写作范例
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A Review of the Performance’sOverall Function on the Film Oldboy
According to the dictionary, acting performance, as one of the majorelements that constitutes films, is referred to as the art in which actors tellstories and shape characters by adhering to scripts and applying acting skillsand personal life experience. Throughout the filmmakinghistory, it is no difficult to conclude that the level in which theoverall performance achieves is inextricably tied up with the success of films.As a same-name comic adaptation thriller film focusing on a revenge story,which is directed by a nationally renowned Korean filmmaker, Park Chan-wook, in 2003, its acting methods adopted bymajor roles makes a tremendous contribution to the movie’s conveying of subjects on ethical relationships and humanemotions. The film mainly tells a man, Oh Dae su,who starts a journey of revenge after being captivated for 15 years in a shabbyhotel room without any clue of the reason nor his captor’s name. As Dae sucollects more and more threads leading to his enemy’s nature, he finds himselflocked in a desperate situation due to being unveiled with exceedingly darksecrets.
The business of film performance is conducted by actors, who bearthe burden of creating, working and acting on big screens as the only carriers.Through basing on the understanding ofscripts, interpreting and molding characters, under the guidance of directors,actors actually institute a dynamic structure functioned to convey moods and emotions and undertake to provide the audiencewith certain ideas and messages. During this film, several classical scenes,all of which involve the active participation from Min sik playing Oh Dae su,including the swallowing of octopus, and barking like a dog, without anyquestion, build a solid foundation forthe overall accomplishment of the work. Their extraordinary presence on thescreen are rather conducive to the creating of soul-stirring experience to theaudience in terms of portraying characters andpromoting the developments of plots.
When it comes to analyzing scenes in Oldboy, it isimpossible to proceed the subject staying away from Choi Min sik. His mastery and vivid acting inplaying a useless drunk, a prisoner who is on the edge of insanity due to notouch with outside world, as well as the one who loses himself when revealedwith the truth, plays a pivotal role in defining the feature of the film. To anenormous large extent, it is his flexibleand down to earth performance, whether of a lengthy monologue which is bitterand profoundly meaningful, or of dark and determined facial expressions, thatleads the film to unveil its theme naturally and explore with the audience onbig questions of morality and emotion extremes. In order to make every part ofthe plots seems sensible, from the opening to the last minute, he has been allthe time setting himself into the mode of extreme moods, which itself meansintensely difficult challenges to anyone’s acting skills as well as mentalstates. The one impressive and once worldly controversial scene concentrates onChoi Min sik’s eating activity in the sushirestaurant. As someone who has been just released after 15 years of torturousimprisonment, he is as consumed by rage as extremely longing for any livingbeing, due to the strict confinement and absolute isolation from the outsideworld. When noticing the beautiful chef is cutting the octopus into pieces, herequires that he is delivered with living octopus, unsliced. A close-up shotsharpening on his entire face while he is eating allows the audience topenetrate deep into his mood at that moment. This swallowing behavior, which isperformed in a rather primitively-looking, and even violent manner, creates amentally shocking effect. From that, viewers can come to predict the crueltyand resolutedetermination that he would apply to his next phase vengeance on hiscaptor, at the same time, feeling sympathetic for his eternal loss of normallife and the sufferings imposed on him. That particularly sense-stimulatingdesign which gives viewers goose bumps and makes them want to cover their eyes,according to the reports, is under the plea of Choi Min sik, who voluntarily asks the director to addthe entire octopus into his mouth. Accompanied bythe indifference in his voice, his crude restaurant behavior coherently pavesthe way for the storytelling lying ahead.
The scene composing of the final confrontation between Dae su and Woo jinis another hard evidence that can illustrate the effects the superb performancehas made on the film. From the perspective of plots development, theirconversation is of weighty importance inthat it puts an end to all the mysterious suspenseinitiated at the beginning and uncoversthe motive for his imprisonment. That is preciselywhere actors are required to deliver the appropriate performance, guiding theaudience to get the truth as well as grasp what the film intends to convey. Inthis movie, two actors' vividdemonstration of sophisticated acting skills, their ingenious incorporation ofrhythm and genuineness are helpful in that they provide a firm basis to makesense the reaching into climax of events, and the happening of unexpectedresults. The dark secret acknowledged by Woo-jin over Mi-do’s real identity as Cui's daughtertotally crushes him. The hopeless anguish, the extreme desperation, aswell as the strong urge of protecting Mi-do from knowing the fact, are perfectly revealed by Cui's in-depth,faultless acting abilities. His sudden babbling and cursing, pretending asa dog to bark and lick Woo-jin's shoes, as well as the shocking action ofcutting out his tongue, all serve as a powerful weapon, making profound mentaland sensual impacts on the audience. On the other side, Woo-jin'sperformance indicates a different situation. Through Yoo Ji tae’s somewhatmean smirks showed on his face when Cui is kneeling down and begging, as wellas his rigid standing posture maintained through all the time, viewers caneasily feel Woo-jin’s gloat as well as the entire coldness to his sufferings. The two entirely distinctive acting manners adopted bytwo versatile actors, form a sharp contrast inthe atmosphere, and help the film naturally investigate into the bottom line ofman's evils and crimes. Through the combination of hearing and visualimages, their performance invites viewers to see and feel the craziness and theuntold pain, on both parts. It immediately and completely seizes the eyes andhearts of the audience, allowing them to scorn, to sympathize, as well as toattempt to contemplate on the sins and boundaries of morality and humanemotions.
The final scene in the snow landscape is another example thatactors’ performance has been indispensable in determining the direction andresult of the film. From previous plots, it was informed that Dae su’s horrible memories revolving around Mi-do’s identity were erased by thehypnotist hired by Woo-jin. From Kang Hye jung’s facial interpretations, the audience isallowed to perceive Mi-do’s love for Dae su.Her giving of the worried face, which is wet with tears, suggests that she isanxious about Dae su’s condition. Theline, which says “I love you, Dae su,” isanother manifestation of Kang Hye jung’s calmness as well as the wholehearted input into playing the role. This coherent and naturalperformance appearing in the final scene once again reminds the audience of thepurity and the greatness of love. On the part of Choi Min sik, he, apparently, delivers anotherimpressive performance. In order to feature signs due to the collapse of yearsof time, Choi Min sik makes very visible efforts on his glazed eyes, slowmovements, along with the gray hair.What’s more, in responding Mi-do’s warm confession, Choi Min sik contributes one of the most unforgettableand discussion arousing scene. His subtle switch from a broad, satisfied smile into a painfully sad weep, undoubtedly serves to leave the film’s endingwidely open. One possible explanation drawn from that change of expressioncould be that the hypnotic training conducted on him failed. It even bringsabout a level of skepticism from some people over whether the conversation withthat hypnotist actually happened. Whenpresented with this question, the director admitted the shift of facial expression was purposefully designed, as ameans to provoke thoughts among the audience. There is no doubt that theoverall effect of ambiguity and openness would be impossible without the meticulousperformance delivered by actors.
As one of the most influential American film critic, Roger Ebertobserved in 2005 that Oldboy “is a powerful film not because of what itdepicts, but because of the depths of the human heart which it strips bare”.Because of the incredible performance,the audience is given the opportunity to explore the human psychology as wellas moral principles through experiencing actions and emotions. Like a shiningdiamond, the overall acting brilliantly stands out and helps direct the film todevelop forward while interacting with viewers on major life subjects ofrelationships and choices.
Works Cited
Ebert, R. (2005, March 24). “Oldboy Movie Review and Film Summary.”