. Although Sun-hwa (Lee, Seung-yeon) - an aging,
reclusive model who is recovering from a dose of wife battering - knows
Tae-suk is in her home she lets him get on with his thing while she quietly
observes. It is not until later the same day they come face-to-face.
When Sun-hwa’s husband returns Tae-suk carefully exits. However, he returns
to find her receiving another beating from her husband. This time he
confronts the wife beater with his three-iron golf club. After, Sun-hwa
leaves, with Tae-suk, and joins him in his life of unwanted house-sitting.
As the story unfolds the silent duo find themselves in physical trouble in a
boxer’s home and then arrested when they take up residence in a dead man’s
home. Tae-suk is subsequently sent to prison and Sun-hwa, like a lost child,
returned to her husband.
“3-Iron” is a wonderfully produced piece of cinema and Kim, Ki-duk’s directs
his silent lead actors with great precision – throughout the body of work
Tae-suk utters only one small sound and it is not until the ending scenes
Sun-hwa speaks a few short sentences.
Kim skillfully blends the reality of the medium with symbolic
representation. However, his artistic expression is much more than the
clever use of signs and symbols. It is so engrained in the film that that
the two unify to become the essence of the work: from the cutting up and
reorganizing of one of Sun-hwa’s photos to the holiday-style snap-shots they
take to record their other wise undocumented existence.
It is a film with many layers; from the cultural insights on the surface to
the deeper expression of Korean art which the production represents. It is
dark without self pity; it is powerful without pretence; and at times
heart-warming without the feel-good factor. This is truly good piece of film
is one of the better productions to come out of Korea in 2004 and it would
be worth the effort to see.
Andrew Porterfield for DVDBeaver.com
Posters
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Theatrical Release: January 18th, 2003 - Tokyo
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
DVD Comparison:
Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Bitwin (Limited Edition - 2-disc) - Region 3 - NTSC vs. Optimum - Region 2 - PAL
Big thanks to Gary Tooze and Fred Patton and Henrik Sylow for the Screen Caps!
(Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Bitwin (Limited Edition - 2-disc) - Region 3 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Optimum - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)
DVD Box Covers |
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Distribution |
Columbia Tri-Star Region 1 - NTSC |
Bitwin Region 3 - NTSC |
Optimum Region 2 - PAL |
Runtime | 1:27:39 | 1:27:45 | 1:23:55 (4% PAL speedup) |
Video |
1.83:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1.82:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1.85 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate:
Columbia Tri-Star
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Bitrate:
Bitwin (Limited Edition - 2-disc)
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Bitrate:
Optimum
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Audio | 5.1 Dolby Digital Korean, 2.0 Dolby Digital Korean (commentary), 5.1 Dolby Digital Frenc (dub) |
5.1 Dolby Digital Korean, DTS Korean |
2.0 Dolby Digital Korean, 5.1 Dolby Digital Korean |
Subtitles | English, French, Director's Commentary in English, None | Korean, English, None | English, None |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Columbia Tri-Star Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 12 |
Release Information: Studio: Bitwin Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
DVD
Release Date: January 8, 2005 Chapters 11 |
Release Information: Studio: Optimum Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
DVD
Release Date: November 7, 2005 Chapters 12 |
Comments | I don't know
that I 100% agree with Henrik's conclusions below. The
Columbia and Optimum images look almost
identical, and will do so on 99% of playback systems but as the Optimum
have put in some clear, but non-intrusive, subtitles (white with black
border font) as opposed to the large gaudy yellow ones of Columbia - I
would go with the Optimum for image. I still am unsure of the color scheme but I'm hopeful that some who have seen it theatrically, and thereby can comment on the BitWin, will let us know. Gary Tooze ***** Optimum's
DVD is a DVD5 versus Columbia / Bitwin's DVD9. The main comparison is
between Columbia and Optimum, as they share transfer.
ADDITION: Bitwin 2-disc - October 05' - It is very hard for me to make judgments on which image is more theatrically accurate as I did not see the film in that manner. I can however judge accuracy of colors to a certain degree and the Columbia skin tones are awfully red (see last large capture). The Bitwin does seem to have a bit of a greenish tinge to it - yet again, I don't know whether this is intentional. The Columbia is slightly cropped on both edges. The Bitwin is sharper and in my estimation is the better image overall. It also sports a DTS track which, although never tested in the film, might be appealing to some audio-files. Extras must go the way of the Columbia - if only on the basis of the English subtitle translations which the Bitwin is missing.
***** The Columbia image is a very glossy at times and does have some mild enhancement when zoomed-in but I can't see extensive digital manipulations - certainly the image is intentionally dark at times. Progressive and anamorphic in original aspect ratio of 1.85-ish. I don't real have a frame of reference as I have not seen the Asian DVD editions of the film and we hope to compare but I would think that many will be satisfied with this release especially with the commentary by Ki-duk Kim. A complaint I do have with this Columbia DVD are the enormous and gaudy yellow subtitles which couldn't be any more intrusive, but luckily dialogue in the film is exceptionally sparse (the central character doesn't utter a single word). Quite a film experience and an imperfect but respectful landing in Region 1 DVD.
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DVD Menus
(Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC -
LEFT vs. Bitwin (Limited Edition - 2-disc) - Region 3 - NTSC - MIDDLE
vs. Optimum - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)
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Screen Captures
(Columbia
Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Bitwin (Limited Edition -
2-disc) - Region 3 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Optimum - Region 2 - PAL -
BOTTOM)
Subtitle sample (English
only)
Captures resized to 800px from 1016px
Not exact frame match
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(Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Bitwin (Limited Edition - 2-disc) - Region 3 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Optimum - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
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(Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Bitwin (Limited Edition - 2-disc) - Region 3 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Optimum - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
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(Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Bitwin (Limited Edition - 2-disc) - Region 3 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Optimum - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
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(Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Bitwin (Limited Edition - 2-disc) - Region 3 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Optimum - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
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(Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. Bitwin (Limited Edition - 2-disc) - Region 3 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Optimum - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
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(Columbia Tri-Star - Region 1
- NTSC - TOP vs. Bitwin (Limited Edition - 2-disc) -
Region 3 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Optimum - Region 2 - PAL -
BOTTOM)
Enlarged (100px
to 250px) areas from subtitle image
Not exact frame match
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Report Card:
Image: |
Optimum |
Sound: |
Bitwin (DTS) |
Extras: | Columbia (subtitled commentary) |
Menu: | Bitwin |
DVD Box Covers |
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Distribution |
Columbia Tri-Star Region 1 - NTSC |
Bitwin Region 3 - NTSC |
Optimum Region 2 - PAL |
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Thank You!
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