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That, however, is the general subject matter of Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... And Spring, an exquisite film about the stages of life.
Divided into the chapters of its title, Spring, Summer, Fall Winter ... And Spring is set in a floating monastery, a haven of peace in a mountain lake.
The film begins in spring with a little boy and his teacher, an old monk (Young-soo Oh). The child plays in the water and the woods and gathers medicinal herbs; he must learn that nature is to be respected and that any act of cruelty has repercussions.
In the summer segment, the little boy is a young man. A woman brings her sick daughter to the monastery, and in time, the young monk and the young woman fall in love.
Desire compels the young monk to leave the monastery and follow her, but with dark results. The fall of his life is about atonement, and in winter the monk returns to the monastery and to enlightenment. When spring comes, the monk is now a teacher himself, and another child helps him renew the cycle.
Slow, beautiful to look at and virtually without dialogue, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... And Spring is a dreamy film, a transporting sort of experience at the movies. But it is disturbing, too. Ki-duk Kim, the filmmaker, presents all of life in the symbols of the seasons. The tranquility of the Buddhist setting tends to underline the simplest detail, and the cinematography is magnificent Ñ but the cruelty of life is not excluded from the story or the images. ItÕs a bit literal, but the little boy of the filmÕs beginning has something to work out, spiritually speaking, through his life cycle.
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... And Spring is peaceful in pace and visuals, but the film stays with you long after youÕve left the theatre. This is one you may want to see more than once.
(This film is rated 14A)