NEON and Criterion are feeling the #Bonghive love this week. Not only did the distributor win big at the Oscars on Sunday, thanks to Bong Joon Ho’s incredible wins for “Parasite,” but now we get word that NEON will release a special edition of that film, plus another Bong-directed classic, as part of the Criterion Collection.
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According to NEON, Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” and his 2003 crime drama, “Memories of Murder” will both be hitting the Criterion Collection with special edition releases. The films join “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” as recent NEON acquisitions that will be quickly joining the esteemed collection. No word on exact release dates or what the special editions might include, but Criterion has yet to let us down previously, so we fully expect that the new releases will be jam-packed with extras, as well as the best possible video and sound quality, all staples of a Collection release.
For those unfamiliar with the films (and honestly, you really should, at least, know about “Parasite” by now, considering the film’s big weekend), “Parasite” is the current Best Picture Oscar winner that tells the story of a two families in modern-day South Korea, an underprivileged family attempting to eke by with whatever money they receive and a incredibly wealthy family that has every bit of luxury at their fingertips. “Memories of Murder” is often regarded as Bong’s finest work to date, and it is a crime drama inspired by the real-life events surrounding the investigation into the country’s first serial killer. ‘Memories’ marks the first time that Bong teamed up with actor Song Kang-ho, who would become a frequent collaborator who has an incredible role in “Parasite.”
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It’s true that you can purchase “Parasite” on home video right now, if you so choose. And the release is great if you need to see the film on your home theater set-up immediately. But now with the news that Criterion is stepping in, you may want to hold off until the special editions of both films find their way on shelves.
