Yeogo goedam

Now here's a curious movie - a supernatural ghost story from Korea. Set in an all girls school(thought that might have got your attention)its the story of a class being haunted by the ghost of a classmate who dies in mysterious circumstances and seems to return every 3 years.

It seems to be heading in obvious directions - Carrie one moment ,endless teen slasher movies the next but it neatly sidesteps these cliches and becomes something more interesting.

Yes there are creepy corridor moments and a couple of spectacular deaths (that owe more than a nod in the direction of Suspria - as does the soundtrack)but it is fairly gripping throughout and there are some schocking scenes of male teachers beating the pupils - The Korean educaution Minisrty tried to get it banned.

The ending is unexepected and quite enigmatic- so much so that I watched it 3 times (the ending that is) and am still not too sure.

Well worth a look

'Whispering Corridors' is set in a South Korean all-girls high school, focusing on a senior class and four of its students. Although it's a horror film, Whispering Corridors seems to be a drama at heart. The school building is very atmospheric and eerie, and there's some spooky shots of long corridors and deserted classrooms. Along with that, we also explore the extremely competitive and harsh South Korean education system, identity and reputation, and the relationships between the four students and one teacher.

After the suicide of Mrs Park (or 'Old Fox' as she's known amongst the pupils), rumours begin circulating around the school about what caused her death. Girls fall out, and come together; there's a ghost who apparently haunts the old, disused art room, and people aren't who they first appear to be...

A thinking man's film indeed, this will have you scratching your head in some parts. Not a lot of blood, but some tense scenes of violence. A chilling atmosphere and setting endures throughout, the director certainly knows how to set a scene. He also gets the best of the cast, who are all exceptional. Mr Oh; aka Mad Dog, is a particular stand-out as a vile, abusive teacher. Altogether a very character and theme driven story, with interesting social commentary. If you like slow-burn, atmospheric, subtle horror, you'll like this.

P.S. There's an intriguing quote towards the end, where a character says "It didn't matter who I chose as long as I filled the seats." A comment on the emphasis upon status and reputation in the classroom, and thus, lack of identity? Or a jab at the thought that Asians look really similar? (At least to those from outside Asia.) Or both?

Whispering Corridors is a slow moving, but engrossing, ghost story set in an all-girl's school in Korea. There have been a number of Asian horror films released in the U.S. in the past few years, but as this one was made before most, I think of it more as a trend-setter than a copycat. While much of the horror is subtle and implied, there are moments where the horror slaps you in the face with some very vivid imagery. The rest of the story dealing with the relationships between the girls and the teachers is not the normal kind of thing I go for, yet here it's very well done. It doesn't seem as clichéd as most American films dealing with teens seem to be. The acting is top drawer and adds a lot to making the film work. I wish I could point out one or two of the performances that really stand out, but I don't speak Korean and all the names look alike to me.

Whispering Corridors probably wouldn't work for those not patient enough to allow the film to slowly unfold. And while I may not have enjoyed it as much as some of the more recent Asian offerings like A Tale of Two Sisters, it's an enjoyable enough experience.

While investigating the school files, the frightened teacher Mrs. Park startles and calls the young teacher Eun-young Hur (Mi-yeon Lee), telling her that the deceased Jin-ju Jang is back. The line dies and Mrs. Park is attacked and killed by a ghost. On the next morning, the teenager Jae-yi Yoon (Kang-hie Choi) waits for her friend Ji-oh Lim (Gyu-ri Kim), who has the ability to call the spirits, and they begin a close friendship. The abusive and aggressive Mr. Oh, a.k.a. Mad Dog, is the substitute of Mrs. Park and prohibits Ji-oh to paint and compares the performances of the pretty So-young Park (Jin-hie Park) and the weird Jung-sook Kim(Ji-hye Yun), raising a barrier between the two former friends. Miss Hur misses her former friend Jin-ju, who committed suicide, and while trying to contact her, she discloses a dark secret about the past of her friend and Mrs. Park.

I believe that the first point that impresses in "Yeogo Goedam", a.k.a. "Whispering Corridors', at least for Westerns, is the abusive treatment spent by the teachers with their students, brutally spanking and offending the harmless girls. I do not know if it is usual and acceptable this behavior of teachers, or if the intention of the director is to criticize and denounce how terrible this type of education might be. The story about friendship, needy and revenge has a magnificent cinematography, movements and angles of camera and some subtle insinuation of lesbianism. The performances are very convincing and my vote is six.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

Whispering Corridors has much in common with the current tide of horror movie offerings from Japan. However, it is hardly derivative. The material may be recycled, but the filmmakers present it in a way that is different and anything but stereotypical. Don't watch this film expecting to see a massive body count and flying limbs. There are moments when you will see why this movie is classified as a horror film, but like most ghost stories, the power of this movie is demonstrated by what the filmmakers chose not to show us. The pace is slow and deliberate. I found it almost hypnotic, but it never lags. Some of the story elements are very convoluted, but ultimately this does not detract from the overall appeal of Whispering Corridors. A movie for the thinking horror fan.