Compiled notes.
She was forced to read those sexy stories for the pleasure of her creepy uncle and those perverts he invited. Now that she’s free from his grasp and happy, she wanted to enact that one with the woman she loved, of her own free will.
Yeah, at first I thought it was gratuitous as well but then realized the profound significance of it. To be able to love anyone you choose, for that love to be reciprocated in kind and to be able to express that love is the greatest freedom of all.
The metal balls in that final love scene, which were once used as a device for punishment, represented just how far she has come in taking control of her own fate. When her uncle forced her to hold one in her mouth as a child, she was essentially being “silenced.” It served as a metaphor for her position as a woman in that maddening household and in that strictly patriarchal society in general. Bringing those balls out in the end showed that she has completely broken free of “the ball and chain” of her past life, of her sadistic uncle and the scheming suitor, and has taken full ownership of her sexuality and future.
Also, Hideko was recreating the sex scene she read out loud the night she had sex with Sookee, the one that got her all hot and bothered during the blackout. The scene was The Handmaiden’s take on Fingersmith’s ending, where Maud ends up actually making a living writing lesbian porn books using her fantasies of Sue, taking her experiences and turning them around to her own benefit and in her own terms.
Here Hideko making that fantasy her own and using what she learned from the books for her own sexual freedom with Sookee was her taking her power back, in a way.
I wish I remembered where I read this, but IIRC the director pretty much said something like this in an interview.
Re: Help me explain the very last scene
image for user Oldguy69
by Oldguy69
» Sun Nov 27 2016 00:15:41 Flag ▼ | Reply |
IMDb member since October 2005
Westward7 I agree with that. Basically it was a happy ending in the sense that she managed to turn her ordeal into something joyful
Unnecessary? Sex is one of the main themes of the story/film. Not just the literal sex scenes that showed the nudity, but the explicit stories read, all of it was totally necessary to the characters and plot. I don’t know how the movie could even be the same movie/story without the scenes and explicit dialogue. And as other posters have said there are Endless films out there of the same high quality, that are family friendly.
Also Wook is a director that with all his films, be it sex/extreme violence/ect., he doesn’t hold back; that’s a main reason his films are so amazing. But he is not just “throwing in” nudity or violence to sell his movies. Unlike Many movies out there; I notice moreso in American films a director Will unnecessarily throw in pointless sex scenes/gore. These are often hinted in the trailers, or internet buzz to sell a movie that may or may not be good. I notice in foreign films, French often, but many other countries as well. Though I have seen foreign films that are also guilty of pointless things to just sell; I just don’t see it on such a high level as US movies. This film, for example, in my Opinion is Wook’s most “erotic” film. But it (like all his work) has so many layers, rich story, characters that you actually Care about. It isn’t a weak ploy to sell, and truly is erotic because the story demands it. And sure as a straight male, of Course I enjoy seeing the female body, but the OP is correct about there being millions and millions of hours of Porn out there if that’s all you care to see. But how much porn is shot at a high quality?, none realy. Not on this level, Wook’s films all are pure eye candy, where you can pause the movie at about Any point, and it looks like a beautiful photograph. All scenes, not just the sex ones, lush shots of landscape, even just people’s faces; looks like high end photography. And this is what separates his films from porn for example. Also he IS a “shock” director in a sense, who presents storys with shocking twists and without the shocking Visuals it wouldn’t be the same. His violence is Very realistic, making the film more horrific, it isn’t done for cheap reasons. And as gory as many of his film’s scenes get; they still are beautiful and present the viewer with a horrific juxtaposition of a beautiful shot of something that may be disgusting. That itself is another reason why I feel he’s a genius filmmaker. But with this film the nude scenes sometimes present that similar juxtaposition. Others are just visually stunning; a good example is the closing shot; the nudity looks great of course, but Everything in that shot does!! The entire lush room, the curtains and all details, his use of colors; it is Not just the nude bodies. So this film is a Perfect example of an “erotic-themed” movie. (which isn’t just all about the sexual/erotic themes.) I have seen many other films that are erotic themed, or jus plain erotic. Some are amazing and not “cheap,” others are Total trash art, which the Only purpose is to make money off people who just want to see soft core porn, Disguised as high art. I felt the much hyped, erotic American film “Fifty Shades Of Grey,” was like that. Sure it looked prety good visually (doesn’t Touch this film or many others..), but it Was soft core porn, pretentiously raking in the money. It in my Opinion wasn’t even sexy (as erotic films are Supposed to be), the plot was so flimsy, it didn’t realy get deep with the “bondage/S and M” as it Could have (think of how disturbing, beautiful, multi-layered it would have been if Wook directed/adapted the novel it was based on!!), and I cared nothing about the one dimensional characters. And if you like that film, that’s ok and your opinion. But films like this are how True erotica films should be done, and “The Handmaiden” wasn’t even an erotica film; it just had deep themes of it. F.S.O.Grey was just a sloppy way to make money. There are So Many REAL erotic/erotic-themed movies from all over the world.
The French film “Blue Is The Warmest Color” is a (great, imo) film I see many people comparing “The Handmaiden” to. But both, other than some same Themes, I feel they tell two very different stories. But it Is a great example of a sexual film done Correctly, though it was not just all about the sex..without spoiling for anyone, I’ll just say it had very depressing themes. It had Many different emotions, that the audience actually Cares about. Another recent good example is another French film, “Love.” Another beautifully shot film, that wasn’t Just about the sex/nudity. I feel Wook’s latest here, is another to add to that list of erotic-themed films done Correctly. Watching them just made me think “now This is how ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’ should have been!!” Why do I Rarely see many films out of the U.S. that are “Marketed” as erotica or erotica themed done correctly? It’s a shame..and also when the foreign films that do it right, are imported to America, they most Always market it as Total erotica; even if it isn’t. I read about “The Handmaiden” as the new “hot, erotic,” film from South Korea. It bugs me because it is not Just an erotica film, just heavy themes, and has Much more it offers. But they market it as porn unfortunately. I just think it’s funny to think of all the people who think they’re getting a “hot foreign flick,” with lots of sex, and then they get to the basement scene in the last act.ha. Or I can see many who are just waiting for the sex scenes, being bored by this lenghty movie, because it’s not some bs where a flimsy story is realy only there as interludes between the sex. And again “Fifty Shades Of Grey,” is just the Best recent example of that; I don’t mean to bash it to death..But it kinda deserves to for the reasons I said above. And I watch and love Countless American movies, it just seems with erotic or erotic based films you barely ever see ones as rich as this film and others. But “The Handmaiden” is Not soft-core porn disguised, and the sex scenes/nudity are completely vital to the story and All aspects of the movie. And again; there are endless family films (in All countries..) out there. So I Strongly disagree that this film has pointless sex/nudity. If you realy want younger members of your family to enjoy that plot, all I can say is use the fast-forward button; but I fear they would be very lost plotwise. Again; this is all Just my personal opinions; believe what you wish!!