Park Chan-wook’s Vampire Flick: Thirst

Posted by Michael Pantazi Mar 23, 2009

Mentioned in my article on I’m a Cyborg, but that’s Okay, Thirst is Park Chan-wook’s latest film, co-written by Chan-wook and Jeong Seo-gyeong (I’m a Cyborg, Lady Vengeance).

Thirst will star the award-winning Song Kang-ho (The Good, the Bad, the Weird) as a priest who turns vamp after contracting a disease while in Africa. In terms of concept we can expect this to be more in the vein of a Cronos than an Interview with a Vampire or, god forbid, Underworld.

It’s obvious by now that, as far as I’m concerned, Chan-wook is just about the greatest film-maker alive today. His success and growing popularity will inevitably lead some critics into a baa-baa-backlash (that’s supposed to be a sheep sound if you're wondering), but I’d stick my neck out on a Chan-wook film every time and say that Thirst should be – if nothing else – original. I’ll probably hate it now.

A trailer can be found on Youtube and across the web, but aintitcool.com also provides a translation of what’s being said (the trailer has no subtitles).

According to sources on IMDB, a release is currently expected on April 30th this year, and will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival. While an international release is largely in the dark, it shouldn’t be too long before we know what sort of a theatre distribution it'll get and when to expect the DVD.