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Editorial Reviews
From The New Yorker
A refined, strong-minded political drama, all the more telling for being so quiet. The director, Tian Zhuangzhuang, is just the kind of casual satirist that the Chinese authorities could do without; the movie met fierce official resistance during postproduction, and Tian has now been banned from further filming. Here, he smiles at a country awash with banners and slogans, and makes you realize that opposition comes not from more of the same but from the bemused responses of provincial people too busy with their own lives to be led astray. The story begins, in 1953, with the death of Stalin, and lasts until 1967; in that time, a young boy named Tietou grows up and goes through three fathers, each of them laid low by persecution. Tietou may be a pain to his long-suffering mother, but his misbehavior is just the first stirring of a rebellious spirit. The movie seems clean and steady, a corrective to the lushness and extravagance that, for better or worse, has come to be seen as the house style of Chinese cinema. In Mandarin. -Anthony Lane
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker
Product Description
Banned in China, where the director was under close government scrutiny for making the film without permission. The Blue Kite is the most acclaimed and controversial of all of the films to come out of the new Chinese cinema. Told from the perspective of a young boy. Tietou, it traces the fate of a Beijing family and their neighbors as they experience the political and social upheavals in 1950's and 60's China. Tietou's parents, a librarian and school teacher, both loyal communist party members, soon learn that even the most innocent criticisms can be interpreted by the Party as imperialist propaganda. Over the next fifteen years, Tietou observes the adverse effects of party policy on various members of his family. The only image of hope and freedom offered in the film is a blue kite give to Tietou by his father, which he later passes on to the next generation.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Blue Kite is truly a great example of the new chinese cinema that gathered the attention from all over the world. First of all it is very realistic, very honest and very touching. Director manages to melt this 3 different emotion so well with the great acting and a well written story. Story starts with a baby's birth in early Mao era china and slowly continues its journey in China's political history of 50's and 60's. In this movie we witness a family's struggle to keep up with the times against all political unstabilities of those days. A mother's struggle to grow her child after loosing 2 husbands and other misfortunes that fell on her and her family is extrmely well portrayed and acting is well executed by the actors. Camera captures verything as real and sometimes like a historical documentary that is set in a family's circle. Overall Blue Kite is a brilliant film and a good referance point of the new Chinese cinema. Check it out.
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
As most other people have commented, the film is about a tragic story of common Chinese people under Mao's communism rule. I will focus more on my thoughts about why the film is named "The Blue Kite" as it seems have little relationship with the topic of the film, as especially why there are so many scenes of the blue kite stuck on trees.
The story started when Tietou's parents got married and a bunch of children chasing a blue kite but it is stuck on the top of tree. One child tries to fetch it by climbing over the roof. Adults come out and warn the children and one says "I will get a new one for you for sure". This scene is certainly the happiest moment in the film as people are cheerful. The historic background is that China just had communism revolution and most people believed it would bring prosperity and democracy. Common people are cheerful at that time.
As Anti-Rightist political movement came and Tietou's family is shattered by political accusations, soon there was widespread famine in China but eventually people survived and once again Tietou believed that his kite can fly. People are more hopeful if not cheerful that 10 years ago. People still believe in the system. And finally Tietou's mother remarried a high-ranking party official and things seem to get better.
And then cultural revolution started, no one could escape the political accusation and Tietou's stepfather became a target of struggle. Finally Tietou lying on the ground, beated up by Red Guards, watching the kite broken in the wind, listless on the treetop. And finally I realized that the kite stands for Hope, people's hope for a better life.
The kite was stuck several times (apparently due to mistake or accident, certainly having political implication), and Chinese people were forgetful of these events and simply hoping things can get better and despite the apparent tragedies, people's hope is not shattered as the blue kite is still intact. People were actually willing to cooperate with all sorts of political movements and hope all the tragedies were caused by themselves. But eventually when cultural revolution broke out and people are brutally beated by Red Guards, hope is shattered, at least in the mind and eyes of Tietou as he saw the broken kite. People are not longer fasinated by political movements and blls**t any more.
The film is certainly bleaker than a similar one called "To Live". It is certainly understandable since different people endured different harshness under Mao's rule and some are totally disillusioned by Mao's communism and own tragedies, some actually cherish life more and get more hopeful.
But this certainly is not a documentary since it only uses the political events as background. It is valueable to be part of the learning of modern China as it depicts the impact on many people at Mao's rule and that period of history greatly shapes how modern Chinese people think and behave in many implicit ways.
The story started when Tietou's parents got married and a bunch of children chasing a blue kite but it is stuck on the top of tree. One child tries to fetch it by climbing over the roof. Adults come out and warn the children and one says "I will get a new one for you for sure". This scene is certainly the happiest moment in the film as people are cheerful. The historic background is that China just had communism revolution and most people believed it would bring prosperity and democracy. Common people are cheerful at that time.
As Anti-Rightist political movement came and Tietou's family is shattered by political accusations, soon there was widespread famine in China but eventually people survived and once again Tietou believed that his kite can fly. People are more hopeful if not cheerful that 10 years ago. People still believe in the system. And finally Tietou's mother remarried a high-ranking party official and things seem to get better.
And then cultural revolution started, no one could escape the political accusation and Tietou's stepfather became a target of struggle. Finally Tietou lying on the ground, beated up by Red Guards, watching the kite broken in the wind, listless on the treetop. And finally I realized that the kite stands for Hope, people's hope for a better life.
The kite was stuck several times (apparently due to mistake or accident, certainly having political implication), and Chinese people were forgetful of these events and simply hoping things can get better and despite the apparent tragedies, people's hope is not shattered as the blue kite is still intact. People were actually willing to cooperate with all sorts of political movements and hope all the tragedies were caused by themselves. But eventually when cultural revolution broke out and people are brutally beated by Red Guards, hope is shattered, at least in the mind and eyes of Tietou as he saw the broken kite. People are not longer fasinated by political movements and blls**t any more.
The film is certainly bleaker than a similar one called "To Live". It is certainly understandable since different people endured different harshness under Mao's rule and some are totally disillusioned by Mao's communism and own tragedies, some actually cherish life more and get more hopeful.
But this certainly is not a documentary since it only uses the political events as background. It is valueable to be part of the learning of modern China as it depicts the impact on many people at Mao's rule and that period of history greatly shapes how modern Chinese people think and behave in many implicit ways.
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Fear rules when the party can denounce anyone at anytime for voicing opinions or even thinking that what the government does isn't right. A great coming of age movie with strong political overtones. The acting is excellent and you really feel for the young protagonist. This is a must see for all chinese film fans. I really enjoyed the subtle way that the viewer is pulled into the film. At each turn we almost want to shout to the actors "Don't speak up or they'll haul you away to the camps!" This really says how the film puts you in the position of "what would I do if I didn't live in a free society." A very real look at how a repressive government can destroy lives and prevent creativity and economic prosperity. A good companion to this film is the Russian production of "The Thief", also an enjoyable coming of age flick. I wonder how the reviewer from Moscow didn't get it. May be this will help. Freedom includes the right to say whatever you want about a government and try to make changes within the system without fear of reprisals. (Especially being sent to internment camps or being beaten to death.) Does that simplify it for you.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A great movie that China doesn't approved.
After watching this movie, It motives me to support vote for liberty Constitutionally. Better yet, liberty from Sin is greater.
Published 15 months ago by Watchman
A personal portrait that embodies the state of things!
All the revolutions are like Saturn; they conclude devouring even its most beloved. In this case we have an intimate story of schoolteacher from 1954 to 1967. Read more
Published on April 4, 2007 by Hiram Gomez Pardo
Very good film about China during 1950's and 1960's
"The Blue Kite" is a realistic film about the lives of Chinese families in the hutong, or traditional neighborhoods in Beijing between 1953 and 1968. Read more
Published on July 15, 2006 by Koreen
Blue Kite?
It was a great movie. I just wonder how they got the verbage on the back of the packaging. You'd think the "blue kite" would play more of a central role. Never happened. Read more
Published on September 6, 2005 by David A. Schultz
Straw Dogs
Compared to a similar film-"To Live"--this movie never really connects the viewer to the main characters--perhaps intentionally-I'm not sure--but despite the various... Read more
Published on September 3, 2005 by vanhubris
History and the Individual
'The Blue Kite' is set in Beijing, China and follows a family from 1953 till 1967 following several major reforms. Read more
Published on May 29, 2005 by SM
Most people would never even understand this film
It will be very difficult for people living in North America to understand this film, as they could never imagine the horror of the cultural revolution. Read more
Published on August 8, 2004 by Henry James
more than two long hours of bleakness
While respecting the moviemaker and the people who participated in making this movie for their courage, I find this movie unbearable:
- the characters are paper-thin: the... Read more
- the characters are paper-thin: the... Read more
Published on July 4, 2004
I DISAGREE
I strongly disagree with James J. J. Janis' review on The Blue Kyte. An effective film doesn't mean that it is a two hour movie that covers everything about the subject, but a two... Read more
Published on April 18, 2003 by "joysblack"
an epic
This film is a powerful epic masterpiece. It leaves the viewer drained and exhausted at the end. the story line about the lunacy of the Chinese communist regime and its polices in... Read more
Published on March 1, 2003 by gus auyeung
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