SPLENDID OUTING

Radiance Films UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Following a dream about her dead twin sister, thriving corporate tycoon Gong Do-hee (Yoon Jeong-hee,Poetry) takes a drive to the seaside. But her splendid outing becomes a nightmarish one when she is kidnapped and forced to live with a gruff island fisherman who insists that she is his runaway wife. Featuring a timely message about political oppression that evaded the stringent censors of the day, this daring modernist work from prolific Korean cineaste Kim Soo-yong (Mist) stands as one of the boldest works of Korean cinema’s darkest era — the 1970s. (95 Mins)

Views: In one of the most bizarre and intriguing films I've seen in a long time, this 1978 production from South Korea captures the nightmare of a modern and successful Seoul businesswoman, haunted by strange dreams of her twin sister, who is taken at will and brought to a remote island off the coast of Korea. There, she is sold and forced to believe that she is the wife of a violent fisherman and mother of a disabled daughter. After realising that she may not have any escape, the woman starts to play his game but at the hands of her faux husband's abuse. A splendid outing it is not, but the film does deliver a strong message about political oppression and feminism at that time...

If I was to state much more on this underrated and dramatic gem, I feel that your initial viewing of Splendid Outing would be ruined. This is a film that needs to be watched without any in depth knowledge, so that it's experience leaves you feeling the right things; perhaps anxious, perhaps angry, but it'll definitely hold your attention. Splendid Outing was directed by the prolific Kim Soo-yong, a director known for films such as Sorrow Even Up In Heaven (1965), Mist (1967), Children In The Firing Range (1967), and The Chrysanthemum And The Clown (1982) among many others. Here, Kim delivers one of his strongest works blending nerve-wracking and surreal moments with gorgeous locations, an unnerving score, and great performances from all involved. The incredible and late Yoon Jeong-hee leads the way as the troubled executive who must fight for her life – and her return to it. Starting her acting career back in the late 1960s, Yoon went onto to star in well over 200 productions, including Kim Soo-yong's Mist (1967), with the highly acclaimed Poetry (2010) from director Lee Chang-dong being her last. Here, as President Gong, Yoon Jeong-hee delivers one of her strongest roles and was definitely the right choice for the role!

Recently released by Radiance Films on Blu-ray with a new 4K restoration, the film is accompanied by a half-decent audio commentary by Ariel Schudson – and while it was far from enthralling, she did offer some interesting points and insights overall. Poetry (2010) director Lee Chang-dong delivers a nice 15 minute piece on prolific actress Yoon Jeong-hee, giving us a nice look back through her life as he shares his memories and stories on her. Film-maker Chung Ji-young spends 21 minutes reminiscing about his time working under director Kim Soo-yong, including his role here on Splendid Outing as an assistant director, which makes for an interesting watch. And finally, we have – Stranded But Not Afraid: The Island Women of Classic Korean Cinema – a 16 minute video essay by film critic Pierce Conran who looks back at the 'island women dramas' of South Korean cinema, making a connection between this and Jang Cheol-soo's fantastic 2010 film, Bedevilled, while revealing many other great titles that may appeal to fans of this. While it may not be the kind of movie you would want to watch over and over again, Splendid Outing will sit with you for some time and is well worth checking out – and this new release from Radiance Films is a great introduction to that experience.

Overall: Surreal, intriguing and wonderfully made, Splendid Outing is worth the experience and a fantastic piece of classic Korean cinema!

Radiance Films Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restoration, Audio Commentary by Ariel Schudson, Interview with film-maker Lee Chang-dong and assistant director Chung Ji-young, Stranded But Not Afraid: The Island Women of Classic Korean Cinema: Visual Essay by Pierce Conran​