A Tale of Two Sisters: Difference between revisions

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'''''A Tale of Two Sisters''''' (aka '''''Janghwa, Hongryeon''''', literally 'Rose Flower, Red Lotus') is a 2003 South Korean psychological horror film by Kim Ji-woon. It is both the highest-grossing Korean horror film and the first to be screened in American theatrestheaters.
 
The film is inspired by a Joseon Dynasty folktale entitled ''[[wikipediaw:Janghwa Hongryeon jeon|Janghwa Hongryeon jeon]]'', which has been adapted to film several times. [[Foreign Remake|An American remake]] titled ''[[The Uninvited (2009 (Filmfilm)||The Uninvited]]'' was released in 2009—not to be confused with a completely different Korean horror film from 2003 also titled ''[[Film/The Uninvited (2003 film)|The Uninvited]]'', nor the 1944 American film [[Film/The Uninvited (1944 film)|of that name]].
 
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?
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Definitely not to be confused with ''[[A Tale of Two Cities]]''.
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=== '''This film contains examples of:''' ===
 
{{tropelist}}
* [[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.
* [[Body Horror]] - The burned appearance of {{spoiler|the girl under the sink}}, and the hand emerging from {{spoiler|between the [[Stringy -Haired Ghost Girl]]'s legs}}.
* [[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.
* [[ColourColor-Coded for Your Convenience]]: This may or may not be intentional, but Su-yeon is often shown wearing light colours and shades (usually white), Su-mi is usually shown in brighter colours with some exceptions, and Eun-ju often wears darker, (and richer) colours. Moo-hyeon, in comparison, is often shown wearing bland colours and shades.
* [[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.}}
* [[Denied Food Asas Punishment]]: The flashback sequence shows Eun-ju doing this to Su-yeon... [[Kick the Dog|for no discernible reason]].
* [[Downer Ending]]
* [[Driven to Suicide]]: {{spoiler|The girls' mother}}... although some viewers may disagree. Also, in the alternate ending, {{spoiler|Su-mi}}.
* [[Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette]]: See [[Stringy -Haired Ghost Girl]] below.
* [[The Ending Changes Everything]]
* [[Faux Horror Film]]: Arguably, unless you take into account the supernatural elements that may or may not be actually happening.
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* [[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.}}
* [[Freeze -Frame Bonus]]: In a (horribly creepy) deleted scene, Su-mi is looking in the fridge, and, ''just'' as she's closing the door, something that appears to the the back of someone's head can be seen sitting on one of the fridge shelves for a split second. (Su-mi herself actually realises this just after she's closed the door, and yanks it open again... to find nothing there. Brrr.)
** 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}}.
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* [[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.
* [[Stringy -Haired Ghost Girl]] - This film contains the [[High Octane Nightmare Fuel|scariest damn one you may EVER see]]. {{spoiler|And, if you look closely, you can see that it appears to be the girls' mother.}}
** ''The Uninvited'' had a suitably freaky one as well {{spoiler|and it's confirmed to ''be'' the girls' mother.}}
* [[Supernatural -Proof Father]]
* [[Things That Go Bump in Thethe Night]]
* [[Through the Eyes of Madness]]
* {{spoiler|[[Tomato in Thethe Mirror]]}}
* {{spoiler|[[Tomato Surprise]]}}
* [[Tranquil Fury]]: Su-mi, until you push her too far.
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* [[Wham! Episode]]: There is Wham Moment upon Wham Moment from around the halfway point onwards.
* [[Wham! Line]]: {{spoiler|"Su-yeon is dead!"}}
* [[White Shirt of Death|White Dress Of Death]]: Just look at the [http://media.smashingmagazine.com/cdn_smash/images/asian-movie-posters/tale_of_two_sisters.jpg film poster]{{Dead link}}.
 
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Horror Films]]
[[Category:Films of the 2000s]]
[[Category:A Tale Of Two Sisters]]
[[Category:Film]]
[[Category:Korean Movies]]
[[Category{{DEFAULTSORT:A Tale Ofof Two Sisters]], A}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Cult Classic]]
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