Bong Joon Ho’sOkjahad a rapturous debut at Cannes amongst critics (read our review,here).
ButOkjais piercing, nonetheless.
It’s a fun adventure with heady topics.
Our interview after that friendly aside is below.
COLLIDER: There are so many ideas in this film.
Globalization, celebrities, even refugee camps.
Image via Netflix
I was wondering where did it start and how did it spiral into all of these big topics?
BONG JOON HO: It was just a kind of simple chain reaction.
Well, we cannot call it simple [laughs] but anyways…the beginning was simple.
Image via Netflix
It was stuff from the image of an animal.
I just imagined a very big animal, but with such a sad face.
My first question was: why does that lovely animal look so sad?
Image via Netflix
What makes her suffer?
Why is she so big?
We always have two perspectives when we look at animals.
Image via Netflix
Having such a big sized animal, I thought it would be related more to food.
I created the character first from the perspective of family and friend.
The life activist, those kind of people on this side.
Image via Netflix
[genetic modification] involved.
aspect of it derived from the fact that the animal was so big.
For example, in reality there are scientists who have succeeded in creating a G.M.
Image via Netflix
Also this means that there must be some big corporation.
A small company cannot do that kind of project.
There is a big company to make this animal.
Maybe the CEO, Tilda [Swinton], continues that process.
I feel very sorry for pigs for saying that this is what they are supposed to be.
There are even instances where people have domesticated pigs as pets.
Then you have the colors [Red, Silver, Blond] maybe as an allusion toReservoir Dogs?
I was wondering if that was something that you were playing with.
But ALF is a real organization that still exists and has existed through recent history.
Considering this he probably was a member.
And because Steven Yeuns character is a Korean translator, hes just named K [laughs].
It was a very light relationship.
I also really admired their filmography.
They do lots of cavalier films such as12 Years a Slave.
So it was a natural mix between Plan B and I.
It was a very smooth transition all around so I am very happy.
The Hostbegins with the American company just saying dump everything down the drain.
Were you wanting to explore that idea in a different way?
BONG: This time I want to portray that idea via Tilda, who plays two roles.
Whereas Lucy Mirado, she tries to differ from Nancy.
The more ruthless people almost always seem to take over.
What is next for you?
BONG: Its a small size, small budget, 100% Korean-language movie.
Working with Song Kang-ho, fromThe Hostand some of my other projects.
Im so happy to work with him again.
Its a very crazy, strange story about family.
A very weird family.
Another one is also small budget, 100% English-language movie based on an American graphic novel.
Its not really known, but it has a cult status.
Okjais now available on Netflix and in select theaters.
The official synopsis is below.
Okjais a Plan B Entertainment, Lewis Pictures and Kate Street Picture Company production in association with Netflix.
