It’s been three years since Park Chan-Wook delivered his highly-stylized, but somewhat disappointing Hitchcock-esque “Stoker,” but the filmmaker is never one to count out. He knows how to spin a terrific story, pair it with great visuals, and leave audiences with genre stories that are often incomparable. And we’re hoping that’s what we’re going to get with his upcoming “The Handmaiden.”
Set to hit Cannes next month, the movie is an adaptation of the novel by Sarah Waters, but the setting has been rejiggered so it takes place during the Japanese rule of Korea, with the plot revolving around the title character, an heiress, a con man and a pickpocket. Here’s a synopsis from YouTube, but consider it a guide at best:
Set in the 1930’s in South Korea and Japan. Story revolves around 4 people: a noble lady (Kim Min-Hee) who has inherited a fortune, a swindler count (Ha Jung-Woo) who is after the noble lady’s fortune, a young female pickpocket (Kim Tae-Ri) hired by the swindler count and the noble lady’s uncle (Cho Jin-Woong) who is her guardian.
“The Handmaiden” will be released stateside by Amazon Studios, but no date has been set.
