Sunday, February 11, 2007

Hwang Woo-Suk: "Vengeance is mine..."

Hat tip to Quid Nomen Illius, whose own family has suffered.
(Image from Wikipedia)

Unjustly disgraced Korean biotechnologist Hwang Woo-Suk seeks his theriogenological revenge in this frightening documentary about how an "experiment in genetic engineering turns harmless sheep into blood-thirsty killers that terrorize a sprawling New Zealand farm":

Black Sheep
"But ... but ... New Zealand?" you ask. "What did New Zealand ever do to Dr. Hwang?"

Well, let me ask you -- where was New Zealand during Dr. Hwang's great tribulations? Do you not recall the suspicious silence from that island nation. Are not all island nations suspect? Do not all island nations suffer peninsular envy?

Yes. They. Do.

You want proof? This British Isle national confesses to his own peninsular envy for a certain protruding part of California. Can one doubt that New Zealand, yet another British-style isle, suffers a similar peninsular envy? And can anyone familiar with The Remains of the Day fail to see the parallels between Britain and Japan, parallels that Kazuo Ishiguro -- who willingly lives in England -- himself has admitted?

Why New Zealand? Need the question even be asked?

6 Comments:

At 7:24 PM, Blogger Richard Eastcliff said...

Steady on old sport! Confesses? That's a bit strong, isn't it?

Actually I live on a peninsular which is part of the British Isles - Thanet.

Well, I say peninsular but it's technically an island as there's a small river which cuts it off from the rest of the UK.

Anyway, glad you appreciated the rich irony and subtle contra-satire of my Peninsular Envy post.

 
At 8:44 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

Thanks, Eastcliff Richard, for being so understanding.

I came up with the expression "peninsular envy" to convey the satirical attitude that I was assuming, but I wanted to give credit to anyone who'd coined it before me ... and there you were, not only with the coinage but even with a linkable post!

I enjoyed looking around on your blog and hope that my link sends some traffic your way.

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 
At 3:37 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

You realize that BLACK SHEEP is a Korean film, right? Well, co-produced and financed by a Korean company, Daesung. You can read about it here:
http://www.investmentnz.govt.nz/section/14237/14665.aspx
- M.R.

 
At 3:48 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

Anonymous, no, I didn't know that. Your link didn't work, by the way, but I Googled and found confirmation of what you posted. Amazing coincidence...

The film looks good -- a funny horror film. I usually have little desire to see horror films, but this one has me intrigued. I've already checked around on You Tube for other previews and enjoyed them.

I hope that Daesung Group gets a good return on its investment, and it looks as though it will.

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 
At 6:45 PM, Blogger Richard Eastcliff said...

That's very kind of you to credit me, Doc, and I indeed believed I had been entirely original in coining the phrase. However, a subsequent Google search revealed that it is the name of a folk group from Otago, which may well add weight to your NZ/islands thesis.

 
At 8:39 PM, Blogger Horace Jeffery Hodges said...

Thanks, ER, for the added information. Good to have additional confirmation but sad to hear that you've lost priority.

Anyway, you beat me to it...

Jeffery Hodges

* * *

 

Post a Comment

<< Home