Love is in the air . . . and on-screen

Features

Published: 14 Feb. 2003, 00:33

Love is in the air . . . and on-screen

So you’ve got a box of chocolates and a bouquet of roses for your sweetheart? Don’t relax just yet. To make Valentine’s Day perfect, you need a foolproof evening plan. Romantic movies can’t be beat for creating that love-is-in-the-air atmosphere. Old classics like “Casablanca” (1942) and “Doctor Zhivago” (1965) couldn’t be better choices. Your destination: Cine Cube near Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, where a special Valentine’s Day movie screening takes place.
The theater was started by the art-house director Lee Kwang-mo, and patrons often praise its wide screen and ample seating space. Cine Cube does not always remain true to its intentions: Current featured films are “Catch Me If You Can” and a Korean romance, “Classic,” hardly art house choices. At least it’s still one of the few places trying to remain true to quality films. The theater is ready to present “Send Your Movie Love Letters for Valentine’s Day,” which runs until Thursday.
Thirteen films from Cine Cube’s library are offered, oldies to brand-new features. Five are in English ― “Doctor Zhivago,” “Casablanca,” “West Side Story”(1961), “Lolita” (1998) and “Better Than Sex” (2000).
On the peninsula, it’s hard to see old classics on the big screen, except for dubbed versions. Something may be lost when Doctor Zhivago emotes in fluent, incongruous Korean. Also, the spectacular frozen wastelands of “Doctor Zhivago” and the lavish sets of “West Side Story” would look great projected on the big silver screen. “Better Than Sex,” directed by Jonathan Teplitzky, is a special treat for lovers, presented only once next Thursday. The film isn’t scheduled to open here until late April.
Other titles include the Francois Truffaut classic “Jules and Jim” (1962) and “Vive l’Amour” (1994) by Ming-liang Tsai.
Baek So-yeon, a programmer at Cine Cube, provided this tip: You can be part of a declare-your-love session just before the screening starts, if you make a request on the Web site www.betterthansex.co.kr.

by Chun Su-jin

Cine Cube is located in the second basement of the Hungkuk Life Insurance building. Take subway line No. 5, get off at Gwanghwamun Station and use exit No. 6. Walk about 150 meters in the direction of Sinchon. If you see an overpass, you’re almost there. For more information, call 02-2002-7770. Tickets are also available at www.maxmovie.com.