Gidam

Epitaph is a horror film from South Corea. While you could definitely call it an anthology, as it contains three separate stories, all the stories are set in the same place and time, a hospital in Seoul during the Japanese occupation. While, I have to admit that the film is remarkably photographed and has great art, design and production values, and it even manages to be far more coherent and interesting that most horror films, it falls short of its potential when it comes to the stories presented.

The first story deals with a young intern, a ward of the hospital director, who becomes mesmerized by a beautiful new corpse that arrives. This is perhaps the least traditional story and the one that doesn't have any significant weaknesses. Unfortunately, it also doesn't have a very strong point by itself--this character actually bookends the film and so you do get to see and understand a bit of the theme of the overall film through him, but it doesn't have a strong resonance. The second story deals with a young girl who is brought in from a terrible car accident that takes her parents and she's experiencing terrible visions or nightmares. This portion has probably the creepiest imagery of the bunch and perhaps the strongest acting (from the little girl who plays Asako). Unfortunately, the character motivations are a little melodramatic and the segment probably goes on further than it needs to. The last segment deals with an apparent serial murder of a Japanese soldier and a mystery revolving around a surgeon at the hospital. While this segment has one or two really great ideas and resultant gorgeous imagery, at the same time, the resolution of the conflict is done via a series of twists that might even make M. Night Shyamalan roll his eyes. I think if it had restrained itself, it would've actually been a much better story.

Fortunately, even though the stories are indeed separate and focus on separate characters at the hospital, one thing that the film has going for it is that it really does a good job of sticking to its central themes of love, death and loneliness. I found that the frights were present to some degree and I'm sure that less jaded viewers might actually find them terrifying. Even with three stories that suffer from their weaknesses, the film is buoyed by its gorgeous reproduction of an era in Corean history, its beautiful photography and generally sound acting. So, in the end, Epitaph does manage to be interesting and entertaining, despite its faults. And for that, I can recommend it to horror-movie fans and the more curious (or brave) viewers of cinema. Decent. 7/10.

One of the two or three most beautiful ghost story movies ever made, and probably the most complex. The 6.3 on IMDb is driven by people who don't seem to understand this movie.

A very general spoiler ahead.

It took three viewings, including two back-to-back on the same night, for me to really understand what was going on across the three interrelated stories which constitute the plot of this movie. I finally figured out that there are three types of ghost stories unfolding within Epitaph. One involves ghosts which are actually nightmares (as in dreams) brought on by guilt. Another involves ghosts which are schizophrenic delusions brought on by (seemingly literal) soul-crushing grief. And the third is an actual supernatural ghost story. This combination is brilliant, and I don't think any movie before or since has attempted anything like it.

As a movie, Epitaph is creepy in parts, scary in parts, and poignant throughout. It also consists of countless beautifully composed shots, accentuated by gorgeous lighting, imaginative editing, and a beautiful score (which twice includes a somewhat jarring if fitting Bernard Hermann homage). Thematically, it is steeped in grief, guilt, the human yearning for love and companionship, all set within a rich historical context.

I can't say enough about Epitaph. This movie is egregiously underrated and overlooked in world cinema, especially by ghost story aficionados. It should be at or near the very top of every list of best filmed ghost stories.

People that enjoy movies that sustain a horrific atmosphere and internal logic that allows "the suspension of disbelief" should give the 2007 Korean horror movie "Epitaph" ("Gidam") a chance. It is really good looking throughout and I thought the last minute or so was really great.

Even better, the visual effects have accessible meaning the way they do in some of the best Thai movies, aren't just eye candy or so obscure you'd have to be a film student to get them.

It has an irritatingly convoluted plot, but it does come together at the very end. I think the typically Asian sincerity more than makes up for the typically Asian convolution.

This movie is heavily structured (we have three subplots that revolves around different types of hauntings) but, imho, uselessly so. The three stories are pretty straightforward per se but the historical setting, the impeccable aesthetic and slow pacing give an impression of complexity. It is a good a movie but I felt slightly defrauded when it ended because the story was really just that.

Epitaph is an South-Korean horror film taking place on hospital in South-Korea year 1941.Its during world-war II and Japan occupation on Korea.Its more an mixed horror/love-story as the film has like 3 separate love- stories that at first seems a bit confusing but in the end make sense and linked together.Don't get me wrong the movie has some fine scares and is mostly an horror-film.The hospital look is creepy.I must say one of the best Asian films I ever seen.Its so very beautiful movie and nothing like I watched before from Asia.I also like the music-score that fit the film near perfect.Acting is very good.Not a very bloody and violent film, but it has some nice scenes of pure horror.Story is a bit hard to follow but anyhow its an excellent piece of film.Epitaph played on cinema in South-Korea Summer 2007 and its now out on DVD in S-Korea.Don't now if it was an box-office hit in S-Korea but it would surprise me if not as horror films are very popular over there.Not to be missed if you like Asian horror.I give the move 9/10