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Anarchists (film)
Encyclopedia
Anarchists is a 2000 South Korean
action film
, directed by Yu Yong-Sik and written by Park Chan-wook
. Set in Shanghai
in 1924, the film is about a covert cell of insurrectionist anarchists
who attempt to overthrow the Japanese government's occupation of Korea
through propaganda of the deed
. Told from the perspective of the youngest member, Sang-Gu, years after the fact, the story is a sympathetic look at a group of revolutionaries through the eyes of one of their own.
Eventually a string of tragic events strike the team. One of their members is fatally betrayed during a mission, leading to their covers being blown during the next. Now wanted by the Japanese and Chinese authorities, their funders turn away from them and instead choose to support socialist electoral politics to further their cause. This angers the group, and they leave the larger organization, attempting to survive on their own by earning money through gambling and bank robbery. Over time the group becomes agitated with simply scraping by and several voice a desire to return to their old ways of clandestine warfare. They collectively decide to strike at the Japanese government in a high profile attack, leading up to a dramatic finale.
"Seregay is a great fighter and an activist who doesn't care to be compensated.
"A graduate of Moscow University, Seregay is a nihilistic
intellectual. He was the leader of a terrorist group, but unable to overcome the after-effects of torture from Japanese authorities, he's become addicted to opium
, which takes him down a road of destruction. Aside from his drug addiction, he's an excellent sharpshooter, and with his handsome face and eccentric charm, he's loved by women all around him."
"A poet and humanist who worships Tolstoy
, Lee Geun converts to insurrectionary anarchism after he meets Seregay and joins the group. Being a romanticist as well as an idealist, he suffers an ethical dilemma throughout the revolution. A handsome man with a manner that gains him trust, he leads the group with Han Myung-Gon."
"Han is a cool-headed revolutionary with a gentle appearance. He came to learn Marxist-Leninist ideologies in his early years and become a model conspirator within the group. When he deals with his foes, he handles them mercilessly, but keeps his cool at all times. As the leader of the group, he keeps the others in line, while putting forward an image as an all-out stoic."
"Born into the lowest class of society, Dol-Suk is unconditionally hostile to the 'haves.' Even though he acts first and thinks second, he's always loyal and tends not to be shallow. He enjoys games, practical jokes and loves women, but hates anything that is complicated. Strong headed with a foul-tongue, Dol-Suk values comradeship and cruelty at the same time."
"Having lost his whole family during the Kyungshin Massacre, and in the hope of getting revenge on the Japanese ruling power, a young terrorist comes to Shanghai all alone. But his life takes a complete turn when he meets the anarchists. Although he's very brave, he can't actively participate because he's still a young boy. He has trouble adapting to the merciless and cold-blooded terrorist activities with his weak heart. However, he admires and follows Seregay, Lee Geun and the other members and plays the observer of the entire story."
"When she sings Sombre Dimanche (Gloomy Sunday
), it's bewitching enough to make you want to know more about the woman behind the mysterious voice. As the Queen of the club, her love overcomes all ideologies and thoughts, and she comforts the soul of a man who does not trust himself into love. With outstanding beauty and intelligence she wins the hearts of Seregay and Lee Geun in a single spell."
Farewell My Concubine and Temptress Moon
. For an effective production process, the actors and the core production staff came from Korea, while the production design, elaborate sets, supporting talent and hundreds of extras were supplied by the Shanghai Film Studio
.
Jang Dong-Gun later spoke on the production in an interview: "The opium joint and the pipe I used were all genuine stuff from that period. The background was authentic as well. Even those cups were genuine antiques. I believed that a lot of spirits haunted the place. All the elements provided a wonderful atmosphere for filming."
, the definition of the word anarchy
, and a brief exchange on the use of the color black as an anarchist symbol
. One scene between the anarchists and their founder also touches on the relationship between anarchists and socialists, and the turmoil that occurred among political factions after the Russian Revolution of 1917
, as a result of which many anarchists were split over whether to support the Bolshevik
state, and anarchism as a movement began to see a decline in Asia.
For their part, the promoters were not at all shy about describing their protagonists as "terrorists
", despite the obvious negative connotations the term carries, and the fact that western mainstream media sources often meet anarchists with hostility. However, the film is unique among fictional depictions of anarchists in that its tone is sympathetic. Most interpretations of anarchists are based on the western bias that anarchism is a philosophy grounded in terrorism. The willingness to accept anarchists as positive historical figures may be owed to the fact that "terrorism" as practiced by anarchists in Europe
and the West
never caught on in Asia; that the anarchists were part of a larger, anti-imperial movement that is celebrated as an important part of Korean national heritage; and that today anarchism is a relatively unknown philosophy in East Asian countries.
Anarchists are not seen as barbarians, but rather as political novelties who existed during a period when anyone who rebelled was a hero.
Cinema of Korea
Korean cinema encompasses the motion picture industries of North and South Korea. As with all aspects of Korean life during the past century, the film industry has often been at the mercy of political events, from the late Joseon dynasty to the Korean War to domestic governmental interference...
action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
, directed by Yu Yong-Sik and written by Park Chan-wook
Park Chan-wook
Park Chan-wook is a South Korean film director, screenwriter, producer, and former film critic. One of the most acclaimed and popular filmmakers in his native country, Park is most known for his films Joint Security Area, Thirst and what has become known as The Vengeance Trilogy, consisting of...
. Set in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
in 1924, the film is about a covert cell of insurrectionist anarchists
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
who attempt to overthrow the Japanese government's occupation of Korea
Korea under Japanese rule
Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....
through propaganda of the deed
Propaganda of the deed
Propaganda of the deed is a concept that refers to specific political actions meant to be exemplary to others...
. Told from the perspective of the youngest member, Sang-Gu, years after the fact, the story is a sympathetic look at a group of revolutionaries through the eyes of one of their own.
Plot
In the opening scene the protagonist begins to reminisce about his youth and remembers the day he was saved from execution in a raid performed by the anarchist cell he would later join. After reaching a safe house the group begins to teach him the tricks of their trade. He later takes part in several missions, though he continues to have difficulty throughout the film with the violence of his new job.Eventually a string of tragic events strike the team. One of their members is fatally betrayed during a mission, leading to their covers being blown during the next. Now wanted by the Japanese and Chinese authorities, their funders turn away from them and instead choose to support socialist electoral politics to further their cause. This angers the group, and they leave the larger organization, attempting to survive on their own by earning money through gambling and bank robbery. Over time the group becomes agitated with simply scraping by and several voice a desire to return to their old ways of clandestine warfare. They collectively decide to strike at the Japanese government in a high profile attack, leading up to a dramatic finale.
Cast and characters
Specific character information largely comes from the film's official website, rather than the film itself. Within the film, characters aren't overtly developed and exposition largely comes through Sang-Gu's perspective, relying on few monologues and no flashbacks to tell the backstory. Instead, references to some of the events descriped below can be detected within character interaction and dialogue.- Jang Dong-GunJang Dong-gun-Early life:Spending his childhood in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, he later went on to the Korea National University of Arts, dropping out before obtaining a degree.-Career:Jang Dong-gun first entered the entertainment world in a talent contest in 1992...
as Seregay
"Seregay is a great fighter and an activist who doesn't care to be compensated.
"A graduate of Moscow University, Seregay is a nihilistic
Nihilism
Nihilism is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value...
intellectual. He was the leader of a terrorist group, but unable to overcome the after-effects of torture from Japanese authorities, he's become addicted to opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
, which takes him down a road of destruction. Aside from his drug addiction, he's an excellent sharpshooter, and with his handsome face and eccentric charm, he's loved by women all around him."
- Jung Joon-hoJung Joon-hoJung Joon-ho is a South Korean actor, who gained fame in the 2000 series, Women Like You, . His recent hits are The Last Scandal of My Life and IRIS. Jung Jun-ho has a passionate interest in singing...
as Lee Geun
"A poet and humanist who worships Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
, Lee Geun converts to insurrectionary anarchism after he meets Seregay and joins the group. Being a romanticist as well as an idealist, he suffers an ethical dilemma throughout the revolution. A handsome man with a manner that gains him trust, he leads the group with Han Myung-Gon."
- Kim Sang-Joong as Han Myung-Gon
"Han is a cool-headed revolutionary with a gentle appearance. He came to learn Marxist-Leninist ideologies in his early years and become a model conspirator within the group. When he deals with his foes, he handles them mercilessly, but keeps his cool at all times. As the leader of the group, he keeps the others in line, while putting forward an image as an all-out stoic."
- Lee Bum-Soo as Dol-Suk
"Born into the lowest class of society, Dol-Suk is unconditionally hostile to the 'haves.' Even though he acts first and thinks second, he's always loyal and tends not to be shallow. He enjoys games, practical jokes and loves women, but hates anything that is complicated. Strong headed with a foul-tongue, Dol-Suk values comradeship and cruelty at the same time."
- Kim In-Kwon as Sang-Gu
"Having lost his whole family during the Kyungshin Massacre, and in the hope of getting revenge on the Japanese ruling power, a young terrorist comes to Shanghai all alone. But his life takes a complete turn when he meets the anarchists. Although he's very brave, he can't actively participate because he's still a young boy. He has trouble adapting to the merciless and cold-blooded terrorist activities with his weak heart. However, he admires and follows Seregay, Lee Geun and the other members and plays the observer of the entire story."
- Ye Ji-Won as Kaneko
"When she sings Sombre Dimanche (Gloomy Sunday
Gloomy Sunday
"Gloomy Sunday" is a song composed by Hungarian pianist and composer Rezső Seress and published in 1933, as "Vége a világnak" . Lyrics were written by László Jávor, and in his version the song was retitled "Szomorú vasárnap"...
), it's bewitching enough to make you want to know more about the woman behind the mysterious voice. As the Queen of the club, her love overcomes all ideologies and thoughts, and she comforts the soul of a man who does not trust himself into love. With outstanding beauty and intelligence she wins the hearts of Seregay and Lee Geun in a single spell."
Production notes and historical significance
Anarchists was the first Korean and Chinese co-production in the history of Korean cinema. The film was shot entirely in China over a period of three months in Shanghai and in towns nearby. For Anarchists, the production team worked with a Chinese-based A-level staff who participated in the production of Chen Kaige'sChen Kaige
Chen Kaige is a Chinese film director and a leading figure of the fifth generation of Chinese cinema. His films are known for their visual flair and epic storytelling.-Early life:...
Farewell My Concubine and Temptress Moon
Temptress Moon
Temptress Moon is a 1996 Chinese film directed by Chen Kaige. It was jointly produced by the Shanghai Film Studio and the Taipei-based Tomson Films...
. For an effective production process, the actors and the core production staff came from Korea, while the production design, elaborate sets, supporting talent and hundreds of extras were supplied by the Shanghai Film Studio
Shanghai Film Studio
Shanghai Film Studio is the film division of the Shanghai Film Group Corporation in Shanghai, China. It is responsible for the production of Chinese films and TV programs.-History:...
.
Jang Dong-Gun later spoke on the production in an interview: "The opium joint and the pipe I used were all genuine stuff from that period. The background was authentic as well. Even those cups were genuine antiques. I believed that a lot of spirits haunted the place. All the elements provided a wonderful atmosphere for filming."
Anarchist themes in the film
Little about anarchist philosophy is actually explained within the film, much less why the individual characters would be attracted to it, though clear references to certain facets of anarchism are made. Examples include references to KropotkinKropotkin
Peter Kropotkin was a Russian prince and anarchist.Kropotkin may also refer to:*Pyotr Nikolayevich Kropotkin , Soviet/Russian geologist, tectonician, and geophysicist*Mount Kropotkin, a peak in Antarctica...
, the definition of the word anarchy
Anarchy
Anarchy , has more than one colloquial definition. In the United States, the term "anarchy" typically is meant to refer to a society which lacks publicly recognized government or violently enforced political authority...
, and a brief exchange on the use of the color black as an anarchist symbol
Anarchist symbolism
While anarchists have historically largely denied the importance of symbols to political movement, they have embraced certain symbols for their cause, including most prominently the circle-A and the black flag...
. One scene between the anarchists and their founder also touches on the relationship between anarchists and socialists, and the turmoil that occurred among political factions after the Russian Revolution of 1917
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
, as a result of which many anarchists were split over whether to support the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
state, and anarchism as a movement began to see a decline in Asia.
For their part, the promoters were not at all shy about describing their protagonists as "terrorists
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
", despite the obvious negative connotations the term carries, and the fact that western mainstream media sources often meet anarchists with hostility. However, the film is unique among fictional depictions of anarchists in that its tone is sympathetic. Most interpretations of anarchists are based on the western bias that anarchism is a philosophy grounded in terrorism. The willingness to accept anarchists as positive historical figures may be owed to the fact that "terrorism" as practiced by anarchists in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the West
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
never caught on in Asia; that the anarchists were part of a larger, anti-imperial movement that is celebrated as an important part of Korean national heritage; and that today anarchism is a relatively unknown philosophy in East Asian countries.
Anarchists are not seen as barbarians, but rather as political novelties who existed during a period when anyone who rebelled was a hero.
See also
- Anarchism in KoreaAnarchism in KoreaAnarchism in Korea began in 1894, when Japan invaded Korea with the stated intention of protecting it from China. It was from within the exiles who fled to China in the wake of the 1919 independence conflict that the modern anarchist movement in Korea arose...
- Korea under Japanese ruleKorea under Japanese ruleKorea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....
- List of fictional anarchists
External links
- CineClick Asia Anarchists synopsis, review, trailer, and cast information.
- Cinequest Review of Anarchists and cast information.
- Introduction to anarchism in Korea A quick history of Korean anarchism in this period