Stoker (2013): Park Chan-wook’s Shadow of a Doubt
2013 • Park Chan-wook • 2.40:1 • Jump to Gallery ↓
In Park Chan-wook’s Stoker, a teenage girl becomes increasingly unsettled after her father’s death when her mysterious uncle moves into the family home. As his influence grows, long-buried tensions and hidden histories within the household begin to surface, reshaping the relationships between the remaining family members.
A Southern Gothic reimagining of Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt, the film is a coming-of-age story told like a twisted, sensory-rich fairy tale. With hyper-stylised transitions, director Park takes us from one fetishistically detailed shot to another in a household filled with memories that appears stuck in place but is on the verge of falling apart with each new twist thrown in by its predatory characters.
Stoker is a macabre, taboo-stretching family drama, elevated by an almost excessive level of elegance. It is precision craftsmanship, combining beauty and horror in every deliberately composed, layered frame, and elevated by the suffocating sound design.
Technical Specs:
- The Story: After her father’s sudden death, a withdrawn teenage girl becomes fascinated by the mysterious uncle she never knew existed, uncovering unsettling desires and buried violence within her family.
- Actors: Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode, Dermot Mulroney, Jacki Weaver, Lucas Till, Alden Ehrenreich, Phyllis Somerville.
- Director: Park Chan-wook
- Year: 2013
- Cinematographer: Chung Chung-hoon
- Origin: American Cinema
- Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
- Genre: Crime & Mystery / Psychological Drama
