(本文選自《經濟學人》20200215期)
背景介紹:
今年2月9日,此前在坎城電影節榮獲最佳影片獎的韓國電影《寄生蟲》拿下了奧斯卡最佳影片獎、最佳國際電影以及最佳原創劇本,而導演奉俊昊也榮獲了最佳導演獎。拿下了四個重要獎項的《寄生蟲》成為了本屆奧斯卡的最大贏家,同時也讓這部於去年上映的影片再次走進了人們的視線。The Oscars triumph of 「Parasite」
And of its director, Bong Joon-ho, a persona non grata turned national hero
Halfway through 「Parasite」, the Kims (pictured), a family of grifters who live in a dank Seoul basement, have by hook and (mostly) crook wangled their way into jobs in the ultrachic mansion of the Parks.
在電影《寄生蟲》的劇情推進到一半時,原本住在首爾潮溼地下室的金氏一家已經不擇手段地(主要是通過欺詐的方式)在一棟超級花園豪宅中找到了工作。Twisty as the plot has already been, viewers know more surprises must be in store—but can scarcely imagine what they will be. The screwball shifts in tone somehow cohere into a biting parable of haves and have-nots.
雖然故事至此已經非常曲折了,但觀眾們知道一定還有更多的驚喜在後面,但他們無法想像接下來將會發生什麼。這個荒誕的故事在某種意義上成了一則有關富人和窮人的尖銳矛盾的寓言。On February 9th this South Korean farce became the first foreign-language film to be crowned Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It also took Best Screenplay, Best International Feature Film and Best Director, for Bong Joon-ho.
2月9日,這部韓國電影成為了第一部獲得奧斯卡最佳影片獎的外語電影。此外,該影片還獲得了最佳原創劇本獎和最佳國際影片獎,而奉俊昊也榮獲了最佳導演獎。「Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles,」 Mr Bong has observed, 「you will be introduced to many more amazing films.」 The success of 「Parasite」 has been seen as a harbinger of the rise of global cinema in the Anglophone world, and of South Korea’s rich film industry in particular.
奉俊昊說:「一旦克服了一英寸高的字幕障礙,你將會看到更多更精彩的電影。」《寄生蟲》的成功預示著全球電影在英語國家的崛起,尤其是韓國興盛的電影產業。Perhaps—but, even more than usual, it is a triumph for Mr Bong, who has completed a high-speed journey from subversive extremist to national hero. During the administration of Park Geun-hye, from 2013 to 2017, officials kept tabs on him because of his politics; state funding was unavailable for his work. 或許如此吧,但這次獲獎對於奉俊昊來說是一次非比尋常的勝利,讓他實現了從顛覆性的極端分子到民族英雄的飛越。在樸槿惠執政期間(2013年至2017年),由於他的政治立場,官員們一直對他保持著密切關注;而他的事業也無法得到國家資助。Being blacklisted in this way, Mr Bong said just three years ago, was a 「nightmare」. On February 10th he received a warm congratulatory message from Moon Jae-in, the president today.
就在3年前,奉俊昊還說,以這種方式進了黑名單對他來說簡直是一場「噩夢」。2月10日,他收到了現任韓國總統文在寅發來的賀電。Some conservatives are still wary of Mr Bong, whose work criticises capitalism and social hierarchies. But despite its themes of inequality and class resentment, South Koreans』 jubilation over 「Parasite」 transcended politics.
一些保守派人士仍然對奉俊昊保持著警惕,因為他的作品批判了資本主義和社會等級制度。雖然電影《寄生蟲》的主題是社會不平等和階級仇恨,但韓國人對這部影片的喜愛超越了政見。The many who had been breathlessly following the Oscars ceremony erupted in pride when the best-picture envelope was opened. Cinemas swiftly added new screenings for the few laggards who had not yet seen the film (more than 10m tickets were sold when it was shown in South Korea last summer).
當奧斯卡最佳影片獎的信封被打開的那一刻,許多在屏幕前屏息觀看奧斯卡頒獎典禮的韓國觀眾頓時感到無比自豪。電影院迅速為少數尚未觀看該影片的落伍者安排了新的放映場次(該影片去年夏天在韓國上映時共售出了超過1000萬張電影票)。A pizza joint and supermarket that feature in the story were overrun by reporters. The municipal government promoted tours of the film’s locations, including a grimy underpass.
影片中出現的一家披薩店和一家超市也被記者們擠得水洩不通。市政府也推動了影片拍攝地點的遊覽參觀,其中包括一間骯髒不堪的地下室。Little good the enthusiasm will do the city’s strugglers—at least, if 「Parasite」 itself is any guide. Nothing avails the Kims, neither crime nor (when they try it) going straight. Still, for all its fatalism, part of the appeal of Mr Bong’s zany movie is that it is never simplistic.
這種熱情並不會給這個城市中的掙扎者帶來什麼好處,至少如果就影片《寄生蟲》本身作為參照來看。無論是走邪路還是(當他們嘗試去走的)正道,金氏一家的命運都無法改變。雖說這是電影人物的宿命,但奉俊昊的這部黑色喜劇電影的魅力之一就在於它並不簡單。The Kims aren’t saints, and the Parks are more blithe than villainous; they just cannot help noticing the odour that seems to emanate from the servants. If audiences stop to think about it, the grisly denouement is only a slight inflection of a reality in which, sometimes, the poorest are left to feed on scraps.
金氏一家不是聖人,而住在豪宅裡的人也並非壞人;他們只不過在不經意間嗅到了傭人身上散發出的氣味。如果觀眾們停下來想一想,這個悲慘的結局不過是對現實生活的一種婉轉的表達,在現實生活中,那些最貧窮的人有時只能靠著殘羹冷炙來維持生計。本文翻譯:Vinnie
校核:Vinnie
編輯:Vinnie
電影《寄生蟲》講述了原本住在首爾髒亂不堪的地下室的金氏一家四口通過種種手段戲成功地在一棟豪宅裡謀得工作,並寄生於上流生活的故事。影片通過戲劇性地情節發展以及金氏一家的悲慘結局反映了韓國社會的貧富差距和階級矛盾。重難點詞彙:
wangle [ˈwæŋɡl] v. 設法獲得,騙取
harbinger [ˈhɑːrbɪndʒər] n. 先驅;前兆
subversive [səbˈvɜːrsɪv] adj. 破壞性的;顛覆的
hierarchy [ˈhaɪərɑːrki] n. 層級;等級制度
villainous [ˈvɪlənəs] adj. 罪惡的;惡毒的
emanate [ˈeməneɪt] v. 產生;散發
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