After winning a trio of Oscars forParasite,Bong Joon Hohas toldEmpirethat he wants to make a musical – which may be exactly what the world needs during these trying times.
“I would love to make a musical,” said Bong. “Characters would begin singing, then think, ‘Oh my God, fuck this, this is too cheesy,’ and stop suddenly. There are amazing musical films, likeSingin’ in the Rain. But when I watch them, I feel very embarrassed and start blushing. So it would have to be… different.”
I think it goes without saying that a Bong Joon Ho musical would be “different,” given the director’s darker sensibilities. And while I enjoy a good musical myself from time to time, I totally understand why Bong feels the way he does when watching them. I come at story from a place of logic, so to me, it makes no sense when characters burst out into song, and everyone knows the words, and everything is choreographed.
WhileParasitewon the Oscar for Best Picture, the Razzie Award for Worst Picture went toCats, and judging by that misbegotten movie, the musical genre could certainly use a reinvention of sorts. Of course, the traditional musical will no doubt make a comeback this year betweenLin-Manuel Miranda’sIn the HeightsandSteven Spielberg’sWest Side Story, which just unveiled a batch ofcolorful new images.
Bong isn’t the only filmmaker fresh off the campaign trail who’s eager to make a musical, asLittle WomendirectorGreta Gerwigis also developing an original musical that aims to bring back the art of tap dancing. We can’t wait to see what Bong does next, whether it’s a musical or something else entirely. He’s said to be working on a Korean-language disaster movie, as well as an English-language drama based on a 2016 news story. For details on the director’s future plans – aside from drinking and sleeping, of course –click here.
