Pulgasari (1985)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Directors:

Chong Gon Jo
Sang-ok Shin

Writer:

Se Ryun Kim (screenplay)

Release Date:

22 July 2000 (South Korea)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

Banned for a decade!

Plot:

In feudal Korea, the evil King becomes aware that there is a peasant rebellion being planned in the country...

Plot Keywords:

Fight | Army | Greed | Soldier | Giant Monster

Cast

Chang Son Hui	...	Ami
Ham Gi Sop	...	Inde
Jong-uk Ri	...	Ana
Gwon Ri	...	Takse (Ami's Father)
Gyong-ae Yu	...	Inde's Mother
Hye-chol Ro	...	Inde's Brother
Sang-hun Tae	...	Rebel Forces
Gi-chon Kim	...	Rebel Forces
In-chol Ri	...	Rebel Forces
Riyonun Ri	...	General Fuan
Yong-hok Pak	...	The King
Pong-ilk Pak	...	The Governor
Kenpachiro Satsuma	...	Pulgasary (suit actor)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
'Little Man' Machan	...	Baby Pulgasari

Also Known As:

Bulgasari (International: English title)
Purugasari: Densetsu no daikaiju (Japan)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

North Korea | Japan

Language:

Korean

Color:

Color

Certification:

South Korea:All

Trivia:

Although the film is a North Korean production, director Sang-ok Shin is South Korean. North Korean dictator Jong-il Kim was a huge fan of Shin's, and since North and South Korea have technically been at war since 1951 and have no diplomatic relations, Kim had him kidnapped. Shin eventually escaped back to South Korea, but not before he had been forced to make this movie for the erratic North Korean leader.

excellent Kaiju movie made in Korea

first of all, its unfair to compare this movie with a Hollywood product: this is an eastern "man-in-rubber-suit" monster movie made in north Korea and must be evaluated as such. and in his niche this is one of the very best. for the originality and meanings it deserves to be put on the same level of Honda's Godzilla of 1954. it sports believable effects, real mass scenes (ok they were soldiers drafted to act in a movie but nevertheless it's better than what i've seen in "Gappa") and believe it or not a plot that is less nonsense than the usual Gamera - Rodan - Godzilla - Gappa stuff we got used to. at least all the story is more fantastic than Sci-Fi and this places everything on a completely different perspective. "comedy" episodes are laughable but i suppose that asking to a North-Korean movie to meet the standard humor tastes of a western audience is way too much. the interpretative key of the story revolves around the goods and evils of capitalism ,one may appreciate or not the intentions but go find another Kaiju with more sense than "the Japanese are still scared after the atom bomb, poor souls", and "the Japanese scientists save the world". Pulgasari is finally less nationalistic than the average Japanese movie, and this is outstanding for a product of a dictatorial country, isn't ?