Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East?
달마가 동쪽으로 간 까닭은?
A boy Hae-jin, young monk Ki-bong and very old monk Hye-gok inhabit a small, dilapidated hermitage up in the mountains. Below lies a main temple, below that a town with all its worldly woes and pleasures. The hermitage and its slow rhythm of life seems almost as much a part of nature as of religion Yet when the old monk dies, even this timeless realm will change.
Bae Yong-kyoon devoted years to the making of this remarkable film. He produced, directed, lighted, photographed and edited it: he did at least have some help with the haunting soundtrack. The sheer visual beauty and mystery of the mountain setting, creatures – a jay, a young cow – who seem to attend the little boy, water rushing over uncannily smooth river rocks: all this suggests a kind of animated mandara meant to take us into deeper contact with life and death, being and non-being. (MM)
Director: Bae Yong-Kyoon
Writer: Bae Yong-Kyoon
Cast: Lee Pan-Yong, Sin Won-Sop, Hwang Hae-Jin, Go Su-Myeong
Production Company: Bae Yong-Kyun Production
Rights Holder: Bae Yong-Kyun
Drama / 1989 / 175 min / CERT. U / Colour / DVD / Original Format: 35mm
Filmography
The People in White (1995)
