By Skip Sheffield
South Korea has gone from ruins to world power in my lifetime. In addition to its manufacturing production of everything from automobiles to electronics, Korea has been producing world-class artists in music, theater and film.
Park Chan-wook is one such artist, and “Stoker” is his first English-language film.
Be forewarned that Chan-wook is known as a “master of bloodshed.” His films are known for visual elegance tempered with melodrama and extreme violence.
“Stoker” has all three elements.
India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) is a lonely, just-turned 18-year-old girl in a great big house. Her best friend was her father, Richard Stoker (Delmot Mulroney), but he has just been killed in a fiery car crash. India is shunned at high school and considered a weirdo.
“My ears hear what other ears cannot hear,” she says mournfully.
India’s mother Evelyn (Nicole Kidman) is in a dazed, distracted state when she introduces India to Charles Stoker (Matthew Goode), her father’s long-lost younger brother. Charles is a good-looking, charming guy who is full of tales of his extensive world travels. Despite being so recently widowed, Evelyn takes an interest in Charles. So does India.
There is a deep, dark secret in the Stoker family, and it affects and infects everyone. First the family’s housekeeper (Phyllis Somerville) vanishes. Then a nosy relative (Jackie Weaver) also goes missing. Meanwhile Charles has been getting far too cozy with Evelyn, prompting jealousy in her daughter.
“Stoker” is a profoundly creepy film with an ever-building sense of dread as family secrets (and blood) are spilled. The unraveling is done with extraordinary, beautiful visual imagery: splattered blood that morphs into red flowers; India’s seeming fetish with her saddle shoes and the stuffed, mounted trophies from the sharp-shooting she did with her father.
All this symbolic foreboding erupts into unspeakable acts that are clearly meant to shock.
As so often happens in horror-shockers, the plot twists become so extreme and grotesque any semblance to the real world dissolves.
The best thing about “Stoker” is its young leading lady, Mia Wasikowska. Wasikowska has an other-worldly quality that suited her well in “Jane Eyre” and Lewis Carroll’s “Alice” and is perfect for the deeply disturbed, possibly dangerous India.
Matthew Goode’s sunny yet sinister smile is most appropriate as well. Nicole Kidman seems more a cipher, but maybe that is just as well for a mother who has lost any control over her daughter or her own life.
“Stoker” is no masterpiece, but it does produce some disturbing chills.
Three stars
Ed Koch Gets a Cinematic Epitaph
It is no small irony that “Koch” was released in New York on the very day former mayor Ed Koch died at age 88. No more would New Yorkers hear Koch’s cheery greeting, “How am I doing?” Now they have a film to memorialize him, warts and all.
Koch became Mayor of New York City in 1977, when the whole place was on the brink of ruination. He went on to serve three terms, through 1989. No one can say Koch did not work tirelessly to improve the quality of life and financial stability of New York City. Koch had a special concern for minorities, the homeless, people with AIDS and gay rights. As a result he had his detractors. Directed by Neil Barsky, the film brings up the rumor the never-married Koch was gay. That topic is never settled,
nor does it really matter.
Koch was a very private man. We should honor that. Testimonies by Michael Bloomberg, Calvin O. Butts III, Carl McCall, Christine Quinn and Charles Rangel tell us why.
You did just fine Ed.
Boca Ballet “Romeo & Juliet”
Boca Ballet Theatre presents its lovely production of “Romeo & Juliet” at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 23 and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 24 at Olympic Heights Performing Arts.
Returning soloists are Houston Ballet’s Simon Ball and American Ballet Theatre’s (and Boca Ballet alumnae), Sarah Smith.
Tickets are $35 adults, $25 seniors and $25 children 17 and under. Call 561-995-0709 or go to www.bocaballet.org.
Flute Soloist Jennifer Grim with Boca Symphonia
Boca Raton Symphonia features flute soloist Jennifer Grim in concert at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 24 at Roberts Theatre at St. Andrew’s School. Philippe Entremont conducts and the program includes Respighi’s “The Birds,” Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 1 and Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite.
Tickets are $35-$62. Call 561-376-3848 or go to www.bocasymphonia.org.
“The Last Romance” at Delray Beach Playhouse
“The Last Romance,” a new romantic Comedy by Joe DiPietro (“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change”) opens March 22 and runs through April 7 at Delray Beach Playhouse. Charles Newman and Diane Glitch star as two star-crossed seniors and Phyllis Spear’s is Ralph’s over-protective sister, Rose.
Tickets are $30. Call 561-272-1281, Ext. 4.
Hatsume Fair at Morikami
It’s always spring in South Florida, but it is a very special time at Morikami Museum & Gardens. The 34th annual Hatsume Fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, march 23 and 24 at the beautiful Delray Beach Park. Tickets are $15 adults and $10 children ages 4-10 at the gate. Call 561-495-0233 or go to www.morikame.org/hatsume.
“Jekyll & Hyde” at Kravis Center
The musical “Jekyll & Hyde” opens Tuesday, March 26 and runs through Sunday, March 31 at Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. Constantine Maroulis plays the dual title role and Deborah Cox is Luck.
Tickets are $25 and up. Call 800-572-8471 or go to www.kravis.org.
