Review of Chung Kuo: China (1972) by Diana X — 30 Jan 2009
I like the Cino movie, despite I couldn't understand everything in Italian (the good thing is they don't say much in the movie)!! still waiting for a friend coming from Roma to translate it for me!!!...
The movie is very unique on its own, it is long, runs more than 3 hours. I first read it from an ethnologist's site... Antonioni came to China in the very special period of culture revolution with Mao's permission...
It's a particular interesting period: not just politically and socially; but also my parents' generation lived through the time. They spent their youth in the countyside working in the paddyfield away from their cities and their fimilies; they were not just growing crops, but also thoughts and believes in their mind! They are the ones shaped and built the modern China today!!
As this period is hardly captured in any chinese documentatories, this Italian version is a find! The movie itself is very touching and real despite Antonioni was only allowed to film in certain areas... it's also interesting to see it from an outsider's point of view through Antonioni's lens. Admire his initiative of travelling so far with his crews and making the movie in the 70's.
This review of Chung Kuo: China (1972) was written by Diana X on 30 Jan 2009.
Chung Kuo: China has generally received very positive reviews.
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