Parasite
Bong Joon-ho · 2019
A poverty-stricken family schemes their way into the lives of a wealthy household, until a shocking discovery upends everything. A darkly comic thriller that dissects class inequality through meticulous mise-en-scène.
Techniques Used
4 techniques identified in this film
Spatial Metaphor
NarrativeUsing physical space—architecture, geography, elevation—to represent abstract social or psychological states.
How this film uses it
The vertical layout of the film's locations maps directly onto class: the Park family lives on a hill with light and air, while the Kims live in a semi-basement below street level.
Genre Subversion
NarrativeDeliberately establishing genre expectations only to violate them, forcing the audience to reassess what kind of story they are watching.
How this film uses it
The film presents itself as a social comedy for its first half before pivoting into horror and tragedy, destabilizing viewer comfort and sympathy.
Chekhov's Gun
NarrativeEvery significant element introduced in a story must ultimately pay off; nothing should be shown unless it will be used.
How this film uses it
The Scholar's Rock, the garden, the Morse code light, and the smell motif are all introduced early and each returns with dramatic consequence.
Diegetic Sound Design
SoundSound that exists within the story world (heard by characters) used expressively to build tension or meaning rather than purely for realism.
How this film uses it
The sound of rain is omnipresent and shifts from ambiance to harbinger of disaster, tying weather to the Kim family's fate.
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