Viy (Soviet Union; Georgi Kropachyov & Konstantin Yershov, 1967)

  Based on a short story by Gogol, this refreshingly funny horror-comedy follows Khoma Brutus (Leonid Kuravlyov), a monk-like character known as The Philosopher, who is hired to stand watch in a church over the corpse of recently-deceased youg woman, supposedly called upon by the girl herself on her death bed. Recognizing her as a younger version of the ancient toothless witch that took him for an airborn ride the day before, Brutus is a tad confused (as are we). The scenes inside the church are the real reasons to watch this movies. Protected by a hand-drawn circle of chalk, Brutus watches the corpse come to life at night, the young lady (Natalya Varley) trying to grab him before the rooster cries and she must go back to her resting place. The film's highlight occurs during the last night of duty, where the maiden is accompanied by demons coming out of the walls and trying to breach the Philosopher's protective circle. The effects during this climactic scene are still very impressive today, making one think of a Bosch or Bacon painting coming to life. Aesthitically reminiscent of Hammer films, this humorous gothic tale is a welcomed alternative to the usually gloomier side of Russian culture.

Mother (South Korea; Joon-ho Bong, 2009)

 
   There is no more blind a love than that of a mother's for her son. The nameless title character (Hye-ja Kim) proves this beyond all doubt as she desperately seeks to prove her son Do-joon's (Bin Won) innocence in the murder of a school girl for which he's been found guilty of. Adding to this predicament, Do-joon is somewhat slow-witted; becoming angry when someone calls him a retard, no matter how fitting it might be.
  In fact, the entire plot stands on his faulty memory and the fact that he can't remember what happened when he was at the scene of the crime; his presence there having been confirmed by the law (and the camera). Memory in general is central to the film as most of the crime's details are told either through third party accounts or visual flashbacks. The power of memory is also responsible for bringing about one of the only glimpses into the mother's shady past; namely her part in causing Do-joon's mental condition.
  Helping her in her quest for truth is Do-joon's hoodlum friend Jin-tae (Goo Jin), who comes in handy when physical coersion becomes necessary. However, while Mother may be physically frail, we bluntly discover that she is also capable of violence when other options are lacking.

   Having seen Bong's monster-flick The Host (2006), it is clear that the director knows how to adapt his shooting form to fit the story at-hand, which I believe is the mark of great director. Bong paints this unconventional tale of crime fiction with moral ambiguity and tainted heart, mixing long takes with clever editing to make us feel the weight of the personal investigation. Mother continues South Korea's impressive track record of producing some of the best criminally-oriented films in recent memory. With directors like Bong, Ji-woon Kim (A Tale of Two Sisters) and Chan-wook Park (Oldboy), South Korea is quickly becoming, if not already, a prime country to turn to when looking for refreshingly creative filmmaking, no matter what genre.