Yellow Earth

Released Sep 10, 1985

1h 29m

Drama

List

100%

8 Reviews

Tomatometer

76%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

In the spring of 1939, an idealistic communist soldier (Wang Xueqi) takes to the Chinese countryside on a mission to collect spirited folk songs from the people. However, he soon discovers that these peasants don't sing songs of joy but ballads that tell of their hardscrabble existence. Though he returns to the army, his speech on freedom makes a powerful impact on Cuiqiao (Xue Bai), a young girl who dreams of crafting a new future by following his example and enlisting in the communist army.

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william d

The film strives for poignancy but delivers only boredom.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

a great movie that makes you think

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Chen Kaige's Chinese Communist propaganda film is beautifully filmed and acted.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Symbolic images & vivid illustration of the origin of art

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

My first Chinese film saw at NFT Southbank in the Summer 1985. Cinematographic Sumptuousness. Fell in Love with Chinese Cinema for the next 10 years. Sets Very High Standards in Art Direction, Cinematography and Editing.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

[b][u]Chungking Express[/u] ÖØÇìÉÁÖ ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï1/2[/b] Íõ¼ÒÎÀ¾µäÖÐµÄ¾µä¡£ [b][u]Happy Together[/u] ´º¹âÕ§Ð¹ ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï[/b] °¢¸ùÍ¢ÊôÓÚÁº³¯Î°¡¢ÕÅ¹úÈÙ¡£ [b][u]Yellow Earth[/u] »ÆÍÁµØ ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï[/b] ³Â¿¸èÕÅÒÕÄ±ºÏ×÷µÄÖÐ¹úµ±´úµçÓ°µÚÒ»¸ö¸ß·å¡£

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

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Chen Kaige

Director

Xue Bai

Cuiqiao

Wang Xue-Qi

Gu Quing

Tan Tuo

The father

Quiang Liu

Hanhan

Chen Kaige

Screenwriter

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David Stratton

Sydney Morning Herald

Yellow Earth takes us to an unfamiliar place and time, but through its serene images and its use of songs and music, it widens all our horizons.

May 27, 2021

Full Review

Pat Graham

Chicago Reader

The film broke definitively with Chinese studio tradition and introduced a new sense of ambiguity in the relation between political ideology and praxis.

Aug 23, 2010

Full Review

Walter Goodman

New York Times

The striking images of Yellow Earth... offer respite from a plot that bears the impress of the cultural arm of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee.

Aug 23, 2010

Full Review

TV Guide

Justifiably celebrated for its daring, colorful visuals and innovative, eye-opening rhythms.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jan 29, 2014

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 3/5

Jul 18, 2005

Full Review

Film4 Staff

Film4

Deeply rooted in the life of the villagers, this is a film about the notion of change -- something not countenanced by the authorities.

May 24, 2003

Full Review

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Synopsis

In the spring of 1939, an idealistic communist soldier (Wang Xueqi) takes to the Chinese countryside on a mission to collect spirited folk songs from the people. However, he soon discovers that these peasants don't sing songs of joy but ballads that tell of their hardscrabble existence. Though he returns to the army, his speech on freedom makes a powerful impact on Cuiqiao (Xue Bai), a young girl who dreams of crafting a new future by following his example and enlisting in the communist army.

Director: Chen Kaige
Screenwriter: Chen Kaige
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Chinese
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 10, 1985, Original
Runtime: 1h 29m