South Korea’s Park Chan-wook, creator of films like Old Boy and Lady Vengeance, has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the sickest and most twisted filmmakers this side of Takashi Miike. He’s also a true visionary when it comes to creating artistic cinema which has gained him great respect among his peers. The fact that much of his fanbase Stateside already consists of cult genre fans has gotten many of them excited to see him tackle the vampire genre, something he does in his own inimitable style in Thirst.
Rather than following the traditional path of vampire romance we’ve so much lately, from Twilight to “True Blood,” director Park has created a darkly humorous film filled with erotic passion one moment and shocking violence the next. It features Korean superstar Song Kang-yo (The Host) as a Catholic priest who undergoes a medical experiment that infects him with a virus that requires him to have a regular intake of blood. When he moves into the home of his childhood friend, he begins to form a bond with his friend’s wife Tae-ju (Kim Ok-vin), a meek woman being abused both by her husband and his mother, who quickly falls for the enigmatic priest. As their romance develops sexually, she begins to show signs of vampirism as well, leading to a conflict as she starts to take control of her life.
You can read the full interview with Mr. Park over on ShockTillYouDrop.com.