K-Movie: Memories of Murder

complete movie clips here(thanks wait4ba!): 
http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=PjzjVVt6kxU

desc (from wait4ba's desc box in YT)
 Memories of Murder (??? ?? Sarinui Chueok) is a South Korean drama film directed by Bong Joon-ho. It is based on the true story of the country's first known serial murders, which took place between 1986 and 1991 in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. The film's cinematography, as well as Song Kang-ho's performance, earned it wide praise.


The film was the second feature film directed by Bong Joon-ho, following his 2000 debut film Barking Dogs Never Bite and preceding Mother . The screenplay was adapted by Bong and Shim Sung-bo from Kim Kwang-rim's 1996 stage play about the same subject. Song Kang-ho and Kim Sang-kyung star as two of the detectives trying to solve the crimes.

My take:

this was a really frustrating movie, and a great one at the same time. more than the victims or the vic's families, i feel more for the detectives. Taking into consideration their situation at that time, lack of resources, manpower, technology, people's ignorance, even their fellow uniform's twisted ethics, solving the crime without the barest hint of doubt was an almost impossible feat, and indeed it was. Sooo frustrating!! And yet i really liked this movie. Here was a case that could have benefitted greatly from the use of forensics science. here was a great example of how thousands of cases like it remained unsolved to this day. And here's a film that behavioural analysis/forensics/detective/or just plain wannabes (i think i belong in the latter category lol) would love to see. What - could - you- have - done - differently?


And I wanna go full blast into my wannabe mode: what could I have done differently that could have helped reveal the killer's identity? Now, I'm not saying that the detectives on the case failed to do this. In fact, I think they did, it just wasn't shown in the movie. But since it's rare for films like this to come along, I'm gonna grab this chance to indulge in my wannabe mode and get into a what-could-you-have-done-if-you-were-part-of-the-case-game =)


1. I would have taken inventory of all the items found on the corpse. Next, interview relatives, esp the last person to see the vic alive, if they think something is missing, like a piece of jewelry or if something is off.


2. The first crime scene was a mess. So were the succeeding ones. After the first one, it's standard, dunno what happened, but I would have made sure all police officers, should they be the first one on the scene, strive to ensure the crime scene is untainted. First one to arrive with a camera, do a walk through (WT). first WT for general pics, 2nd WT for more specific pics.


3. i wanted to say "make a rape kit" even before forensics arrives but then i rmbr at that time, detectives in that small town don't even have an idea how important this is> swab the vagina for possible semen, clip a nail, swab for suspiscious fluids, swab, swab, swab.


4. After closing in on a suspect, I would have tried to get a search warrant. check for (based on #1s result) any missing items from the vics body. most of the time offenders like in this case take souvenirs.


5. I would have staked all crime scenes esp at night ( so sad that it was, more than likely, not feasible at that time due to manpower shortage. damn!) Most of the time too, Unsubs (unknown subjects or killer) go back to the crime scene to fantasize. In the movie, the unsub returned after being away for so many years ( my assumption), i am more than positive he did return to his crime scenes even while when he was active.


6.I assume it was a small town, everybody knows everyone. I would have knocked on every door try to figure out if they know of anyone who might have suffered from a major blow recently: fired from a job, lost someone etc. find what could have thrown the unsub to go into a violent rage.


7. I would have gotten a line up for both the retard guy witness and the rape victim the unsub let go free, for unknown reason. Even if she didn't see his face, she might be able to recognize a guy from the built or find any mark or feature that would help her to remember.


!!spoiler!!
*sigh* i dunno, despite what the evidence say, or lack thereof, my money's still on the "guy w/ the smooth hands" suspect.