Product Details

• Actors: Ezzatolah Entezami, Ezatallah Ramezanifar, Jamshid Mashayekhi, Ali Nassirian, Parviz Fanizadeh
• Directors: Dariush Mehrjui
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: Persian
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: FIRST RUN FEATURES
• DVD Release Date: August 24, 2004
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0002F6BFG
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #132,721 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Cow" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

COW - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Memorable Film, January 30, 2008

By 

Peyman Vahabzadeh (Vancouver, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cow (DVD)

"The Cow" (Gaav) is arguably the masterpiece of Dariush Mehrjui and one of the best films in the history of Iranian cinema--a stylistic cinema which has already achieved so much internationally. Made in 1969, the plot of the film comes actually from a segment of the remarkable novel, "The Mourners of Bayal," written by Iranian playwright and psychotherapist Gholam Hossein Saedi (1935-1985). Saedi co-wrote the screenplay with Mehrjui, and the result is this outstanding film.

The film depicts the human situation living in utmost poverty and dispossession. Masht Hassan loses his only possession and his only source of living, his cow. Then in the unfolding process of mourning his cow, he gradually identifies with the dead animal... indeed, he becomes the cow. His insanity invokes a chain reaction on the part of his fellow villagers who at first try to help Hassan out of compassion but gradually and unconsciously begin treating him like a cow out of fear of such metamorphosis and reincarnation. The result is this starkly depicted human tragedy. It is a must see for anyone seriously thinking about social issues as well as about cinema.

The film also depicts the underlying animistic beliefs of rural Iran--a prevalent belief that has been hidden and working under the surface of Islamic beliefs. The identification of man and animal, and that there is an animal soul for humans, comes from polytheistic Indian cultures, which after the Mongol conquest and throughout centuries has permeated Persian cultures and belief systems.

This film also features the fabulous congregations of Iran's most outstanding actors of the time, Ali Nassirian, Ezzatollah Entezami, and Jamshid Mashayekhi. Their acting is super, the ambiance surreal, the situation heart-wrenching.

This will be a memorable film for anyone who hasn't yet seen it.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moo..., August 27, 2006

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cow (DVD)

Don't let the English subtitles deter you. Dialogue is minimal in this black and white film, smuggled out of Iran in 1971. This is not in any way political that I can see, so I wonder what the government was trying to suppress here. It shows poverty, madness, a severe learning disability, theft, violence, murder, lust, superstition... If Iran doesn't have those, well, it's the only country in the world that can make such a claim.

This is actually a moving, realistic portrayal of life in one of the most barren villages you're likely to see, and a damn fine movie. Great use of music, no special effects, wild variations in the volume level that annoy any little pussycats who may be sitting on your lap enjoying the film with you. So yep, redneck Michael enjoyed another Cannes Film Festival winner plans to watch it again.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterpiece, November 1, 2010

By 

Dave Anthony "Villager" (Washington DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cow (DVD)

I am convinced that there is a mystical side to this story, of man actually becoming the object of his intense love. One is reminded of the proclamation "Ana al Haqq" of Hallaj when watching Masht Hassan's mooing. There is something dark and beautiful about this film especially with the juxtaposition of the youth getting married with the old men trying to solve the problems of the village.

If anything, watch this film for simple reason of getting a feel of what village life was like back then. There is a simplicity and beauty in the way these people lived their lives with a rich piety and love for one another. The communal feeling is definitely felt, since everyone in the village depends on the cow. The entire village mourns its death including the viewer.