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[HanCinema's Film Review] "Eunuch" + Full Movie

If one thing is certain about Shin Sang-ok throughout his prolific filmography, is that he could really weave stories in a way that truly appealed to the public. "Eunuch" , which deals with the rather unusual for the time theme of a part of the "palace" rarely depicted on screen, showcases this trait as eloquently as possible.

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The introduction of the movie sets the base for the movie's setting. In a separate location from the main Palace, there was a place in the court where the women that formed his harem lived. Completely off-limits for any man beyond the king, the location harbored only women, including handmaidens and the Queen Dowager. There was however, an exception, and that was for eunuchs, who performed a number of services to the King, including drawing which of the mistresses would sleep with him every night, and were also responsible for his safety when he was visiting. It is in this setting that Ja-ok, the very beautiful daughter of a minister arrives, under the order of her father and brother. The girl, however, has promised herself to Jong-ho, a young man she is in love with, and who, after being punished with castration for having feelings for a woman beyond his stature, finds a way to also come to the palace.

The two cannot keep away from each other, but are soon caught by the captain of the guards, Gwang-jin, who, decides, however, to let them go after he listens to the story, also believing that the girl would eventually give in to the King after she sleeps with him. In the meantime, a number of other episodes are taking place in the palace, while even the King himself is under pressure to produce a male heir.

Shin Sang-ok, as usual for him and the era in Korean cinema, follows an episodic narrative, which succeeds equally at appealing to the audience by including the favorite themes of melodrama, romance, action and eroticism, and to make a number of comments mostly revolving around the Palace politics and the place of women in society. To start with the last aspect, that almost all the women in the film have to compete for what the men leave them, essentially ending up competing for nothing, emerges as a central comment of the movie, with the concept of the King's pick every night, highlighting it in the most eloquent fashion. Ja-ok's fate also moves towards the same direction, as much as the ending fate of the queen dowager.

The palace politics and the role each of the poles of authority played, particular downwards in terms of hierarchy is also showcased, ending up in a comment about how it was the system of the time that actually put pressure on everybody. These first two components are also the ones that are the main source of melodrama here.

Also of interest is the way Shin uses eroticism, both to establish Ja-ok as an object of desire for everyone, including women in one of the most scandalous episodes of the movie, to titillate, and also to make a comment about human desire. Particularly the way Ja-ok changes through sex is one of the most appealing elements of the movie, also owing a lot to both the appearance and the overall acting of Yoon Jung-hee, who gives a truly memorable performance here.

The cinematography, and particularly the way Ja-ok and the erotic scenes are captured also helps the most in that regard, in one of the most appealing aspects of the movie, with the work done by DP Choi Seung-woo being top notch. O Seong-hwan's editing results in a fast pace that suits the episodic nature of the narrative nicely, while both factors find their apogee in the very Japanese-like action scene close to the end, which is probably the most impressive shot in the whole film. Lastly, the attention to detail, as in the color of the dresses, the uniforms of the soldiers and the eunuchs and the overall presentation of the era, add another tick in the pros column.

Truth be told, in terms of story, Shin loses his sense of measure a bit, particularly regarding a number of episodes that are visited only to be forgotten in the end, but as the sum of its individual parts, the movie definitely deserves a watch, additionally because it has withstood the test of time.

Review by Panos Kotzathanasis

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"Eunuch" is directed by Shin Sang-ok, and features Kang-Shin Sung-il, Yoon Jung-hee, Park Nou-sik, Namkoong Won, Do Kum-bong, Heo Jang-kang. Release date in Korea: 1968/12/11.

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