Without a doubt, Bong Joon-ho is a master filmmaker and one of the very best working today. And that can be seen in his latest film, the Palme d’Or-winning “Parasite.” Thankfully, even though the film is in Korean, the family dramedy has been welcomed with open arms by American audiences over its theatrical run. And according to a new interview with the LA Times, Bong has some ideas as to why “Parasite” has been such a crossover hit.
When the question about why Bong thinks his film has been able to succeed in American theaters, which are notoriously bad for international films, the director thinks it has something to do with the universal nature of “Parasite.” And it’s in the nature of that story where a film like “Parasite” can be seen as similar to a box office behemoth like “Joker.”
“I think the story about the rich and poor is something that’s applicable to any country around the world,” said the filmmaker. “When you say ‘international,’ you’re basically saying that each country is different. But I think there’s no point in really dividing nations because, in this current era, we all live in this one giant nation of capitalism. And I think that’s something that ‘Joker’ is about as well.”
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Many people view “Parasite” as Bong Joon-ho’s masterpiece, particularly after the rather ho-hum reception that his previous film, “Okja,” received in 2017. That film is probably best known for sparking the most recent issues between Netflix and the Cannes Film Festival, as well as the release strategy of streaming films as we move into the future. And while Bong says he enjoyed his time at Netflix, he was let down that “Okja” didn’t get an exclusive theatrical window. However, he’s happy with the strides the streaming service has made in 2019.
“So Netflix has been creating amazing films like ‘The Irishman’ and ‘Marriage Story,’” said Bong. “And I had a great experience working with them because they gave me full creative control.”
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He added, “And now I know they’re becoming more flexible with their distribution policy. So I think that’s great. But I still can’t lose my obsession for the movie theater. That’s still my best platform. It’s the only place where the audience can’t press the pause button.”
So while he may have been a bit upset that “Okja” never had the theatrical release he was hoping for, the new strategy that Netflix has introduced with the streamers 2019 awards contenders might be enough to entice Bong Joon-ho back to the platform. But after “Parasite,” you have to expect that Netflix won’t be the only studio trying to get in the Bong Joon-ho business.
