Scary Hair

Like other critics here, I'll invoke the names of some Korean movies that, similar to Gabal, have a special "shine" to them: Bunshinsaba, Tale of Two Sisters, and especially 4 Inyong Shiktak (Uninvited). Like those flicks, Gabal (The Wig) has that special "it."

What do I mean? Well, the emphasis is on characters, characters the viewer cares about (I did my fair share of both weeping and recoiling while watching); there's a dreadfully heavy sadness draping the entire affair; there's a palpable feeling of helplessness, of futility. And you simply HATE to see these already world-weary characters wrapped in such a futile, and almost randomly violent, circumstance. This is not a movie about a possessed wig leaping off the floor and strangling people. If you're looking for silly Halloween fun, hit the road. In fact, the movie really isn't about a wig at all. It is about how our fragile bodies are susceptible to diseases, like leukemia, that no one deserves to suffer. It is about how our fragile minds are susceptible to false hopes, and about how manipulative, and downright evil, we can be when we are in relationship with other human beings.

The movie confronts forced silence (one of the characters cannot speak, and her voice, when she forces it, sounds like scraping metal or a painfully squeaky door hinge). It confronts death, not in a glamorized way, but a kind of death that is a "wasting away" in an antiseptic hospital bed. The lead character's struggle with leukemia and chemotherapy, and her consequent downward spiral into a supernatural nightmare as she wears a possessed wig to cover her baldness, reminded me, wistfully, of Mann, the main character in the first Pang brothers' movie, Eye (a franchise that has simply gone down the toilet).

As a somewhat jaded viewer of horror movies (I suffered through the remake of The Fog a few weeks ago—MEA CULPA!), I am so surprised and practically gleeful when I come across a serious-minded, carefully crafted, complex horror movie that has that special "it," that ineffable substance that is a mixture of artistically presented dread, sadness, loss, and threat--of course with a few jump scares thrown in for good measure! This movie speaks and lives its dread, perhaps not as loudly or as skillfully as 4 Inyong Shiktak (Uninvited), but it comes damn close.

At first I felt annoyed because finally they did a movie out of long black hairs, which was prevalent in a lot of Asian horror movies after "the ring" came out. Titles include The Dollmaster, The Phone, Ju-on or The Grudge, Tale of Two Sisters and so and so forth.

The story is about a young woman who has gone past chemotherapy and is currently trying to live the life she never had. Her elder sisters life was also affected not only because her sisters terminal illness but because she is the only left to take care of her younger sister and she cant go on with life and get married and start a family.

Chi-Hyon, the elder sister, decided to buy a wig for her younger sister, Suh-Hyon, who almost automatically improved overnight after wearing the wig. Then the trouble started.

The film was also a bit longer than I expected, all of which were enough to let the audiences feel empathy for Suh-Hyon (the cancer survivor) as well as get mesmerized by her long silky black hair, which of course has the lead role in the film. Chi-Hyon, her elder sister, was also portrayed as ever caring and slightly on a martyr level, leaving the audiences to feel annoyed and at the same time pity Suh-Hyon.

This movie is internationally called "The Wig".

This movie takes itself way too seriously. The title 'scary hair' says it all. The movie tells the story of a cancer sufferer who gets the gift of a cursed wig from her sister when she is released from the hospital. Did I mention that the sister is also mute and in a sucky relationship? Even though the script takes cheesy soap-opera horror to the next level, it is beautifully shot. The actors are good, but the script leaves a lot to be desired. Of course there is a twist or two at the end, but the road that leads there is confusing and cliché. This movie is more like Phone than a Tale of Two Sisters, but Phone seems Oscar worthy in comparison. Don't expect a remake.

If you'd know me by now, I take my pick of horror flicks depending on my mood. I'm game anytime for zombie films, might take a little persuasion with vampire flicks, ghosts and goblins I might like too. The Hollywood movies that is, heavily laden with effects, and most of the time compensated with gore. I haven't watched an Asian horror movie since The Ring, and now have taken my first plunge with The Wig.

Oh OK, it's all about the chicks again. Dark Water had Jennifer Connelly, Skeleton Key yesterday had Kate Hudson. In The Wig, we have two beautiful (actually in my opinion, one only) sisters Ji-hyeon (Yu Seon) and Su-hyeon (Chae Min-seo). Su-hyeon is suffering from leukemia, and isn't given too long to live. Her sister Ji-hyeon takes it upon herself to care for her until the end, which isn't expected to be too long. We see sisterly love abound after a cheesy start to the movie, and Ji-hyeon presents a wig for her sister to cover her bald head, the side effects of chemotherapy.

Of course, the wig's possessed by a spirit (hence the obvious title), and therefore takes over the life of Su-hyeon. She seemed to rapidly recover without the aid of drugs, and has a sudden lusting towards her sister's ex-boyfriend Ki-seok. Attitudes and habits change. You can experience the occasional standard horror fare like dream sequences, hallucinations, sudden appearances, pesky cats, dark corridors, creepy attics and the likes. Familiar territory for horror buffs.

So it's left to our heroine Ji-hyeon to quickly discover the whos, wheres, and whys, before it's too late to save her beloved sister from the devil. I suppose with most formulae, this discovery always ties down to the various characters in the movie, and their back-stories. It might interest you that Ji-hyeon didn't speak throughout the movie, as she was injured in an accident, so don't expect a lot of screams from her to raise your goosebumps.

But the main back-story, once revealed, is actually quite sad, especially the scenes after the revelation. It might be brief, and it might just bring out a tear or two from some sensitive audience. A slight twist at the end too when they tie up some of the subplots, which might raise some eyebrows, but only after a few cheap scares by the filmmakers.

And yes, I'll make it a point to peek under the toilet seat for the next few days. Gee, must every spirit from horror movies start to appear from everyday objects? Handphones next, anyone?

The Wig is a well made, creepy horror drama from South Korea. I can see why many people might find it slow or hard to follow, but if you do - god forbid - pay attention, the complex plot does work. There are also many scenes that pack a wallop. It is beautifully shot, well acted and has an effective score. There is one shocking scene in a traffic tunnel that is particularly well done. If you stay with it, it comes together. It is sad, scary and creepy and some of the shocks and gore are exceptional. The two lead actresses are lovely and give terrific performances. And yes, long black hair is scary. You may never go in a wig store again!!! :)