Listen to the Voice of a Murderer on DVD

“Voice Of A Murderer” is the third full length film from South Korean director Park Jin Pyo. Following his acclaimed melodrama You Are My Sunshine, director Park Jin Pyo again takes inspiration from a real-life account for this latest film that recreated the tragic 1991 abduction of Lee Hyung Ho, a young boy whose parents were threatened for 44 days afterwards by phone calls following his disappearance. It remains too faithful to the awful crime, coming across more like a long reconstructed television crime docudrama. The only difference is that some of Korean biggest stars are cast in the leading roles such as acclaimed actor Kung-Gu Sol (Silmido, Oasis) and Kim Nam Ju (Models) as the parents with Kang Dong Won (Maundy Thursday, Duelist) as the voice of the kidnapper. Voice of a Murderer has grabbed over than three million admissions during its box office run, making it the highest grossing 2007 Korean film to date and the home cinema version has scheduled to release on September 30, 2007 in region 3 DVD.

Some notable aspect of the actual event abduction was changed for “Voice Of A Murderer”, such as the occupation of the father, while in real life the father was a successful businessman, in the movie Kung-Gu Sol’s character was a famous news broadcaster, Han Kyun Bae. Han and his wife, Oh Ji-seon (Kim Nam-ju), live a comfortable life in Seoul's elite area of Apkujeong. They were crudely interrupted when their 9-year-old son, Sang-woo is disappeared without a trace on a calm summer evening in 1991. They soon receive a phone call asking for 100 Million Won in exchange for the safe return of their son, while on the real event, the actual ransom amount was 70 Million Won ($74,000). Then the film will counts on the next 44 days, when the kidnapper continuously calls with his chillingly cold and emotionless voice gave the instructions and requests for the ransom. Kyong-bae believes that everything will be fine and he will see his son again once he pays 100 million won. But as soon as the police get involved in solving the case, things don’t go as planned. The kidnapper always effortlessly eludes capture; not only is he a step ahead at every turn, he seems to enjoy toying with the police in this cat-and-mouse chase. When Han becomes increasingly desperate and frustrated with the police, the kidnapper calls him with another set of instructions, he turns the situation completely around and demands a direct confrontation.

Voice Of A Murderer is a tense thriller with lot of admirable performances by it main casts. Kyung-Gu Sol gave a courageous presentation as the father that would restlessly do everything to get his son back. No matter how terrible the situations were, Kyung-Gu Sol’s character always shows the air of strength. The only blemish in his performance would have been the ending scene when his character Han Kyun Bae talked into the television camera. Kim Nam Ju as the mother, was nearly as impressively portrays the character of a nervous breakdown woman, she was successfully escaped from her usual image as a pretty lady in advertisements for luxury goods. The heartthrob actor Kang Dong-won is featured as the kidnapper in hiding, thee biggest attraction that the actor has to offer is his looks, but throughout the 122-minute running time, he remains faceless. Yet he still offered a passable performance of a cold-blooded kidnapper.

Product Details:

• Product Title: Voice of a Murderer (DVD) (Special Edition) (Korea Version)
• Actors: Kung-Gu Sol, Kim Nam Ju, Kang Dong Won, Kim Yeong-cheol, Song Yeong-chang, Go Su-heui.
• Directors: Park Jin Pyo
• Format: Widescreen 2.35:1 (Anamorphic), Color, NTSC
• Language: Korean
• Subtitle: English, Korean
• Audio Specs: Dolby Digital Surround 5.1, Dolby Digital Surround 2CH
• Region: Region 3
• Number of discs: 2
• Country Made: South Korea
• Distributor: CJ Entertainment
• Run Time: 122 minutes
• Release Date:September 30, 2007 (South Korea)
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The Victim Exposes on the DVD

Thailand is getting serious about its horror movies, The Japanese and Korean Horror film industry really need to start watching their backs. Films like Shutter and Dorm are little sample of the quality and sophistication of the Horror movies they are producing. Now Tartan Video is bringing another Thai horror film to the widely releases to the world. Last years hit Thai horror The Victim, will releases under the Asia Extreme label DVD on September 18^th.

The Victim focuses on Ting, a girl with a huge talent in acting and dreaming to become a famous actress one day. Instead of attracted some big movie producers, her talents were catching the eye of a police officer – Lieutenant Te, who asked her to help solve a murder case by portraying the victim in the reenactment of the crime. Then, Ting was soon exposed in newspaper after reaping in a successful reenactment which allowed the police officer to catch the murderer. From one scene to another, her task gets more and more complicated as well as more recognized by various police officers from different regions around Thailand. Now a local celebrity, Ting is invited to reenact a very high-profile murder case. The victim is the recent Miss Thailand, Meen who was found murdered in an heartless and brutal manner and left to rot. Ting was very flattered to do this as it's her biggest job yet, she sought out all forms of resources about Meen, ranging from her video footage of her dancing the Leika (Thai traditional dance) to her behavior, and she’s put all her efforts into playing it to flawlessness. To sharpen her instincts to act just like Meen, she paid a visit to the death scene and was treated to a mystical horror dream when she fell into a deep sleep. She was given the heads up by Meen's spirit which clarified that her lover Dr. Jarun who’s pointed by all of the evidence was not the killer, but it was someone else in which it was not revealed. Genuinely feels the terrible pain and suffering that the murdered beauty queen endured and frantically searching for answers, Ting fears herself is in danger of becoming the next victim…

Warning: Spoiler Alerts!!

An entertaining and thrilling merger of ghost story and crime thriller, "The Victim" also sports nifty film-within-a-film smarts to capture more of the imagination than standard Thai genre offerings. At the 45-minute mark of an already intriguing exercise, the story neatly twisting. What's been on screen thus far is the real movie about the Meen murder, and Ting is a fictitious personality played by actress named May. The rest of story makes the most of its multiple character opportunities without getting too convoluted. The movie is made in such a way that whenever the mystery begins to loosen itself, it proves to be false and that the venturing into more complicated process in solving the crime yields more scenario to allow the director to insert more craftiness and ingenuity in scaring the audiences. This movie is also inspired by actual criminal events, not on legend and many of the scenes recreated in the film were based on real crimes and shot on the actual locations in Thailand.

Product Details:

• Product Title: The Victim – Tartan Asia Extreme DVD
• Actors: Pitchanart Sakakorn, Apasiri Nitibhon, Penpak Sirikul, Kiradej Ketakinta, Chokchai Charoensuk.
• Directors: Monthon Arayangkoon
• Format: Widescreen 1.85:1 (Anamorphic) , Color, NTSC
• Language: Thailand
• Subtitle: English, Spanish
• Audio Specs: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and DTS Surround Sound 5.1
• Region: Region 1
• Number of discs: 1
• Country Made: Thailand
• Distributor: Tartan Video
• Run Time: 108 minutes
• Release Date: September 18, 2007 (USA)

Source: Amazon.com

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The Evil Twin transition in the DVD

"Evil Twin" which set in the period of Joseon dynasty was pointed as the return of Korean horror film in a historical setting. Historic Korean horror movies – best represented by "A Public Cemetery of Wolha" – disappeared after the 1986 movie "Woman`s Wail". Modern ghost movie era such as "Phone" and "A Tale of Two Sisters", replaced them. The debuting director Kim Ji-hwan that helmed “Evil Twin” stated his aspiration of returning to the true roots of Korean horror movies. Although this movie is Kim’s directorial debut, he is already a renowned horror film expert among Korean filmmakers. Kim has displayed his genuine affection towards the so-called "cursed genre" while writing horror film columns in "FILM 2.0" magazine, based on his experience from watching several thousand horror movies. The teenaged television star Park Shin Hye (Palace S, Love Phobia) was recruited to takes on her first leading film role on this movie, and must adapting with the polar personalities of two characters which she must portraying here. Another co-stars are Jae Hee (3 iron) and Yang Geum Seok.

The story was started ten years before when Seo-rae village is enshrouded by a thick fog coming from the river. While running from a group of village kids, twin sisters Hyo-jin and So-yeon (Park Shin Hye) both fell into the river. Their mother tries hard to save them, both but manages only to save So-yeon, who is alive but comatose. Ten years later, someone named CHOI is murdered mysteriously as he was heading home from a friends assembly. And at that particular time, So-yeon wakes up from her coma, without any memories of her childhood or even of her sister Hyo-jin. Though she has lost her memory, she is troubled by what she can't remember, and often shows characteristics similar to her dead sister. When So-yeon's mother (Yang Geum-seok) and soon to be husband, Hyun-sik (Jae Hee), are often baffled by So-yeon identity crisis, there’s more and more former friends are killed in a series of mysterious murders. They’re assumed that Hyo-jin who was unable to rest in peace has return as a vengeful spirit that full of jealous rivalry on So-yeon, and her curse befalls the village.

The movie whose main motif is Kongjwi Patjwi, a Korean version of the Cinderella story, revolves around So-yeon's identity crisis and the mystery surrounding her personality keeps the audience engaged and guessing until the twisting climax of the movie. Park Sin-hye brilliantly plays both So-yeon and Hyo-jin odd personalities, representing her prospective as a rising star of Korean cinema.
However, the director's lack of directing experience is evident in the movie. The characters are busy screaming throughout the movie even before the audience feels a chill. This is like repeatedly asking the audience, "That scene was scary, wasn't it?" Taking away from the excitement somewhat. Awkward scenes like a ghost in white mourning clothes hitting her head on a beam because she is too tall or a German shepherd, which obviously did not exist during the Joseon period, fiercely barking on So-yeon, make us wonder if it is a comedy.

Product Details:

• Product Title: The Evil Twin (Jeon-seol-eui Go-hyang) DVD (Limited Korea Version Edition)
• Actors: Park Shin Hye, Jae Hee, Yang Geum Suk
• Directors: Kim Ji-hwan
• Format: Widescreen 1.85:1 (Anamorphic) , Color, NTSC
• Language: Korean
• Subtitle: English, Korean
• Audio Specs: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Region: Region 3
• Number of discs: 1
• Country Made: South Korea
• Distributor: HB Entertainment Korea
• Release Date: August 30, 2007 (South Korea)

This Limited Edition includes the following bonus features:

• Behind the scenes of The Evil Twin
• Filmmaker and Cast Interviews
• Poster Shooting
• Movie Premiere
• Trailer Selection

Source: Donga.com, YesAsia, Hancinema.net (Photos)

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The World of Silence Shouting on DVD

"The World of Silence" revolves around the mysterious serial murder case of young girls from the same orphanage. Three girls are missing and found dead under similar conditions, dressed in bizarre clothes and carrying odd looking dolls. It also revealed that they had been injected with a rare hallucinogenic drug before being murdered. Leading the investigations is a bad-mannered, world-weary detective Kim (Park Yong-woo), who strongly believes in following his intuition after five years in the career. After Kim encounters a man named Ryu Jung-ho (Kim Sang-kyeong) several times under strange circumstances, he begins to grow suspicious of him. Ryu is a professional photographer that has just recently returned from the U.S, he takes on the guardianship of a young girl named Park Su-yeon (Han bo-hae), whose mother is in a coma. It appears that Ryu has a mysterious ability to read minds and hearing the "silent" conversations of those located impossibly far away from him. The situation reaches a crisis point when the killer abducts Su-yeon, forcing the two men into a deadly confrontation.

The newly released thriller "The World of Silence" DVD, is the second feature film of director Jo Eui-seok, while his first feature is 2002 Make It Big. This movie had the superficial look of a smooth, psychological thriller backed by excellent performances by three strong leads. Park Yong-woo as Detective Kim, has become one of the most wanted actors after success with recent high-profile films as the unpredicted surprise hit comedy "My Scary Girl" and the historical thriller "Blood Rain". While watching his performance here, I thought he looked common, but never realized who he was until the finale credits rolled out. Kim Sang-kyeong as Ryu, also played in critically acclaimed "Memories of Murder", another movie that also concerning with serial killer theme, his recent job is "May 18" which breaking the Korean box office this month (Read the news here). his character here worked well in clouding the true personality and always left the audience with an uneasy felling about what his true motive may have been, The tense chemistry between this two men drives the movie as the plot builds up to its gripping conclusion. And Han Bo-bae performance as Park Su-yeon here was creditable for someone at her age, she was also portray an abducted girl in her previous role on "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance". While the performances were generally good, the movie was misleadingly styled as cat and mouse battle between detective and suspect, Silence is actually more of an offbeat character piece, with Kim and Ryu never actually entering into any of the kind of games which might have been estimated, and with viewers being for the most part left to their own devices to determine the identity of the killer. Although a little slow throughout the padded middle section and essentially deficient in any kind of action, Silence moves along at a good rate, with some well timed plot developments giving it an unforced feel for the most part, plus many twists and turns that even seem don't quite suspend together, but the director Jo Eui-seok certainly deserves extra points for trying.

Product Details:

• Product Title: The World of Silence Limited Edition
• Actors: Kim Sang-Kyung, Park Yong-Woo, Han Bo-Bae, Lee Me-ri, Jeong Gyoo-soo, Lee Jong-soo
• Directors: Jo Eui-seok
• Format: Widescreen 2.35:1 (Anamorphic) , Color, NTSC
• Language: Korean
• Subtitle: English, Korean
• Audio Specs: Dolby Digital 5.1 & 2.0
• Region: Region 3
• Number of discs: 1
• Country Made: South Korea
• Distributor: HB Entertainment Korea
• Release Date: March 19, 2007 (South Korea)
• Run Time: 107 + 35 minutes

The Limited Edition includes the following bonus features:

• Jung Ho vs. Detective Kim
• World of Silence Production Process
• Poster Shoot
• Teaser Trailer
• Theatrical Trailer

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Paradise Murdered Involving a DVD

Paradise Murdered is a Korean blockbuster thriller/comedy movie which story is set in the late of 1980s, center around a serial murder mystery. It borrows elements from some classic films like Battle Royale, Murder On The Orient Express, Gilligan’s Island and TV Show, Lost. The mystery on the story very much plays out as it really happens, throwing the audience into a firm, anxious, and intimidating plot, filled with characters that perform in the shady area of grey, while guessing their exact motives turns into the mind game for the audience. Fans of Korean cinema will also familiar with one of the actor that plays as the rather mysterious doctor, Park Hae-il. His most popular role before, is in the blockbuster Korean hits The Host, which movie is now also available on DVD. Back to the Paradise movie that will release to its home cinema version too, Korean limited edition DVD region 3, that this preview based on. The Rundown: Paradise Island is a remote island off the southern coast of the Korean peninsula, surrounded by its breath-taking mountains and sea occupied with good natured 17 villagers, who are scratching out motley, but a tight-knit existence. However, the peaceful world on the island doesn’t last long when every single one of the villagers vanish one day without a single trace. It’s all began in one night when three inhabitants were doing a card game, at the morning two of the players found mutilated. The third player, a dopey guy Deok Su, rapidly becomes the suspect but he is disappeared. The rest of the residents try to stay calm, they start to search for the culprit leading by the town doctor Woo Seong. But without any transportation access to allow them across the furious sea to the mainland, and communication is also cut off, already made them trapped on the island. The suspicions begin to grow up that perhaps there was someone else or something that unseen involved in the gruesome murdered. With the fear and anxiety which now take over the island and hideous secrets among the villagers get revealed day by day, the inhabitants start to go over the edge as they try to figure out what happens with their paradise. Even the movie is imperfect by a rather weak ending and a few not logical moments, but it will still intrigue throughout its runtime, with each passing moment the strain and suspicion increases as do the killings. The twists placed into Paradise Murdered would be that the slaughter may have occurred over the Korean card game Hwatu, ghosts may be involved and the troubles exposed of rural Korean residents. Paradise Murdered was still a gripping thriller to be a blast to watch. The story always keeps your mind suspicious, never revealing who truly committed the murders until to the extreme finale.

Product Details:

• Actors: Park Hae-Il (Dr. Jae Woo-Sung), Park Sol-Mi (Gwi-Nam), Seong Ji-Ru (Choon-Bae)
• Directors: Kim Han-Min
• Format: Widescreen 2.35:1 (Anamorphic) , Color, NTSC
• Language: Korean
• Subtitle: English, Korean
• Audio Specs: Dolby Digital 5.1 & 2.0
• Region: Region 3
• Number of Discs: 2
• Country Made: South Korea
• Distributor: KD MEDIA
• Release Date: July 23, 2007 (South Korea)
• Run Time: 112 + 114 minute

Special Features:

Disc 1 :
Commentary Track 1 (Director, Park Hae Il, Sung Ji Ru, Park Sol Mi)
Commentary Track 2 (Director, Representative)
After Commentary

Disc 2 :
Making Of
Art Direction Featurette
Evidence - Makeup, Wardrobe
Suspects - Character Profiles
Deleted Scenes
Press Conference
Witness - Preview
Photo Gallery
Ghost Story - Paradise Murdered Initial Model

Source: Yes Asia

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