Cop Horror – Se7en and Memories of a Murder

In this episode of Horror Joy, Brian and Jeff explore the themes of justice, truth, and morality through the examination of two iconic cop horror films: David Fincher’s ‘Seven’ (1995) and Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Memories of Murder’ (2003).

We discuss:

·      The portrayal of police ineptitude and brutality

·      Sin as a model for understanding moral judgements

·      The impact of male ambition on women’s bodies

·      The bleakness of a futureless world

So, grab your detective kit and come along as we travel the long way out of hell up to the light. But make sure to keep your head along the way (and don’t dropkick anyone), lest you become vengeance, lest you become wrath.

 Apocalyptic Dread: American Film at the Turn of the Millennium by Kirsten Moana Thompson

Se7en: Medieval Justice, Modern Justice by Valerie Allen

“Why American Studies Needs to Think about Korean Cinema, or, Transnational Genres in the Films of Bong Joon-Ho” by Christina Klein

“Murder and Meaning: The Ordinariness of Violence in Memories of Murder” by Reza Pourmikail.

00:00 Introduction to Cop Horror

Beginning – 29:10: ‘Se7en’ by David Fincher

29:15 – 46:58: Memories of Murder: A Dive into South Korean Crime

46:58 – End: Finding Joy in Dark Cinema