A Bloodthirsty Killer

A masterpiece of 1960s Korean horror, A Bloodthirsty Killer helped to establish many of the motifs that would appear in subsequent films of the genre, including ghosts with no reflections, a portrait of a vindictive woman, and a cat possessed by the spirit of the deceased. Expressionist-like cinematography and lighting create an impressively grotesque atmosphere in this story about a family that gets torn apart by jealousy, murder, and revenge. Seduction, carnal indulgence, and mysticism infuse the film with a layer of suspense that transforms an otherwise commonplace story into one that's both imaginative and unsettling, revealing that within the secrets of a seemingly normal family can hide the very elements that lead to its undoing. (Busan International Film Festival)