If you are a film fan or have followed the festival circuit, or if you are even preparing for the upcoming Oscars, PARASITE is a movie that nearly needs no introduction. From Bong Joon Ho, the legendary director of SNOWPIERCER and THE HOST, his Palme D’Or winning latest feature has received universal acclaim from both media and audiences alike, and has also turned a profit in its North American release.
Part family drama that takes a very interesting and unique genre turn, PARASITE is about the Kim family who are very put upon and trying to make a life for themselves, one hustle at a time. When they get the opportunity to come into a more rich household and make a new home for themselves, an entire complex narrative breaks out that puts them all to the test. This is a strange movie for me to describe without revealing many of the interesting characters from different financial backgrounds, but once you see it you’ll discover it all for yourself.
I viewed the movie at last fall’s Toronto International Film Festival and my immediate impression was that seeing this movie once was simply not enough. It’s an incredibly intricate blast of detail, character and unpredictability that I wasn’t sure if I even LIKED the movie on first viewing,but on revisiting it a few times after TIFF I became more and more in love with PARASITE.
ABOUT THE BLU RAY:
PARASITE is nicely presented on Blu Ray here via Universal with a simple but effective presentation. Having just seen the movie recently on a gigantic screen, I was immediately struck in how close the 2.40:1 widescreen transfer on the Blu Ray was to the theatrical presentation. Filmed on the Arri Alexa with a 65mm sensor, you really get a sense of the immense detail in blacks, shadows and occasional bursts of color throughout. It does have a “digital” look to it at times, but still incredibly effective. What was more interesting to me was the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track which had a surprising amount of directional dialogue, powerful use of music score and subtle effects that really immerses you in the action.
On the bonus-side we are treated to a Q&A session with Bong-John Ho from last year’s Fantastic Fest, which I was in the audience for! Having seen him perform Q&A’s at both Austin’s annual genre festival as well as many years ago at Vancouver International Film Festival when he was here with THE HOT, he is always wonderful to listen to. There is not much else here, but PARASITE simply speaks for itself and is an overwhelming recommendation on Blu Ray.
PARASITE is now out on Blu Ray in Canada via Universal Pictures. The movie is also still playing in theaters and also available digitally via multiple streaming and download services. Don’t miss it.