A Tale of Two Sisters: Difference between revisions

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The film centers around two teenage sisters, the older Su-mi and the younger Su-yeon, returning to their father Moo-hyeon's house after a stay in a mental institution following the death of their mother. They frequently clash with their new stepmother (formerly their mother's nurse), Eun-ju, who behaves in an incredibly difficult manner around them (and becomes increasingly cruel over the course of the film). Coinciding with their return home, however, are several eerie and frightening events (doors opening by themselves, bizarre apparitions, strange sounds, and terrifying nightmares, amongst other things), and it quickly becomes uncertain if these events are real, a product of the girls' disturbed mental states, or the cruel mind games played by Eun-ju. Or is it something else entirely?

 

Definitely not to be confused with ''[[A Tale of Two Cities]]''.

 

* [[Adult Fear]]: Moo-hyeon has already lost his wife. Not only that, but {{spoiler|he lost his youngest daughter ''on the very same day'' as his wife's death, and his eldest daughter not only hates him, but is also completely batshit insane}}.

* [[Aluminum Christmas Trees]]: In this film, there is a lot of stuff that goes on that doesn't immediately make sense and you have to think about it in order to get what is going on. Therefore, Western viewers can be forgiven for the [[Epileptic Trees]] they come up with in trying to deduce the symbolism of the tents right by the road in the scene where the girls' uncle and his wife are driving at night. These tents are actually a common sight in rural areas of Korea as they serve an agricultural purpose.

* [[Ax Crazy]] - {{spoiler|Eun-ju}} near the end of the film... {{spoiler|at least, Su-mi's depiction of her.}}

* [[Bitch in Sheep's Clothing]]: Eun-ju.

* [[Break the Cutie]]: {{spoiler|Su-mi comes conveniently pre-broken.}} Also, {{spoiler|Su-yeon, [[Alternate Character Interpretation|if you believe]] [[Mind Screw|her ghost really was there at all]]}}.

* [[Broken Bird]]: Su-mi.

* [[Catapult Nightmare]] - Su-mi is very good at this.

* [[Creepy Doll]] - Although it is completely inanimate, and is used to both enhance the mood of the film, and to {{spoiler|further the plot towards the end}}.

** There are also several in Su-yeon's room.

* [[Demonic Possession]]: May or may not happen, briefly, during {{spoiler|the dinner scene.}}

* [[Downer Ending]]

* [[Driven to Suicide]]: {{spoiler|The girls' mother}}... although some viewers may disagree. Also, in the alternate ending, {{spoiler|Su-mi}}.

* [[The Ending Changes Everything]]

* [[Faux Horror Film]]: Arguably, unless you take into account the supernatural elements that may or may not be actually happening.

* [[Foreign Remake]]: ''The Uninvited''.

* [[Foreshadowing]]: {{spoiler|In the very first scene, Su-mi's psychiatrist asks her who she thinks she is - a clue toward's Su-mi's multiple personalities.}}

** The appearance of {{spoiler|the girl in the green dress (theorised by some to be Su-yeon, and is most likely the girl under the sink, due to the fact that they seem to be wearing the same dress)}} during the "girl under the sink" scene could be considered this, as she initially appears behind Eun-ju for a few seconds before the shot changes.

* [[Ghostly Chill]]: Used to great effect {{spoiler|when Eun-ju enters Su-yeon's old room towards the end of the film}}.

* [[Kubrick Stare]]: Eun-ju does this a fair bit towards the end.

* [[Leave the Camera Running]]: Several shots last for a long time, including during the opening scene.

* [[Mind Screw]] - And ''how''.

* [[Mood Whiplash]]: Used on a few occasions, most notably in the scene where the girls are going through their mother's old belongings. It starts out as a sweet moment where the girls are remembering happier times and Su-yeon is deciding which of the belongings she wishes to keep - and then it suddenly becomes sinister when Su-mi notices small, bloody scratches and bruises on Su-yeon's arms...

** Also, during the same scene but before Su-yeon turns up, Su-mi is happily looking through some old photographs... until she comes across one with Eun-ju in it, and ''every'' picture after that features her hovering in the background...

* [[Nightmare Sequence]]: Su-mi has a seriously creepy one involving her mother, a clearing in the woods, and blood. Then [[It Got Worse|it gets worse]].

* [[Nothing Is Scarier]]

* [[Oedipus Complex]]: {{spoiler|Following [[The Reveal]], the earlier scene where Eun-ju waits in bed for Moo-hyeon (who reluctantly puts his arm around her to get her to sleep) takes on a very different light.}} This is only a partial example, as {{spoiler|Su-mi genuinely believes herself to be Eun-ju at this point.}}

* [[Spot of Tea]]: Eun-ju attempts to have one during a confrontation with Su-mi. The latter responds by sweeping everything off the table.

* [[Stepford Smiler]]: Eun-ju, ''big'' time.

** ''The Uninvited'' had a suitably freaky one as well {{spoiler|and it's confirmed to ''be'' the girls' mother.}}

* [[Through the Eyes of Madness]]

* {{spoiler|[[Tomato Surprise]]}}

* [[Tranquil Fury]]: Su-mi, until you push her too far.

* [[Vomit Indiscretion Shot]]: When the uncle's wife is having a fit {{spoiler|(or being possessed)}}, she pukes on the floor, before her spasms cause her to roll her face and hair in it.

* [[Wicked Stepmother]]: ''Legendary.''

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Horror Films]]

[[Category:Films of the 2000s]]

[[Category:Film]]