The Big Parade (1986 film)
The Big Parade | |
---|---|
Directed by | Mandarin |
The Big Parade (
Today, the film stands somewhat in the shadows to Chen Kaige's better-known works, including his directorial debut
Background
The Big Parade is often seen as an exploration of the relationship of
Despite its apparent support of collectivism, some scholars have noted a more ambiguous subtext to the film, suggesting that the film's imagery is less simplistic than such early reviews suggested. As one scholar writes, Chen explores the relationship between the collective and the individual, but wants to leave the relationship ambiguous.[1] Another Chinese film scholar, Zhang Yingjin, also sees a subtext of criticism of the Chinese notion of its own nationhood, even as the film's rhetoric veers towards the propagandist.[4]
Cinematography
One aspect of the film that is not in dispute, however, is Zhang Yimou's photography. The New York Times wrote upon the film's American screening in 1988 that it was "[Zhang's] photography that lifts The Big Parade out of the rudely fashioned trench of its story."[2] Zhang would go on to become a major film director himself, directing his debut, Red Sorghum, in 1987.
References
- ^ ISBN 978-962-209-849-7. Google Book Search. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
- ^ a b Goodman, Walter (1988-03-15). "Movie Review - The Big Parade". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
- ^ a b Gargan, Edward (1987-07-12). "China's Cultural Crackdown". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
- ISBN 0-8248-1845-8. Google Book Search. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
External links
- The Big Parade at IMDb
- The Big Parade at AllMovie
- The Big Parade at the Chinese Movie Database