The Insect Woman (1972) - Kim Ki-young

No one does demented domestic drama quite like Kim Ki-Young. The Insect Woman may feature the most unhinged characterizations of any of Kim Ki-Young's films. Every character here is uninhibited and impulse driven, the escalating violence pushing towards a perverse, unorthodox battle of the sexes perspective on the human condition. To say this is an affront to social normativity is an understatement but also not the whole picture as I'm not sure Young's ambitions go far beyond provocation in which subversive theatrics evoke his outright disdain for humanities animalistic attributes and intrinsic selfishness. Not an optimist about humanity are we Kim Ki-Young? Lurid, histrionic, stylistically singular, and stunning, The Insect Woman is amusingly subversive domestic thriller and a wonderful exhibition of Kim Ki-young's directorial prowess particular when it comes to optimizing space and a having keen almost sixth sense for camera movement as a means of expressivity. Kim Ki-Young's disdain for humanity cuts so deep people have to label this film "horror" lol. The baby!