During a recent film class, we were asked to describe a film that stood out to us for its amazing shots and outstanding scenes. For me, it was hard to pinpoint one film that I love, especially one that has beautiful shots and scenes, but after a little reflection, I remembered Parasite.
When I think of a film that stands out to me for its outstanding scenes and shots, I think of the movie, Parasite directed by Bong Joon-ho. This film, other than being one of my favorite “thrillers”, relies on beautiful shots for American audiences. This film was produced in Korean, the film is almost completely subtitled. Because of this, viewers resort to the amazing and almost breathtaking scenery and cinematography. A scene that stands out to me is when we are first brought into the home of the Parks, whose home is in the hills of Seoul. As soon as you walk into their home, you are greeted by modern art, a modern kitchen, and an amazing home that you wouldn’t necessarily see within Seoul, let alone South Korea. These scenes are shot in such a way to where we are able to see the class divide between those who live in South Korea, but to where the viewer feels as though they’re welcomed into the space. In contrast, when we are first brought down to the basement of the Park’s home, and we see the underground bunker where the former housekeeper has been living in, we see a different side to the home. A side in which we see the secrets of the wealthy, and how hard it is to live in South Korea. Overall, Parasite is shot beautifully, and in such a way to where it’s a cult classic for Korean and international viewers alike.