But, I do think that it’s a stretch to say that the NY Times reporter is suggesting that “Oldboy made him do it.” I was objecting especially because it seems like some posters at the site seem to read what they “project” the writers are saying rather than what the writers have actually written.

This NYT writer seems to be suggesting that Cho may have watched Oldboy many times, and this fact may have served as an inspiration for the disturbing photos of Cho. And since Cho is dead and gone, any pieces of puzzle to his life–even as seemingly as minor as what types of movies he may have enjoyed–can provide a glimpse into his twisted psyche. I don’t see any attempt to present the idea that watching Oldboy caused Cho to go on his murderous rampage. Just another small glimpse into the sick and twisted soul’s psyche. That’s all. I think it’s an important distinction and that’s the point I was trying to make.

The poses in the two images are similar, and the plot of the movie, “Oldboy,” seems dark enough to merit at least some further study.

Seems like the guy is suggesting something to me.

Nothing in the NY Times article even remotely suggests that Oldboy was the inspiration for Cho’s actions. What it said was “The inspiration for perhaps the most inexplicable image in the set that Cho Seung-Hui mailed to NBC news on Monday may be a movie from South Korea that won the Gran Prix prize at Cannes Film Festival in 2004.” It surmised that the movie may have been the inspiration for the IMAGE of Cho with the hammer. Stop projecting, folks.

And no, Oldboy is by no means is obscure to film afinicianados around the world. It is to this day one of the highest grossing films in Korean history, and is considered a minor masterpiece in art film circles.

And it is widely available at video stores across the US with English subtitles. In fact, it was just released as a fancy schmancy 3-DVD collector’s edition, complete with all kinds of additional features. And this is in addition to the single DVD US edition that has been available for a while. There is a Hollywood remake in the works, and Justin Lin–of Better Luck Tomorrow and Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift fame, was tapped to direct it, but it has faced some difficulties getting off the ground. Who knows what may happen now. Some sickos may want to capitalize off of the people’s misunderstanding (fed by sensationalisic blog titles like this one) that Oldboy was the film that “made him do it.” Why do people distort what others say or write? Strange…

http://www.cynical-c.com/?p=7191

The story has also elements of the Count of Monte.

Having not read the manga that the movie was based on, that’s pretty much all I can tell you about the story. It’s available in English, by the way.

I’m not sure what disliking Old Boy has to do with “stupid action movies.”

PS: A sufficient number of people who I respect like this movie, so I vow not to slag it anymore until I see it again. Until then, however, I stand with fraternal solidarity with Rex Reed (sans racist aspersions).

Really?

It’s not one of those stupid action movies with a paper thin storyline.

Watch it for its narrative and subtext (it’s the retelling of the Oedipus story, by the way).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oedipus

BTW, Don’t watch Old Boy because it’s a horrible movie. Idiotic story glorifying human mutilation - what an utter piece of crap.

Oh, poo.