The Man with Three Coffins (1987)

Hand of Destiny

@KoreanFilm is one of my favorite YouTube channels where I can watch classic Korean movies in great quality. Recently, I saw they published this film in 4K, and I clicked on it without knowing what to expect. The movie pulled me in instantly with its unusual storytelling, where every step is surrounded by mystery. The scenes are static and shown in high contrast, either in sepia or blue tones (cyanotype), so even though the film is in color, it appears mostly white-yellow or white-blue.

The central focus of the film is a man—a traveler—carrying the ashes of his departed wife. He is constantly on the move, never finding a place to settle. We don’t know much about him, but the film compels us to follow his every step, confused and curious about what is happening. The movie doesn’t go out of its way to explain much about the characters, so as viewers, we are left to reflect on the purpose of the man’s journey. The ending doesn’t resolve the mystery in a straightforward way, but we are given some symbolic clues that help us understand who the three coffins mentioned in the title refer to, and what might be the fate of our lonely protagonist.

I found this movie quite strange, but I respect it, and I’m very glad I watched it. It’s a unique film that I will definitely remember.

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