Suddenly in the Dark – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: South Korea, 1981
Director: Young Nam Ko
Writer: Sam-yuk Yoon
Cast: Il-bong Yun, Yeong-ae Kim, Ki-seon Lee, Hye-ri Han

Release Date: February 14th, 2017
Approximate Running Time: 100 Minutes 21 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Korean
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: OOP

"A woman’s idyllic middle-class life is disrupted when her husband brings home a beautiful young orphan to be their maid. At first she welcomes the pretty girl, in fact seems oddly fixated on her, but soon comes to suspect the girl of having an affair with her husband. At the same time odd, unexplained incidents - most involving the maid’s mysterious wooden doll - began to make her question her own sanity." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this transfer, "HD transfer from film negative."

Woman Chasing the Butterfly of Death comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 21.7 GB

Feature: 18.6 GB

The source is in excellent shape; flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Korean with removable English subtitles. The audio is in great shape; dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced and range wise ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a Mondo Macabro preview reel, a Korean VHS Cover Art Gallery, an interview with producer David Suh (12 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Korean with removable English subtitles), and an interview with film critic Kim Bong-seok (21 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Korean with removable English subtitles) who discusses the history of Korean Horror cinema.

Summary:

A wife loses her grip on reality when she begins to suspect that her husband is having an affair with the housekeeper. Is she losing her mind, or will she find that her suspicions were right? 

While modern Korean cinema is primarily recognized for its revenge-themed films, horror cinema has been gaining popularity in recent years. Western audiences are not familiar with or able to access Korean horror films produced prior to the year 2000. Case in point, Suddenly in the Dark, a film that comes from South Korea’s golden age for horror cinema. 

Young Nam Ko directed Suddenly in the Dark. He was a prolific filmmaker who directed over 100 films. What makes Suddenly in the Dark particularly impressive is that it marks Young Nam Ko's sole venture into the horror genre. When it comes to utilizing elements typical of horror, he excels remarkably.

When discussing Suddenly in the Dark, the one area that immediately springs to mind is its stylistic visuals, which are reinforced by a robust color scheme. Standout moments include a scene where the housekeeper is taking a bath shortly after her arrival and the wife assists her. Another standout moment includes a scene where the wife almost dies after someone accidentally leaves the gas stove on. When it comes to memorable moments, there are none more memorable than the tour de force finale.

While everyone excels in their respective roles, Yeong-ae Kim's portrayal of the wife stands out as the heart and soul of Suddenly in the Dark. Her character experiences an emotional roller coaster, and she delivers a flawless performance of a woman undergoing a nervous breakdown. Another performance of note is Ki-seon Lee in the role of the mysterious housekeeper who carries around creepy-looking dolls. For someone who had not acted before, she delivers a remarkable performance in her only onscreen credit.

From a production standpoint, Suddenly in the Dark is a film where everyone involved is clicking on all cylinders. The way the premise of Suddenly in the Dark is executed sets it apart, despite familiar ground being covered. The well-constructed narrative does a superb job building momentum by maintaining tension. Ultimately, Suddenly in the Dark is a well-crafted horror film that's overflowing with a forbidding atmosphere.

Mondo Macabro gives Suddenly in the Dark an excellent release that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer