Product Details

• Actors: Babbayar Batchuluun, Buyandulam Daramdadi, Batchuluun Urjindorj, Nansal Batchuluun, Nansalmaa Batchuluun
• Directors: Byambasuren Davaa
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Unknown)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: G (General Audience)
• Studio: Tartan Video
• DVD Release Date: February 13, 2007
• Run Time: 93 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000KHX70S
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,758 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Cave of the Yellow Dog" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

(Foreign/Drama) Oscar-nominated director Byambasuren Davaa’s follow-up to the hugely successful The Story of the Weeping Camel is a thought-provoking mix of documentary and drama that tells the story of the age-old bond between man and dog. The eldest daughter of a nomadic Mongolian family finds a small dog and brings it home. Believing that it is responsible for attacking his sheep, her father refuses to allow her to keep it. When the family moves on, Nansal must decide whether or not to defy her father and take her new friend with them.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "You Can't Play With Buddha" ~ Herding Ship And Collecting Dung Along The Endless Cycle Of Reincarnation, April 22, 2007

By 

Brian E. Erland "Rainbow Sphinx" (Brea, CA - USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Cave of the Yellow Dog (DVD)

Note: Mongolian with English and Spanish subtitles [also contains optional English dubbed version].

`The Cave of the Yellow Dog" released in '05 is a remarkably unique and fascinating journey into the landscape and soulscape of a real life Mongolian family. Join Nansal and her younger sister, little brother and parents on their neverending nomadic journey as the quide their flock of sheep from one grazing field to the next.

The film chronicles the daily activities of a solitary nomadic family trying to survive the elements, packs of wolves and vultures while trying to raise three small children. The story centers on the oldest child, Nansal. Nansal is approximately eight or nine years and lives with relatives in the city most of the year so she can attend school. Now that summer has arrived she has returned to her family where she resumes her old way of life. She helps with the sheep, collects dung and watches over her younger siblings. On one dung collecting expedition she finds a dog and forms an immediate bond with the animal. She names her new playmate Konchar and brings him home. Her parents reaction to their new guest is mixed and the question arises; is the dog a hindrance that will attract wolves into their camp, or was it sent by fate for some undisclosed purpose. It is here that the concept of reincarnation delicately weaves its thread through the storyline. Will stubborn little Nansal be able to convince her parents that the arrival of the dog is a good thing or will she have to abandon her new friend when it's time to move on?

The affectionate nature of this delightful family exudes onto the screen as the two adoring parents continue living a life style that is fast growing extinct. The story is enchanting, the three children adorable and the Mongolian landscape magnificent. Whether approached as documentary, travel log, family faire, intelligent drama, or spiritual teaching, the film works well within all the fore mentioned categories. `The Cave of the Yellow Dog' also possesses a simple but elegant soundtrack reminiscent of 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It is a remarkable cinematic achievement and a moving, unforgettable experience that so clearly points out that even in so vastly different cultures and lifestyles how alike we truly are.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Far Away from Hollywood, December 13, 2006

By 

Quizzzical - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cave of the Yellow Dog (DVD)

Far away from Hollywood both thematically and geographically, this heartwarming tale of a young girl's love of a dog she has found, is an outstanding film. Many close-ups of modern nomadic family life in Mongolia, the struggles to keep live stock alive and healthy, the natural play and interaction of children in a rural setting with few modern accoutrements, but most of all the endless sky and landscape make this well worth viewing.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stunning - if it weren't for the Disneyish, February 20, 2007

By 

J. A. Eyon "Little Raven" (Seattle - USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cave of the Yellow Dog (DVD)

While not as original as The Story of the Weeping Camel, YELLOW DOG is still a visually beautiful film set in Western Mongolia (not in the Gobi of WEEPING CAMEL). Once again, it's a fascinating peek at a real-life Mongolian couple living in a yurt with their 3 children, including a daughter home from school who finds a stray dog. And, it's the documentarian glimpse at the family's life that entrances me.

The sense of artificial drama is stronger here than in WEEPING CAMEL. In fact, the found dog and little girl rings of Disney. And that feeling becomes even stronger when she is drawn into dire situations by her fondness for him. (At least the girl, Nansal Batchuluun, is a thousand times more appealing than the insufferable Kevin Corcoran.) Even more telling, the ending could only be a setup.

It helps to view this as a drama with non-actors. And while that drama might feel manufactured, the visual and cultural content make it worthwhile.