Receiving its very first release in the UK, Bong Joon Ho’s debut, Barking Dogs Never Bite, is clearly cut from the same cloth as his later films — bold, stylish, jet-black — signalling ideas and styles that would emerge fully formed in Parasite.
Few films have needed the “No animals were harmed during the making of this production” title card more than this one. Out-of-work academic Ko Yun-ju (Lee Sung-jae, likeable), who dreams of becoming a lecturer, is frustrated by lack of funds and a demanding pregnant wife (Kim Ho-jung). But his real problem is the nearby barking dog who just won’t shut up. What follows is a beautifully orchestrated series of set-pieces where Yun-ju tries to murder the mutt — by hanging, by throwing it off a building — with increasingly funny results as he goes to extreme lengths to cover his tracks. Around this central idea, there are vignettes about decapitation, vomiting, an anecdote about a genius boiler engineer and a janitor (Byun Hee-bong) who — with perfect timing — has a killer recipe for dog stew.
It has the trappings of a first film: too many ideas, unnecessary diversions and a central conceit that perhaps doesn’t merit its running time. But everything you love about Bong is here: a unique ability to judge tone so the most cruel, heinous actions become darkly funny (he’s helped here by Jo Seong-woo’s breezy jazz-score), dazzling filmmaking (a terrific foot-chase), memorable images (there’s a genius moment when the characters have to measure 100 metres exactly, and a magical dream sequence involving confetti), and in its last five minutes a surprising, where-did-that-come-from poignancy. It also includes the building blocks for the themes Bong has played with ever since: a location (here it’s an apartment block) as a microcosm of society, class divisions, the desire for upward mobility. The result is rebellious, flashy and outrageous, but still remains decidedly human.