Thirst
UW Cinematheque 821 University Ave., UW Vilas Hall, Room 4070, Madison, Wisconsin
media release: South Korea, USA | 2009 | 35mm | 134 min. | Korean with English subtitles
Director: Park Chan-wook
Cast: Song Kang-ho, Kim Ok-bin, Hee-jin Choi
Catholic priest, Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho), volunteers to participate in a vaccine trial for a deadly, leprosy-like virus. The experimental vaccine fails, but after receiving a tainted blood transfusion, Sang-hyun recovers only to find himself transformed into a bloodthirsty creature of the night. Reunited with a childhood friend, Sang-hyun falls madly in love with the friend’s wife (Kim Ok-bin) and then things get wild. Featuring hairpin tonal shifts and outrageously gruesome effects, Park Chan-wook’s one of a kind vampire film is a gonzo genre-mash-up of bedroom farce, Grand Guignol blood-soaked horror, social commentary, sweeping romance, and kitchen sink melodrama that needs to be seen to be believed. Presented with the support of the Center for East Asian Studies at UW Madison.
Admission free for all screenings, seating limited. No admission 15 minutes after scheduled start times. Please visit our website for a complete listing of programs and descriptions.