Soesaseul-eul kkeun-eola

In the 1930s, the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo was a refuge for Korean anarchists and other independence fighters while also serving as a place to make a career in the Japanese Imperial Army. In the 1960s, Japan’s efforts to industrialise Manchukuo served as a blueprint for South Korea’s economic development. Korean cinema also saw potential in this lawless, now unreachable frontier landscape, turning it into the setting of what became known as the Manchurian Western. With its wealth of cultural transpositions, this new subgenre was particularly influenced by the Spaghetti Westerns. Lee Man-hee’s classic SOESASEUL-EUL KKEUNH-EOLA is clearly inspired by Sergio Leone’s IL BUONO, IL BRUTTO, IL CATTIVO (1966), not least in terms of its soundtrack. Three adventurers compete for a priceless Buddha statue and the love a woman, trying to outmanoeuvre Japanese military, Chinese gangs, and each other along the way. To add to the viewing pleasure, much the costume design seems inspired by the hippie fashion of the time. Lee Man-hee worked on the film somewhat reluctantly, unable to fully escape the demands of a nationalist agenda. (Gerwin Tamsma)

Lee Man-hee: KALEIDOSCOPE (1961), CALL 112, MARINES ARE GONE (1963), BLACK HAIR (1964), THE DEVIL’S STAIRWAY (1964), THE SEVEN FEMALE POW’S (1964), FULL AUTUMN (1966), A WATER MILL (1966), WHISTLE (1967), ASSASSIN (1969), THE ROAD TO SAMPO (1975)