Theatrical Release Date:March 25, 1994 Release Date:January 14, 2003 Availability:Usually ships in 1-2 business days Shipping:Expedited shipping available Shipping:International shipping available Condition:BRAND NEW AND FACTORY SEALED
A personal portrait that embodies the state of things!April 4, 2007 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
All the revolutions are like Saturn; they conclude devouring even its most beloved. In this case we have an intimate story of schoolteacher from 1954 to 1967. A woman who loses three husbands and eventually her own freedom.
Once more the powerful depiction of these brutal years are realistically conveyed into the big screen with notable crudeness and beating actuality.
An advertence for all those who firmly still believe about the human redemption.
Very good film about China during 1950's and 1960'sJuly 15, 2006 5 out of 5 found this review helpful
"The Blue Kite" is a realistic film about the lives of Chinese families in the hutong, or traditional neighborhoods in Beijing between 1953 and 1968. We get fairly good impressions as to what life was like for children and adults living in courtyard homes that are increasingly being dismantled in Beijing, replaced by modern apartments and stores. We see how families gather around in their courtyard homes to celebrate the Chinese New Year. We also see how Chinese families then, as now, are very close, gathering together during family meals, and how grandparents often helped raise their grandchildren.
This film also realistically portrays some of the terrible effects of Mao's policies on ordinary human beings in China. I highly recommend this film and "To Live" as being the two best and most realistic films as to how Mao's misguided, perverse policies affected many ordinary, completely innocent human beings, who were working hard to raise their families, enjoying relatively simple lifestyles.
The movie is primarily told from the perspective of a child, Tietou. Shujuan, his mother, in the course of the events shown in the film has three husbands. Shalong, Her first husband is falsely accused of being a Rightist in the so-called anti-Rightist campaign, instigated by Mao, during the late 1950's. People in workplaces were pressured to come up with a quota of so-called rightists, who were usually sent to labor camps in the countryside. Shaolong, during a meeting with his colleagues to decide who will be labelled a rightist to placate Communist party bosses, briefly leaves the meeting to go to the bathroom. When he returns, he discovers he has been chosen by the others as being a rightist, to be punished. Shalong is completely innocent and tragically dies from an accident in the labor camp.
Tietou has a very difficult time during his childhood, often teased by other boys and he does not get along with his mother's third husband, a high level official who lives in a large, comfortable home. This stepfather is also cruelly tormented by mobs of Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution.
"The Blue Kite" is a relatively slow film, but I highly recommend this film because of its realistic portrayal of the daily lives of Chinese people in the hutong during the 1950's and 1960's, as well as being a courageous film by Zhuangzhuang Tian, the director, in exposing how many innocent people greatly suffered because of Mao's cruel, inhumane policies. This is one of the best films ever made about social life in modern China.
Blue Kite?September 6, 2005 3 out of 6 found this review helpful
It was a great movie. I just wonder how they got the verbage on the back of the packaging. You'd think the "blue kite" would play more of a central role. Never happened. But the movie, aside from the misleading description, was great.
Straw DogsSeptember 3, 2005 6 out of 8 found this review helpful
Compared to a similar film-"To Live"--this movie never really connects the viewer to the main characters--perhaps intentionally-I'm not sure--but despite the various calamities--one really never sympathises/empathises with any of the characters. About the only emotion felt during a viewing of this movie is ambivalence--perhaps all men are straw dogs as per the Taoist's and this is an expression of that sentiment. Basically, the story of a mother and her son from the Communist take over, through the Great Leap forward and the Cultural revolution. Worth watching--but in my opinion significantly inferior to "To Live" But also--significantly better than some of the garbage hollywood spews out!
The Blue Kite - The HopeJuly 17, 2005 12 out of 13 found this review helpful
As most other people have commented, the film is about a tragic story of common Chinese people under Mao's communism rule. I will focus more on my thoughts about why the film is named "The Blue Kite" as it seems have little relationship with the topic of the film, as especially why there are so many scenes of the blue kite stuck on trees.
The story started when Tietou's parents got married and a bunch of children chasing a blue kite but it is stuck on the top of tree. One child tries to fetch it by climbing over the roof. Adults come out and warn the children and one says "I will get a new one for you for sure". This scene is certainly the happiest moment in the film as people are cheerful. The historic background is that China just had communism revolution and most people believed it would bring prosperity and democracy. Common people are cheerful at that time.
As Anti-Rightist political movement came and Tietou's family is shattered by political accusations, soon there was widespread famine in China but eventually people survived and once again Tietou believed that his kite can fly. People are more hopeful if not cheerful that 10 years ago. People still believe in the system. And finally Tietou's mother remarried a high-ranking party official and things seem to get better.
And then cultural revolution started, no one could escape the political accusation and Tietou's stepfather became a target of struggle. Finally Tietou lying on the ground, beated up by Red Guards, watching the kite broken in the wind, listless on the treetop. And finally I realized that the kite stands for Hope, people's hope for a better life.
The kite was stuck several times (apparently due to mistake or accident, certainly having political implication), and Chinese people were forgetful of these events and simply hoping things can get better and despite the apparent tragedies, people's hope is not shattered as the blue kite is still intact. People were actually willing to cooperate with all sorts of political movements and hope all the tragedies were caused by themselves. But eventually when cultural revolution broke out and people are brutally beated by Red Guards, hope is shattered, at least in the mind and eyes of Tietou as he saw the broken kite. People are not longer fasinated by political movements and blls**t any more.
The film is certainly bleaker than a similar one called "To Live". It is certainly understandable since different people endured different harshness under Mao's rule and some are totally disillusioned by Mao's communism and own tragedies, some actually cherish life more and get more hopeful.
But this certainly is not a documentary since it only uses the political events as background. It is valueable to be part of the learning of modern China as it depicts the impact on many people at Mao's rule and that period of history greatly shapes how modern Chinese people think and behave in many implicit ways.
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