I first discovered Bong Joon Ho like many through his wonderful film The Host. I had started hearing about it right before it came out, but was unable to see it until somehow I managed to find a DVD copy in a video store closing sale in Palmetto, FL. (I also found a copy of Sharkskin Boy and Peachskin Girl and Nights of Cabiria at the same closeout). Immediately, I found myself struck by the director’s work, and vowed to see as many of his film’s as I could.

Over the year’s I’ve seen Mother, Okja, Snowpiercer, and of course Memories of Murder (my favorite),so not everything, but what I have seen I have loved. This year Parasite seem to have taken the world by storm, and not just the niche corner of film fandom that seems to be struck by Bong’s films. It became the first foreign language film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. For a year of such darkness, it is one of the shining examples of amazing things happening.

Parasite follows a poor family on the cusp of total collapse, that manages to find employment through a series of extremely absurd circumstances with a rich family. At first glance it would appear that the family are living a parasitic existence, using the resources of the rich, but on the flipside the rich family, seemingly cannot exist without their help.

The film is definitely a rich experience that rewards multiple viewings. I could feel a through-line from Jacques Tati’s Mon Oncle to this film. If Tati were trying to employ the disturbing and the comic in equal measure. The performances across the board are fantastic, and the chemistry between the character’s both positive and negative is strongly felt. Bong’s use of color throughout the film is strong, and really elevates the visuals (also, why I found it strange to have a monochrome version here). Overall, this is another masterpiece from director Bong, that I will look forward to revisiting in the future.

The Blu-ray from Criterion is a 1080p transfer in the film’s OAR. Colors and details are nicely reproduced, the black and white version has solid contrast. I couldn’t find any issues here. The Korean HD audio track comes through crisp and clear. Extras include a commentary track with Tony Rayns and Bong, plus interviews with the cast and crew, Cannes footage, the black and white version plus more. Parasite comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.