Product Details

• Actors: Issiaka Kane, Aoua Sangare, Niamanto Sanogo, Balla Moussa Keita, Soumba Traore
• Directors: Souleymane Cissé
• Writers: Souleymane Cissé
• Producers: Souleymane Cissé
• Format: Color, Subtitled, NTSC
• Subtitles: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Kino Video
• VHS Release Date: October 28, 2003
• Run Time: 105 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000D0YWR
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #37,823 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Into the Light, April 22, 2005

By	Brian E. Erland "Rainbow Sphinx" (Brea, CA - USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Yeelen (DVD)

Note: Original language is Bambara (African dialect) with English subtitles.

Yeelen (meaning 'brightness') is a mythic tale from Africa dealing with the spiritual forces of good and evil, darkness and light, as embodied in the form of a father and son.

Nianankoro is a young sorcerer from a long family line of sorcerers. His estranged, malevolent Father is on his way from a neighboring village to find and kill his son. Nianankoro leaves his home and travels across the stark, arid West African landscape in search of his Uncle, his Father's twin brother, in the hope that he will be able to help him defeat his Father in magical combat.

Yeelen is an excellent movie, but it isn't a film for everyone. If you're interested in magic, sorcery and the mystical traditions of other cultures you will find this film absolutely fascinating and informative. If you enjoyed Peter Weir's: 'The Last Wave' you will definitely appreciate Souleymane Cisse's: 'Yeelen.'

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Visually stunning, "Yeelen" is the most mystical and the most beautiful of African films..., February 11, 2009

By	Roberto Frangie "Robert" (Leon, Gto. Mexico) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Yeelen (DVD)

Its director, Souleymane Cissé, from Mali in West Africa, has expressed his desire to make films which are uniquely African in style rather than imitating those of the United Sates or Europe... To this end he relies on stories, true and mythical, told by old men and handed down through the generations...

A young warrior (Issiaka Kane), threatened with death by his evil sorcerer father (Niamanto Sanogo), goes on a journey where he learns the power of magic... The film inhabits a world of dreams, but not the kind described by Dr Freud...

However, the movie's basis in a mystical tradition does not render it inaccessible to Western audiences... The structure of the narrative, based on a quest for magical knowledge and power, is clear and firm, and the consistent pattern of imagery based on the elements of fire, water, earth and light (the title translates as 'brightness') is not specific to African culture... The film's use of landscape, yellow spaces of the desert, is one of its chief glories... The performers too have great charm...

1.0 out of 5 stars Animal Cruelty, September 15, 2009

By	Crypt "thecrypt777" (Arkham) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yeelen (DVD)

I suppose director Souleymane Cissé was going for stark realism in his film, but is torching a live rooster not considered exessively and criminally cruel in his country? Just thought I'd leave this warning for animal lovers and those sensitive to animal cruelty. The film opens with a close up of a real live rooster in flames and screeching in agony. I was so sick to my stomach, I threw away the dvd. There are pleanty of great world films that don't include authentic inhumane acts against animal life... inflicting pain and death upon a helpless living creature for the sake of "art." A waste of $27.