Helen's Blog /

Slender, elegant Korean beauty, Lee Hye-Young, one of the country`s famous actresses, flew into Paris for a few days early May, from Seoul, to present the exclusive and unprecedented tribute to her father Lee Man He, Korea`s unforgettable national cinematographer who disappeared at the too early age of 45, leaving behind a phenomenal collection of 51 films turned out over 15 years!

Now, 30 years after director Lee Man Hee's death, the Cinémathèque Francaise, after discovering his works at the Pusan Film Festival is showcasing 12 of his most famous films. Unfortunately, many films have disappeared and this is the first time any of Lee's films will be shown outside of Korea, having been recently painstakingly restored by the Korean Film Archives.

Director Lee Man-hee (1931-1975)

Director Lee Man-hee was born in Hawangsimni-dong Seoul, in 1931, the youngest of 8 children. He participated in the Korean War deciphering enemy codes and during the years between 1956 and 1961, he worked as an assistant director under the directors Ahn Jong-hwa, Park Gu and Kim Myeong-je. He made his directorial debut in 1961 with Kaleidoscope (Jumadeung) with the support of Kim Seung-ho, one of the most famous actors of the era. Afterward, he proved that he could make movies that were commercially successful with "Call 112 " (112reul Dollyeora) (1962).

The Cinematheque retrospective was inaugurated with his Korean noir and horror movie "Black Hair " (Geomeun Meori) (1964) which deals with urban gang codes and honor. When the wife of a mafia-type leader is raped by the opposing gang leader, she has to be disfigured and dishonored and work as a prostitute. Her black hair covers the scratches on her face. But her husband breaks the code by taking her back which ultimately he must pay for with his own death by knife. The film shows a dark side of Korean society, which appears male-dominated where women have little say.

Black Hair

Many of his film seem pessimistic and sad. The film "Murderer ", also introduced by Lee's daughter, Lee Hye-Young, is an experimental in-depth study of a hired assassin who is supposed to kill a brave general and his 'états d'âmes' about it.

Ms. Lee remembers her father though, as a cheerful person and not someone sad. "You must remember the time in which this film was made", she added. North and South Korea were starting to form as separate political entities. Many of my father's films dealt with war and he had a special way of portraying the soldiers in depth."

Although he made many political films criticizing the Korean War i.e. "The Marines Who Didn't Come Home " (1963), they dealt with the intense humanity and hardships during the Korean War. Also in 1966 the film "Soldiers Without Serial Number " realistically captured the political ideology adopted during that era.

"In any case, my father had no political leanings and he wasn't a leftist. If anything his politics were filmmaking and he was totally devoted to it."

That he was arrested for violation of the Anti-Communism Act in 1964 for the film "The Seven Female POW " is nonsense.

He also opened up new possibilities in Korean art films with "Full Autumn " (Manchu) (1966) and continued on this stylistic path with "Homebound " (Gwiro) (1967) and "Holiday " (Hyuil).

When the Korean movie industry fell in the 1970s, he got fewer opportunities to make movies and this coincided with a deterioration of his health and financial situation. He died of liver cirrhosis as he was finishing his film, "A Road to Sampo " (Sampoganeun gil) (1975).

One can imagine the considerable pressure under which her father worked, making so many films in such a short time in order to satisfy a government quota. The pressure took its toll and Lee Man Hee sought solace in the bottle, perhaps prematurely leading to a tragic 'burn-out'.

The presence and heart-felt contribution of Lee Hye-Young at this tribute should be commended for the precious testimony she provides to a crucial period in Korea's history and to unveiling the sensitive and brilliant works of her father, as they resurface, this time, on the world scene after thirty years.