North Korean Film Madness (Documentary | Part 1/3)

We went to North Korea to try and penetrate the Korean Feature Film Studio, the state-run film production facility west of Pyongyang: a sprawling lot that at its height produced around 40 films a year.
Watch the rest here!
bit.ly/North-Korean-Film-2
bit.ly/North-Korean-Film-3
You could say that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il has two primary obsessions: maintaining nuclear weapons capability as a means of protecting his "hermit kingdom," and thwarting pressure from outside forces like America and the rest of the industrialized world to open his country to modern things like electricity... and he's obsessed with film. He loves movies. It's rumored that he has one of the largest private film collections in the world. His favorite film is Gone with the Wind and his favorite actress is Elizabeth Taylor. He's a film collector and bona fide cinephile, but he's much more. He's everything really. He's a director, a producer, a financier, a costume maker, set designer, screenwriter, cameraman, sound engineer... and he's also a film theorist. His masterwork on aesthetics and practice is "On the Art of Cinema" (written and published in the early 1970s). In it he gives himself the humble title, "Genius of the Cinema." He built an extensive film studio in Pyongyang and when he couldn't find someone to make his film he did what any self-respecting eternal leader and great president would do... he kidnapped one.
More from Shane Smith: www.vice.com/author/shane-smith
Follow Shane on Twitter: / shanesmith30
Originally aired in 2011 on VICE.com
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[@st1ckyf1ngaz]

north korea would pull off one hell of an olympic opening ceremony tho

[@sixtysyxti3235]

Yeah people really work hard when their life is on the line.

[@og_gaming681]

Then everybody simultaneously just collapses of hunger

[@razzakshah6969]

stickyfingaz ংংংংংংং

[@donkeyslayer677]

Starving people will have lousy opening ceremonies. They can't help it.

[@stevenpaul1324]

sixty syxti c

[@Hammster69official]

Doesn't Shane get it? The whole city of Pyongyang is a movie set.

[@xam90ful]

Yeah that's what he says there towards the end

[@kimmyknutson492]

DallasHammster he has a thing called common sense you know 😂

[@kimjongunsofficials5339]

Not like that

[@mancalacat6333]

kim Jong un's Officials shush blob fish

[@thibaultdubaret9863]

it does look like a real life truman show

[@ReasonwithGeorge]

US - Hollywood. India - Bollywood North Korea - Kimmywood.

[@topman8565]

Bestwood

[@donovanfox7752]

Morningwood

[@roaddrunner1251]

And uganda makiliwood

[@YaelMmar]

Wakaliwood

[@magicianowl]

You forgot nigeria-Nollywood

[@alekmiller652]

"North Korea is just putting on a massive show." Extremely well-put.

[@CraigRLimon-kz8eo]

Alek Miller it's cool

[@beachside1]

Kinda like The Truman Show in real life

[@Professor__S]

Kim Jon il hates the West and it's ideals yet loves their movies, food, liquor and cars😏

[@davidfl4]

I feel so bad for that poor sea turtle, oh yeah and the people I guess

[@Ahmadabdal_]

poorguy #freeturtleandteagirl

[@og_gaming681]

Literally me when I’m watching a war movie and sees a bunch of people die but that one bite dies I just turn it off and die

[@mukelanizulu6950]

I'm not proud of it , but that was totally me when I saw the turtle 😂

[@josipturcec2531]

@@glassytiger6204 people-yuo guess???. Stupid koment...fuuuuck...😂😅😂😅

[@KyraPrinceCheryl]

It's in a torture aquarium camp.

[@drewfsu1]

The saddest part of this film was that sea turtle

[@raihanalam9]

drewfsu1 same here

[@5hydef712]

@@raihanalam9 it’s probably still there to this day:(

[@bruhz_089]

@@5hydef712 no

[@crossdx387]

Poor turtle:(

[@Adamlol642]

@@crossdx387 what happened?

[@losatta123]

This music sure is enthusiastic for such a horrible country.

[@KX5Kat]

Great documentary, but get rid of the guy who chose the music; totally inappropriate.

[@rishavrakshit9273]

KX5Kat Why?? It is such North Korean propaganda let's go to war goodness in it!! :( These are communist comrade songs !

[@rishavrakshit9273]

I was a bit stoned when I wrote that. But this is indeed communist propaganda music.

[@rocknrollmilitant]

Does anyone know the name of the song starting at 1:44?

[@user-xg8yy7yl1d]

@@KX5Kat Im pretty sure its all North Korean music

[@joshuagamboa101]

the sea turtle is like the tea girl...

[@johnwalsh1701]

Poor tea girl

[@antimatter4733]

I'm going to organize a covert rescue operation. Anyone in for operation Ceylon?

[@johnwalsh1701]

+Yusuf Akoojee oh, can I help?

[@antimatter4733]

John Walsh okay, do you have any combat experience?

[@johnwalsh1701]

Yusuf Akoojee​ yes lots of military experience, I have equipment under my bed for this sort of thing (Like everything). So yeah I'm up for it

[@edmcfann1645]

4:47, i feel sorry for that turtle more than anything.

[@MetalFox619]

Even the turtles in North Korea are oppressed :(

[@mrmundyyy]

This is so insane. 150.000 people parading for 10 guys. You can truely see that this is all for the ~3 americans as they are the ones sitting on the place where normally their *greatest leader* would sit. Insane place.

[@daniel3231995]

They know it was being filmed

[@maximus3233]

It was rehearsal hahaha

[@maximus3233]

& it seemed like he edited some clips of the main ARIRANG event

[@aboutblank4356]

3:00 "kidnapped director" LOL

[@moustachio05]

Freezing mooon!

[@charlietheron8947]

OMG(oh my god) it is famous dead man

[@filolalaki2061]

Brilliant infiltration job. Don't know how you got that hidden camera in and out of the country. Never go back there dude, they will be waiting for you. Awesome video, scary country.

[@thitran1362]

He went there twice! TWICE!

[@og_gaming681]

When vice weren’t pussys

[@vanshprajapati7010]

They didn't get secret cams. They were shooting publicly. They were on journalist visa and they are allowed to shoot only what the "regime" wants them to.

[@j0rmis]

@@thitran1362 now three times

[@101trus]

They were supposed to be point and shoot cameras. They didn’t know they could take video

[@NickSalvation]

Shane Smith, by far the best thing to happen to youtube in a very long time.

[@bpapao]

worst job is the cameraman who risks more and get zero credit 😭

[@auspicious8415]

@@bpapao if they gave him credit, the entire government gonna be trying to kill him lmao

[@thomas_tk330]

Visiting North Korea must be like going to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.

[@Onio_]

If only we were given control of the country at the end of the visit like Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.

[@Nothing-ce8uv]

So placing your life under the high likelihood of suffering a bizarre and horrific death, never to be seen again? :P

[@adyingbottleofjuice3090]

@@Nothing-ce8uv that's literally what the willy Wonka factory is

[@Nothing-ce8uv]

@@adyingbottleofjuice3090 well yea, that's why i said what i said lol

[@ryanfriedman4329]

I wonder how Kim Jong-il told his wife that he was actually in love with Elizabeth Taylor.

[@johnkapwn]

With an Anti-Aircraft gun pointed at her

[@twatenthusiast3660]

He just told,If his wife was gonna have a different opinion,she would've been killed lmao

[@mjordan233]

How does it feel to be the only person excited about Hollywood films in the country and no one to share your excitement with?

[@kaelanreilly5075]

All Hail The Fish!

[@lx3469]

*squats aggressively*

[@skeetrix5577]

Hell ya!!! I wanna see a movie about THE FISH

[@KaladinVegapunk]

Haha the fish was a total boss

[@6syns214]

Is that your switch off tool?

[@HarshRajAlwaysfree]

And the tea girl !!

[@poolboyinla]

How does Vice fund these films?

[@remgl5431]

yo wtf travic kraft be watching vice documentaries?

[@JessicaGarcia-xf9wr]

ReMGL lol it’s from 7 years ago.

[@remgl5431]

@@JessicaGarcia-xf9wr well it's something

[@eleventhknight9744]

This damn sure did not age well. Not sure it's Shane's doing either

[@ryanspeck256]

Annoying viewers with ads

[@alishubbar1924]

#freetheteagirl #freetheseaturtle

[@nikhiljoshi2961]

#freeearl #freebobbyshmurda

[@averageyoutubeuser2475]

IQ- Gamer I always get extremely nostalgic thinking abt the tea girl, what could have happened to her? Some might obviously say “she has been killed” but a life time question

[@ariestiger12]

@@averageyoutubeuser2475 where is she? I keep seeing people refer to her but only saw her waving at the end of episode 3

[@grogu1979]

@The Unbeatable she is in part 2 of the other north korean documentary....not the film documentary but the part 2 of other north korean documentary made by vice

[@grogu1979]

@@ariestiger12 watch the part 2 of the other north korean documentary...not the film madness documentary....there is another documentary made by vice that shows the tea girl , go to part 2 of that documentary & you will see the whole tea girl scene

[@hapikoala]

2:57 Executive Producer:kim jong il *Kidnapped director* : shin sang-ok

[@milkman2962]

3:54 seeing a girl in traditional clothing playing a electrical guitar just doesn’t sit right with me

[@Mond054]

So you have to dance to get into North Korea lmao hilarious 😂🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@rammyhome4884]

*Every other country : Director* *North Korea : Kidnapped Director*

[@Stifsim6]

Understatement of the year... If you have not seen the longer version of their trip, take the time to watch that. Totally insane.

[@JaneDoe-ql9ye]

where?

[@sk8punk318]

It’s such a shame all those kids spent 2 years for basically nothing. That show deserves to be in some sort of international show or something.

[@clashcityrocker122]

in case anyone wondering the punkish song playing at the beginning when the soldiers are marching is "triumph of life" by fucked up. it was driving me nuts trying to find it because I recognized the riff

[@ismailugaas7322]

When you watch this documentary relays how good we have in the west

[@pranavsawant5432]

That's why you people are getting fucked by Africans

[@TwoGamingDudes1]

shout out to the tea girl #teagirlforprez

[@jalisaalanaye1662]

What’s so sad is that she’ll never see any of these hundreds or even thousands of people talking about her, loving her.

[@arnoldrivas4590]

Is this the same trip Shane took for The Vice Guide to North Korea special? Or was this a totally different trip? Because some footage looks like its been shot on two different cameras.

[@RisingTied72]

Same trip. They might have just used some other footage that got cut from the special

[@arnoldrivas4590]

RisingTied72 But why so different quality in film?

[@irhungry66]

It makes some sense in doing 2 different types of episodes. Not many journalists can say they visited North Korea. So Vice wanted to do a special for the Theater side, entertainment of North Korea (already knowing that Kim had some taste with the cinema) and the actual visiting of North Korea, their people, and tradition.

[@danrodrigues3531]

What a cliffhanger...now I'm going to have to watch parts 2 and 3 to find out if they were finally able to get to the film studios...

[@LegendYT931]

film studio or not this trip and the footage you got was iconic. we salute you Shane

[@chloepurkrabek4232]

7:36 There's a marching band involved? Sign me up. How do I apply, again?

[@ludwigvanbeethoven9641]

binge watching shane works wow he’s my type of journalist

[@LUXAETERNA6603]

That's so sad. No one's there . . if I was in that movie/production thing I'd go home and cry my eyes out at night knowing my talents were being wasted and that I'd die being recognized as someone worth notice by about 40 people throughout my whole lifetime.

[@fietsvriend]

@ Vice, did you also go to state-owned SEK Studio, employing as many as 500 North Korean animators?They completed Empress Chung in 2005, a famous Korean folk tale about a daughter who sacrifices herself to a sea monster to restore her blind father’s eyesight. It was the first cartoon jointly produced by the two Koreas.

[@LuisCortez-rt4tr]

The music just made the documentary look like an enjoyable trip

[@deju5302]

7:15 when you can't afford LED screens so you use kids instead...

[@Echo-of-the-MessiYAH-316]

Technically speaking, that over the top show isn’t just for 10 people watching in attendance! It’s for millions in the outside world who will see what you experienced on the film you bring back!

[@ndgv2]

Havent seen this one in a while. I want to have a beer with Shane Smith damnit. Vice is a breath of fresh air.

[@aw4610]

They treat you like a damn boss

[@danielhycarl539]

That's a good thing about nk

[@nugglebunny81r]

there's so much i dont get to know about north korea, and this documentary is really good. the stadium show blew me away! it was awesome!

[@CAPTINjacksparrow]

There’s so much any of us don’t know about NK… and there’s a reason for that

[@cleopatrastarseed8558]

Its amazing that these people are able to perform so well despite a lifetime of malnutrition

[@cloudcast8110]

Playing Warm Leatherette by The Normal in the beginning was probably the best thing vice has ever edited

[@neo_corgski4618]

Who else thinks the background music for the first half or so (Like the punk stuff) is A) Awesome B) Really fitting

[@unclejuniorsoprano]

Shane's presentations are phenomenal. He's always well organized, knows exactly what to say & knows what his viewers are truly interested in. He also has the guts to visit some very dangerous places-- N. Korea is one of them. The U.S. gov. warns against visiting such iniquitous nations. They are extremely paranoid & although Shane is given the red carpet treatment, all that can change in an instant & he could be arrested & made an example of. This indeed is a very scary place. GREAT VIDEO!

[@TheTeodorsoldierabvb]

Then stay away :D

[@matereymate]

a documentary a day vice? please? i am addicted to them

[@omyhaby2556]

....i am here for the Music very Good music and Great Perfomance...

[@brendanmatelan2129]

What and which cutting room floor did you get those opening film strips?

[@sentimentalvelvet3209]

smfh shane says that if they don't get to see the film studios that the whole trip "has been a bust?" dude, you got into north korea, that's a pretty big achievement already...

[@doujin01]

Ryan Kanemaru Strange isn't? eh?

[@viliussmproductions]

6:30 So does that festival happen every time some tourists arrive? Because every documentary like this that I've seen shows it.

[@Melanittanigra]

This video is amazing, you guys are great.

[@squiddi1393]

Wait what?!? 5:01 That tower on the left with the mini flame is in LA. Idk if it's a shot of LA because it certainly doesn't look like it, or Kim Jung Il really did like film and had a replica of it built because LA is a film capital?

[@daichigenpatsu]

Dude! I live in Japan, but it was the first time I've watched to such a deep inside video like this. Dayumn! I definitely will travel to that place, if the don't start a war with S. Korea next week. GREAT JOB!

[@adeepsrinivasa2364]

2:58 For sure making that film was not OK for Shin Sang-OK

[@SaebriSelect]

Damn, how did i miss this video???? was looking up 'shane smith vice' to try to see more of him hosting.

[@hoyle7780]

Check out hamiton morris or Thomas Morton they also do pretty good pieces on youtube through vice media

[@SaebriSelect]

Chris Heil Funny that you say that, those are the other two Hosts that I watched all of their videos, I wish they had more new videos more frequently .

[@ainationaldiscovery]

I love the diversity of topics covered on your channel. 🌐📚 It keeps things interesting and educational! 🤓"

[@English_Lessons_Pre-Int_Interm]

So, can we talk about your favourite North Corean Sci-Fil film? Or some documentary in HD/Blu...ray?

[@tsunimokitr]

Hipocrisy at its highest level. Kim Jong-il always spoke shit about the US... But loved US films? Do you find coherence on that? Because I don't. Sorry. I'm not a native speaker. Excuse my poor english skills.

[@janeadelaidelennox7193]

+Luis Reyes Sánchez (TsunimokiTrance) Yup. There is total coherence in that. The guy is a hypocrite who exploits an entire nation of what is essentially kidnapped Koreans so he can have whatever he wants and be as awesome as he wants without doing a damn thing. And your English is excellent. Most people on youtube speak English natively and don't even know what coherence IS, let alone have the ability to spell it :)

[@CoryMck]

+Luis Reyes Sánchez (TsunimokiTrance) Well that's like a person saying that they hate the Chinese Government but loves Chinese films and celebrities. The 2 can be separated.

[@saeedvazirian]

+Isosceles Kramer (groovylocks) The US is far worse than NK. You're just politically leaning towards your american inferiority complex when a nation like NK provides itself autonomy from the US. Idiot.

[@tsunimokitr]

Cory Mck Indeed. That would make sense, but unfortunately, the Kims always said that they hate everything that has to do with the U.S. From government to ludic stuff. That's what I wanted to pinpoint. I get your point. Totally valid. But that's the thing. They don't stand for what they say. Sorry. I'm not sure if I'm expressing myself clearly.

[@CoryMck]

Luis Reyes Sánchez I remember watching a North Korean propaganda that had North Koreans helping poor starving Americans. I think North Koreans hate Americans way of life but still consider them to be humans. But I could be wrong.

[@Phoebus780]

3:00 I was confused whether I was laughing at the movie credits or feeling sad about the kidnapped director

[@Kennefo]

Yea, I was wondering about that too. I am not quite sure which one was the first visit though..

[@johndeleon3985]

7:14 they actually said chingchong

[@thepriceofsalt9003]

they said kim jong il ....

[@ogigeko6850]

No 😂

[@gossolon4113]

not funny

[@chelbylorandi8970]

4:46 take him back to the ocean 😱😭

[@adarshchandel6022]

Will never happen in this country.

[@kimmunist]

Great documentary, thanks!

[@jeffreystreeter5381]

Did anyone else notice the Ramones riffs at 4mins?

[@benjaminhampton1635]

#freeseaturtle

[@lnGhostColours]

if more people were more like shane the world would so much better place to live

[@emiliobello2538]

It would have been a rare oppurtunity for North Koreans to see movies from other places if they were invited to see a movie by Kim Jong Il

[@cherchuhaikieu4328]

120k-150k performers? Woah!! They are very good, the performance was incredible!

[@anoldretiredelephant]

6:01 lincoln memorial?

[@KaramelLolaBunnie91]

Liri 👽-"AnOldRetiredElephant.....I'm glad I'm not the only one who notice it on the other video."

[@Darkshadow-ll8ge]

I think... You already on the film studio... Like comment below, the whole country is the film studio

[@Mecerquark]

does someone know a few names, of the background rocksongs?

[@markwilletts1252]

Jesus Christ Shane ur a beast man so heavy going there I dunno how u guys do it

[@IScorpionI]

Shane Smith for president!

[@Primekillerboy]

David Frigault Yeah but isn't he American as well now?

[@janeadelaidelennox7193]

+Primekillerboy As a canadian who now lives in america and calls it home, nah. You have to be born here. I already checked.

[@janeadelaidelennox7193]

+David Frigault Would he have to renounce his american citizenship to be PM? That's a bit fucked.. We let Harper waddle through without a side-eye but this majestic mofo has to renounce a citizenship he earned? Canada.. Bud.. what the fuck?

[@L_U-K_E]

Somehow North Korea has the largest stadium

[@spongekun4246]

That mass gymnastics felt like an anime opening with that music

[@halo3odst]

A thought occurs, NK mostly has CRT tvs, no LCDs. So they built a big one out of people, brings a new meaning to the term "dead pixel"

[@Angel_Gomez]

Kim Possible, the best Kim of all

[@SJMBproduction]

Lol the kidnapped director's name shin sang ok

[@1Tulipan23]

Your guards not guides! Great detail :)

[@maujo2009]

I get the chills when you see that big add reading PYONGYANG.

[@johnwitherspoon3713]

Funny because we actually whooped their asses back to the Chinese border in the Korean War. But China pushed us back to where the war started because of sheer numbers (they would send thousands and thousands of men to attack one position

[@evaone]

B OMEGALUL OMEGALUL MER

[@dylanstone2045]

"ill tell em" hahaha

[@headeach2307]

i follow this guy a lot and i do like his documentaries done any more on the kings son?

[@zephae]

I first heard about this from MovieBob's The Big Picture and I'm glad to see the story fully fleshed-out

[@dylanstone2045]

WE WANT TEA GIRL

[@proxymoxie]

GO BACK! IT'S 2019 NOW!

[@oceanaelf]

I think he got blacklisted after going to the work camps in russia 😂😭😂😭😂😭😂😭

[@DennisFeinsteinCEO]

Totally digging this soundtrack 👌😎

[@BeardedFreak85]

i love this series!!

[@mainspringguerrilla6841]

The background music is made of one of my favorite bands: fucked up.

[@TraceurMikado]

7:00 --> that is just sick..... beautifull but sick....

[@Slash27015]

Shane: can we see the european city set pls? North Korean guy: Shane: wait why do we have to leave now? North Korean guy: i think it's best we leave now

[@DCussen]

I love this guy, he's hilarious.

[@manifestgtr]

HAHAHAHA they have "bw" drums there...I love it

[@ThunderBucketEVO]

Noticed that too, it's so good

[@Tetraglot]

3:36 They're singing Pangapsumnida!

[@pontusgustafsson9510]

What is the intro punk music song called?

[@xananymous431]

0:59 when was the last time he take a shower

[@PalmettoNDN]

Vice woke but they need to go back to fucking sleep. I miss the real Vice.

[@N3vam0re]

Warm Leatherette by....Daniel Miller (I did a search for the musician)

[@hxd3620]

Imagine a ceremony like this is madw just for you! Wow, I would feel on top of the world.

[@JordanPerrier]

"socialist utopia"??? This is anything but socialist ideology. and certainly not democratic as the name DPRK implies. This is like a monarchy dictatorship. It's actually closer to italian fascism then marxist socialist.

[@MrClaudiuzz9]

+J Perr Economically though this is the definition of socialism. Just like socialist soviet russia and socialist communist china*, you are just focusing on the political structure not realizing that socialism is an economic system.

[@JordanPerrier]

Claudius Odermatt how is north Korea the definition of socialism economically? In 2016 (not 40 years ago).

[@MrClaudiuzz9]

J Perr Speaking politically, the political structure of a dictatorship in Nkroea, in Soviet Russia, Communist China and Socialist Nazi Germany, or Communist Vietnam ect ect

[@MrClaudiuzz9]

J Perr Heck you could even throw in 1930-1940 in America which also had a highly regulated economy, especially in price fixing by the government. America in that period was pretty socialist. free healthcare, free education, free this and that are not the definition of socialism but a form of socialism with the principle of wealth distribution applied. Price fixing by the government for example is indirect wealth distribution as opposed to directly taking money from citizens through taxes. Tariffs are another example of wealth distribution of the people, some call tariffs a tax. Same principle of socialism applied.

[@MrClaudiuzz9]

J Perr If you ask me, Nkorea is quite similarly economically structured to how Soviet Russia was.