Idea #93 - Could the Kims Save the Cat?

Today we watched StudioBinder’s Parasite Explained in 15 Beats, and studied a detailed breakdown of the movie and understood how it fits perfectly Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat Beat Sheet - a construct divided into three acts, upon which rests the plot of about every piece of fiction.

The Save the Cat construct basically draws a structure for the narration to follow. With elements like the setup of the theme, a catalyst to push it further, the dilemma of the protagonist, flourishing, failing, losing hope, planning, executing the plan, and the consequence - the beat sheet encompasses every aspect of a fulfilling story.

In the context of Academy-winning masterpiece, Parasite by Bong Joon-ho, we see this structure again, quite transparently too, with every element of each act complementing one another seamlessly. Despite resting upon the same foundation as any other movie, Parasite has flourished to be a satirical comedy unlike any other.

From the very first scene of the Kim’s house, invoking sympathy in the audience for the family, to the son’s conniving plan to invade the rich Park family, to the brief period of sunshine and the subsequent war between the “parasites” of the residence, circling all the way back to the Kim’s house, the story masterfully saved the cat, but at the expense of everyone else!

Written and curated by Arya Kastwar