[HanCinema's Image Gallery] "Oasis"

A selection of shots from Lee Chang-dong's third feature: "Oasis"

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Lee Chang-dong has a short and potent filmography filled with heartfelt characters and intense events that you won't soon forget. "Oasis" tells the story of a mentally handicapped young man (Sol Kyung-gu) and his relationship with a woman who has severe cerebral palsy (Moon So-ri). The film won a string of awards locally, and was honoured at the 2002 Venice Film Festival with the Best Actress and Best Director awards.

The following gallery contains a selection of shots and comments from Lee's third film: "Oasis" (2002) - To Remember, Share, and Enjoy! [spoiler].

Lee's film starts with a short time lapse of shadows/light passing over an "Oasis" picture in someone's room.

Jong-du is a (slightly) mentally handicapped man who was just released from prison. Here he is trying to catch a bus and asks a man for a smoke. The man and others around him keep their distance.

Jong-du goes straight to his old home, but they have moved and he didn't know.

While standing outside the apartment that is no longer his family's he drops an orange from the gift set he bought, then spits.

It is customary in Korea to eat tofu (it's white and pure) after you are released from prison. Jong-du finally finds a store that has some, and enjoys the first act of random kindness towards him when the owner gives it to him free of charge (and a small carton of milk).

Jong-du wants to call his family but he has no money. He asks two girls who were using the phone, but they ignore him and move on. This foreigner then steps into the booth and instead of asking the man, Jong-du just looks at the man-not really knowing how to approach him.

He is still looking for his family having just been released. He enjoys a meal at a restaurant, but is obviously not able to pay. They call the police and he's taken to the station.

His younger brother finds him at the station and takes him home. He is happy to see his family but they are less than thrilled to have him back.

His older brother works at a car workshop, and here he gives Jong-du a lecture about growing up and taking responsibility for his actions.

Jong-du feels compelled to visit the family of the man he killed during a hit-and-run. He finds a young woman (Gong-ju) in the apartment who has severe cerebral palsy. She is shining her handheld mirror's light around the room, but Lee makes this more magical by transforming the light into a dove-beautiful moment.

Later she breaks the mirror in frustration. The light is obviously then fractured, and Lee transforms these pockets of light into butterflies. Just another example of magical realism in this heartfelt drama.

Jong-du gets a job as a delivery boy, but takes too long on one of his runs and finds the store closed.

He is then forced to ride home on the highway….

….he gets distracted with a film crew shooting a film and has an accident. Ending his newly acquired job.

Even though Gong-ju's family doesn't want to see him, Jong-du is intrigued with the young girl and returns with flowers.

Here he is outside Gong-ju's apartment, having seen that the key for it is hidden in a flowerpot outside…

….he takes the key and lets himself in. Gong-ju lives here all by herself. Her family drops in every now and again, and has paid the neighbours 200,000/month to fed her.

Jong-du finds Gong-ju in her room and ends up forcing himself on her. When she is stressed her condition gets worse and she can speak.

Gong-ju's family stops by and doesn't care that she is watching them, she's 'special' after all.

Gong-ju getting herself made up…

She is taken to a nicer apartment, one designated for the mentally handicapped and the one she should be living in. Inspectors have come around to ensure she is living there, and the family makes it look like she is, then they take her back to her lonely apartment. Very cruel.

She gets home and decides to call Jong-du. He left his card last time he was there.

This is a very cute scene. Jong-du did try and rape her last they met, but Gong-ju forgives him and wants to know why he brought her flowers. They call each other "princess" and "general" after the meaning and history behind their names.

Jong-du takes her out onto the roof while her family are away (which is most of the time), she loves it…

…and takes a moment to stare at the clouds. Something she doesn't do much locked away in her apartment.

Two mentally impaired individuals on a date, on the roof.

Jong-du meets the family priest and asks if he would pray for him right then and there.

Jong-du returns to Dong-ju's place and keeps her company and does her laundry.

While in her room, Dong-ju tells him that the shadow of the tree outside her window scares her. The shadows are cast over the "Oasis" picture she has in her room.

Another date. Jong-du takes her on the train to go to lunch…

…Dong-ju looking out of the train's window. The type of shot is common throughout the film (i.e. Dong-ju or Jong-du looking out and through windows/glass.

Perhaps the most vivid example of magical realism in the film. The two get back from their date and suddenly Dong-ju can walk and is dancing around the room with a baby elephant, a small Indian boy throwing confetti and another woman to the beat of the music around them. Magic.

Dong-ju took one of his brother's customers cars out without asking…so he has to 'take responsibility' for it.

Jong-du brings Dong-ju to a big family dinner…she is not welcome because, firstly, she is severely handicapped and, secondly, she is related to the man that was killed the hit-and-run Jong-du went to prison for.

After dinner a family picture is in order. But his older brother refuses to have this in the shot.

The two then try their hand at some karaoke.

They miss the last train…

…and then Lee gives us another magical imagining as Dong-ju stands up and puts Jong-du in the chair.

Jong-du takes her home and she offers herself to him. It's her first time.

Dong-ju's sister catching them in the act and assumes its rape. Dong-ju is stressed and unable tell her and the police that this wasn't the case. Here, Jong-du's brothers are at the police station talking to Dong-ju's brother-in-law.

He asks for W20,000,000 compensation.

One of the most frustrating scenes is when Dong-ju's 'statement' is taken. She is unable to communicate that the rape charge is a misunderstanding, and her sister ends up confirming all the wrong information to the police on her behalf.

Jong-du stands up identifying himself as the rapist at the police station. Very sad.

A fight breaks out between the families. Meanwhile, a deeply frustrated Dong-ju starts panicking and throws her chair around the department.

The family's priest comes back to pray for Jong-du, and he uses this time to escape. Here he pulls a woman into an alley and forces her to let him use her phone to call Dong-ju-but her sister answers and he can't speak to her.

He runs to her place, climbs the tree that was causing the scary shadows in her room, and cuts down all the branches while the police watch. When he's done he goes to prison.

Dong-ju watches from above and opens the window. However she is unable to open the second window and turns her radio up really loud for him to hear instead.

She knows what he's doing and loves him for it in her own way.

The last scene is of Dong-ju cleaning up her apartment as best she can….Jong-du is released from prison and she is expecting a visit.

 

 Did you enjoy Lee Chang-dong's third feature? Share you favourite moments and thoughts with others in the comment section below!

 

- C.J. Wheeler (chriscjw@gmail.com; @KoreaOnTheCouch)