Loved it but a bit confused
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — The Handmaiden
Bridgettedweller — 9 years ago(August 28, 2016 01:25 PM)
Just a bit confused about what was fiction/imagined and what was real
- Was anyone molested by the gigantic octopus? lol serious question
- Where did the uncle get the genitals in his cellar?
- Was Hideko really abused/hit?
- Why did the aunt hang herself?
I feel like the one I watched had incorrect subtitles
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Stijak91 — 9 years ago(September 18, 2016 04:07 PM)
Just a bit confused about what was fiction/imagined and what was real
Not sure what you mean by this. The film isn't told chronologically, we see the same things from different perspectives and along the way discover the full truth. I don't think anything was imagined, but I might've forgot about something.- Was anyone molested by the gigantic octopus? lol serious question
It's not explicitly shown, but it's implied that Hideko and her aunt were molested. We don't know what happened for sure, it's left ambiguous, but it's pretty clear that something did happen. - Where did the uncle get the genitals in his cellar?
We don't know and it really isn't relevant to the story. Guy is clearly a psycho, it's there to show us his state of mind. - Was Hideko really abused/hit?
Yes. - Why did the aunt hang herself?
See answer to the first question.
Truth is, you're Donny and I'm Walter.
But I'm tryin', Ringo. I'm tryin' real hard to be The Dude.
- Was anyone molested by the gigantic octopus? lol serious question
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Stijak91 — 9 years ago(December 12, 2016 03:23 AM)
Where/when was it implied that either of them were molested?
Uhm, in those flashback scenes in which the uncle is "training" Hideko and the fact that both her and her aunt were frightened to enter the room in which was the giant octopus and a bunch of penises and whatnot.
Forgive me, but it's been a few months since I've seen the film, so it's not that fresh in my mind. I'd have to rewatch it to point out exactly what I mean.
Truth is, you're Donny and I'm Walter.
But I'm tryin', Ringo. I'm tryin' real hard to be The Dude. -
noewun — 9 years ago(October 04, 2016 11:00 AM)
before the uncle sufocated, he was going to chop off count's penis, so i am guessing the genitals are supposed to represent as trophies of his enemies/people who have wronged him over the years.
and yeah i agree, the whipping scene was just imagination as per director park himself in one of his many Korean interviews.