Yellow Earth

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Yellow Earth

1985

1h 29m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

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.

David Stratton

Sydney Morning Herald

05/27/2021

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.

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Pat Graham

Chicago Reader

08/23/2010

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

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Walter Goodman

New York Times

08/23/2010

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.

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TV Guide

01/29/2014

3.5/4

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

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william d

@acsdoug 07/11/2022

The film strives for poignancy but delivers only boredom.

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07/14/2019

a great movie that makes you think

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01/03/2018

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

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03/31/2015

Symbolic images & vivid illustration of the origin of art

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01/29/2014

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.

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01/29/2014

[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¡£

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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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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