A Great Wall

 An American immigrant family from China returns to its homeland for a brief visit, encountering culture clashes.When computer programmer, Leo Fang, is passed up for promotion, he feels it is because he is Chinese, and quits. He takes his Chinese-American family to Mainland China to visit his relatives, the Chao's for a vacation. The clash of cultures, between the men, wives, and teenagers, leads to some confusion, and misunderstanding.
 
 

Wo hu cang long aka Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

The disappearance of a magical jade sword spurs a breathtaking quest for the missing treasure. Li (Chow Yun-Fat) is embittered by the loss of his jade sword, and his unrequited pursuit of Yu (Michelle Yeoh) is further complicated by the mysterious intrusion of an assassin. The identity of the assassin is gradually unveiled as another poignant tale of love begins to ravel with that of Li and Yu against the backdrop of Western China's magnificent landscape.

VTLIB Video 7402

Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? aka  Dharmaga tongjoguro kan kkadalgun (1989)

Meditative, mind-expanding account of an elderly, dying Zen master and his two disciples, a monk and a boy; they retire to a rural monastery, away from the ``turbulence of life,'' where the master attempts to guide the others toward a state of enlightenment. An unusual film, not for all temperaments, but most rewarding if you can immerse yourself in its flow.   Premiered theatrically in the U. S. in 1993.
 

VTLIB (Video #2001)

Cheng nan chiu shih aka My memories of old Beijing(1986)

An old woman reminisces about her childhood in the city of Beijing.

VTLIB (Video 2959), BB-FOR, VU-FOR

The Horse Thief  aka  Dao ma zei (1986)

The story of Norbu, a horse thief, who is thrown out of his tribe in an effort to purge it of evil. Norbu repents after the birth of
 his son, but he is forced to steal again after the birth of a second son. The story revolves around a Tibetan tribesman named Norbu, who steals a horse, and is therefore driven out of the tribe by the local headman to live with his family in harsh isolation. Norbu repents after the death of his son, but the  tough Tibetan winter drives him to steal again after the birth of his second son

The Bride with White Hair aka Bai fa mo nu zhuan (1993)

The sensitive swordsman Cho Yi-Hang is tired of his life. He is the unwilling successor to the Wu-Tang clan
throne and the unsure commander of the clan's forces in a war against foreign tribes and an evil cult. One day, he
meets the beautiful Lien, a killer for the evil cult who is equally unsatisfied with her situation, but their love angers
both the Wu-Tang clan and the evil cult.
 

Dust in the Wind   aka   Lianlian fengchen (1986)

The story of a country boy's lost love, this film follows a  pair of small-town lovers who move to Taipei because they are too poor to finish high school.   A-yuan and A-yun are both from the small mining town of Jio-fen. In the city, A-yuan is an apprentice by day and goes to night school, and A-yun works as a helper at a tailors.  Everyone thinks they are meant for each other, so do they.  They fail to see time and fate are beyond their control.

VTLIB(Video #1918)

China's Only Child  (Documentary)

In response to China's rapidly growing population, the Chinese government announced in 1982 that each couple should have only one child. This program examines the Chinese people's reaction to this edict and its implementation.

BBuster--FOR

301, 302 (1995) South Korea

A strikingly photographed and acted psychological horror film. Two seemingly different women are thrust together in an apartment complex; the machinations of one, to feed the other woman with her fetishistic recipes, and the other woman's need to suppress all appetite and contact with the world, are brought to a boil in a powerful and disturbing climax. What comes before is an absorbing and totally unique character study of two lonely people who flirt with madness and oblivion. The director subtly peels back layers of desperation and repression with the precision of a surgeon. Gripping, terrifying and totally, utterly original.
 

BBuster--FOR

The Blue Kite (1993) aka Lan feng zheng

Absorbing, uncompromising saga of the life and times of--and emotional upheaval within--one Chinese family during the tumultuous 1950s and 60s, told from the point of view of a child. An unsubtle condemnation of blind revolution and the political system in Communist China. It was (unsurprisingly) highly controversial back home; at one point its filming was halted because of the scenario's ``political leanings. ''.
 

BBuster--FOR, VU--FOR

Close to Eden (1991) aka Urga (1991)

Russian truckdriver accidentally comes into the lives of a Mongol family, adroitly raising the question of who's ``civilized'' and who isn't. Beautifully filmed in the Mongolian steppe region of inner China.  The shepherd Gombo lives with his wife, three children and grandmother in a tent on the Mongolian steppe. They are pleased with their rustic conditions, until a Russian truck driver, Serguei, gets stuck with his truck nearby. The cultural gap between Gombo and Serguie seems invincible. But maybe they can learn a few things from each other?
 

BB-ACTION

Fist of Legend aka Jing wu ying xiong (1994)

Chen Zheng was sent to Japan by his master so that he may learn new skills that may help the Chinese against the Japanese. In Japan he receives word that his master was killed in a duel against a samurai back in Shanghai. Chen returns home to pay his respects to his master and to get to the bottom of what happened to his master. After a quick fight with the head samurai Chen was convinced there is no way that his master could've lost. The Japanese military soon become involved to discredit Chen and his school, also internal conflict between Chen and his masters son risk to tear apart the martial arts school.

Over twenty years since the first telling of the story, Bruce Lee's 'Fist of Fury' returns to the screen. The story is a classic one that has its roots in an actual event in Chinese history -- the defeat of Master Huo at the hands of the Japanese. This time around, popular actor and martial arts champion Jet Li steps into the shoes of folk hero Chen Zhen, in a race to save his master's honor and his own pride.

BBuster--FOR

Ju Dou (1990)

Striking, visually magnificent drama, set during the 1920s, telling the tragic story of a young peasant woman who's forced to wed an elderly, bitter factory owner, and commences an affair with his nephew. This was banned in China, supposedly because of its focus on individual values and unflattering depiction of the old man (in a nation ruled by a small elite group of old men); also the authorities supposedly feared that audiences would see it as a metaphor for the way China's leaders control society. First Chinese film ever to earn a Best Foreign Film Academy Award nomination--and those responsible for entering it in the competition were disciplined by their superiors. Controversy aside, a powerful, provocative film.
 

BBuster--FOR

Bian zou bian chang (1991) Bian zou bian chang (1991) ...aka Life on a String (1991)

Lyrical, beautifully filmed tale of a blind boy who's told by his master that his sight will be restored if he devotes his life to music; he becomes a saintly old man (still without sight) who travels from village to village with his young disciple singing songs, which he finds spiritually nurturing. Thoughtful film crammed with poetic imagery, soundtrack of wonderful folk songs.
 
 

VTLIB (Video #4965), BBuster--FOR

Hong gao liang (1987) aka Red Sorghum (1987)

Evocative, beautifully filmed combination drama/black comedy/fairy tale/epic which chronicles a most untraditional union between a pair of rural lovers during the 1920s. The years pass, a new decade arrives, and with it come Japanese invaders. A triumph for director Yimou.
 
 

Pao Da Shuang Deng (1994)Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker (1994)

Evocative, romantic tale, beautifully directed and photographed and set in the early 20th century. The heroine is a young woman (Hing Jing) who wears men's clothes and successfully operates her family's fireworks manufacturing business. Her priorities begin to change when she is attracted to a good-looking, wandering artist (Wu Gang).
 
 

China Cry: A True Story (1991)

Drama set in the 1950s, based on a true story, about a young girl, Sung Neng Yee, who is brought as part of a wealthy Chinese family. She is eager to become part of Mao Tze Tung's "new society", but soon becomes disenchanted by the economic misery the changes bring to her family. Before long, the authorities become aware of Neng Yee's feelings and she is taken to a labour camp, overseen by the sadistic Colonel Cheng.
 

BBuster--Drama

Chinese Box (1997)

Murky drama set in the final six months of Great Britain's rule over Hong Kong, with the smell of change in the air as China prepares to take over. Irons plays a jaded journalist whose own life is at a crossroads. Li is not well showcased in her first English-language film, as a woman ``with a past'' whom Irons adores but cannot have. Heavy-handed allegory was conceived by Wang, Paul Theroux, and Jean-Claude Carrière.
 
 

VTLIB (Video #1445), VU--Drama, BB-Drama

Last Emperor, The (1987)

Remarkable film inspired by true story of Pu Yi, the last emperor of China, who is crowned at age three and lives a cloistered life in the Forbidden City until he is deposed (as a young man) during the revolution and forced to fend for himself in the outside world for the first time. A magnificent journey to another time and place, hampered by unanswered questions in the narrative and a main character who remains somewhat cold. Nothing can top the spectacle of life in the Forbidden City (where scenes were actually filmed)--or the twists of fate that fill Pu Yi's life. Photographed by Vittorio Storaro; music by Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne, and Cong Su. Winner of nine Academy Awards including Best Picture.
 

VU-Drama, BB-Drama

Red Corner (1997)

American lawyer, representing cable/satellite TV interests in China, is framed for murdering a sexy model with whom he slept one night. His chances for justice are slim until the female lawyer assigned to his case (Ling) is bold enough to help him fight the system and figure out who's really behind this crime. Repetition and elements of illogic and predictability weaken an otherwise interesting yarn.
 
 

VU--FOR
 

Ermo
 
 

A noodle-maker stops at nothing to become successful enough to buy her family an expensive television.
 
 

VTLIB (Video 5001), VU-FOR

Raise the Red Lantern (1991)...aka Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991)

Striking look at the life of a young concubine in 1920s China, as university-educated girl (Gong Li) is sent to feudal nobleman's palatial home to become his newest wife. The relationships between her and her predecessors--all of whom live on the premises--and the interaction among the women, the servants, and their master are brilliantly played out. An extraordinary view of sex, loyalty, intrigue, and female bonding. Deliberately paced, but worth watching for the changes in emotion that register on actress Gong Li's face alone. Screenplay by Ni Zhen, from a novel by Su Tong.
 

VU-FOR

The Silk Road(1988) aka Dun-Huang (1988)

 In 1026, students in western China are shanghaied into the forces of crown prince Li Yuanhao of Xi Xia, who wants to control the length of the Silk Road. One student is Zhao Xingde, who becomes the favorite of his commander, Zhu Wangli. While sacking a fortress, Xingde discovers Tsurpia, princess of the Uighur. He hides her; they fall in love. When he's sent away to study Xixian, he leaves Tsurpia in Zhu's care, but returns to find her engaged to Li. Tragedy follows, and he and Zhu enter a pact to take revenge when Li arrives at Dun-Huang, the region's seat of learning and culture. Against overwhelming odds, they find a surprising way to leave a monument to their life and love.
 

VTLIB (Video #4940), VU-FOR

 Story of Qiu Ju, The (1992)...aka Qiu Ju da guan si (1992)

Exceptional drama about a naive but determined Chinese farm woman (Li), who demands to receive an explanation and simple apology after her husband is beaten up by the obstinate chief of her village. This deft, ironic story of a woman's search for justice examines government bureaucracy and how regulations and rules often have little to do with the real needs of people.
 
 
 
 

VU-FOR

Story of Xinghua, The (1994)...aka  Xinghua san yue tian (1994)

In Northern China, Xinghua lives with her husband, who makes money by selling stones from the Great Wall. But she is unable to give him a son to inherit this wealth. When her husband hatches a plan to tear down the local historic fortress to find a legendary hidden treasure, she finds herself drawn to a gentler, more educated man who wants to preserve it.
 
 
 
 

VU-FOR

Women from the Lake of Scented Souls, The (1993) ...aka Xian hun nu (1993)...aka Woman Sesame Oil Maker (1993)

If money can't buy happiness, can it at least buy control over others? Xiang is hard-working, running a small sesame oil business. Her husband is lazy and drinks; her son is blood simple. When Japanese investors provide capital to expand Xiang's business, she has the wealth to raise her social standing and buy a wife for her son, Dunzi. When money and a forceful personality fail to bend others to her will, including daughter-in-law Huanhuan, Xiang must find another way to tranquillity.
 

VTLIB (Video #2004), BB-FOR, VU-FOR

The Yellow Earth (1984)...aka Huang tu di (1984)

One of the earliest films of the Chinese New Wave is an engrossing, poetic account of a wandering communist soldier who arrives in a rural farming village in 1939 to learn folk songs that he will teach to his regiment; he inspires a 14-year-old girl who is bound by tradition to a life of bitterness and hardship. Photographed by Zhang Yimou; it's interesting to contrast this film's ``communism equals freedom'' propaganda to the political content of Yimou and Kaige's later work.
 

BB-FOR

Temptation of a Monk aka You Seng (1993)

Near the beginning of the Tang dynasty, in 7th century China, General Shi Yan-sheng is tricked into leaving the crown prince unguarded. The crown prince is murdered by one of his brothers who then becomes emperor. Shi retreats to a monastery, perhaps to hide, perhaps to plan a coup. When his loyal troops as well as the princess he desires are slain, he seeks refuge in a remote, abandoned monastery where an aged abbot schools him with practical, earthy teachings. The emperor's forces pursue Shi: first a woman, then a general seek to overpower him with lust and might. Over the course of the film, the reds of battle give way to blues of meditation.
 
 

VTLIB (Video #5289), BB-FOR

To Live (1994) aka Huozhe (1994)

Another stirring production from director/actress team of Zhang Yimou and Gong Li, although this time the female role is less powerful, and less pivotal, than the male lead. Film follows married couple as their fortunes rise and fall, through several decades of Chinese life, from 1940's onward. Viewer gets history lesson as time passes, children grow, and freedoms are suppressed. Ge You is outstanding as simple yet unstereotypical patriarch; only flaw is that episodic story eventually develops Edna Ferber-ish soap opera quality. Based on the novel Lifetimes by Yu Hua.
 

VTLIB(Video #4845),  BB-DRAMA

Inn of the Sixth Happiness, The (1958)

All her life Englishwoman Gladys Aylward knew that China was the place where she belonged. Not qualified to be sent there as a missionary, Gladys works as a domestic to earn the money to send herself to a poor, remote village. There she eventually lives a full and happy life: running the inn, acting as "foot inspector", advising the local Mandarin and even winning the heart of mixed race Captain Lin Tan. But Gladys discovers her real destiny when the country is invaded by Japan and the Chinese children need her to save their lives. Based on a true story.
 

VTLIB (Video 6207),BB-DRAMA

Kundun (1997)

The fascinating saga of the 14th Dalai Lama begins with the discovery that he has been reincarnated in the body of a two-year-old boy. We follow his journey through life, including education, exile, and a confrontation with the Chinese government, led by Mao Tse-tung. Search in vain for a Scorsese ``edge''--this is just good, solid storytelling, from Melissa Mathison's script (written with the Dalai Lama's cooperation). A cast of nonprofessional actors is simply remarkable, and so is Philip Glass' score
 

VTLIB (DVD no. 33), BB-DRAMA/FOR, VU-DRAMA/FOR

Farewell My Concubine

Elaborate aria, no favorite at home but cowinner of Cannes' top prize, about the contentious 52-year relationship of two male childhood apprentices in the Peking Opera, one a specialist in female roles with a lifelong atttraction to his heterosexual partner, who in turn marries a beauty from a brothel. A long but consistently absorbing drama spanning China's warlord era, the Cultural Revolution, and beyond. At its best in the first half; originally 170m.
 
 

Why has Bodi-darma Left for the East?

Meditative, mind-expanding account of an elderly, dying Zen master and his two disciples, a monk and a boy; they retire to a rural monastery, away from the ``turbulence of life,'' where the master attempts to guide the others toward a state of        enlightenment. An unusual film, not for all temperaments, but most rewarding if you can immerse yourself in its flow.