A
condemned neighborhood in Pusan is haunted, but it is not necessarily paranormal. Yet, a sense of unnatural menace palpably
lingers in the air throughout Dahci Ma’s Ghost
(disturbing
trailer here), a
macabre short that competed in the prestigious short film competition at last
year’s Cannes Film Festival and finally screens in New York this week as part
of the 2012 Korean American Film Festival.
A
criminal is hiding from the police in a boarded up house steps away from where
his crimes were committed. It could be
the setting for a Grudge-like film,
but he has apparently generated the lingering ill karma himself. He is also losing his grip on reality,
finding companionship in his animated chicken bones.
Featuring
some bizarre Ray Harryhausen-esque effects and an eerie sense of place, Ghost is certainly a creepy film. Whether intended or not, it also clearly
dampens viewer enthusiasm for urban renewal projects, using the actual
exteriors of Pusan “redevelopment” locations where similar crimes were
committed in real life. It also includes
one of the most counterproductive product placements ever, for an unfortunate
KFC.
