To Live (1994) - [CinemaScene] - 20of20

To Live (Chinese: 活着; pinyin: huó zhe) is a Chinese film directed by Zhang Yimou in 1994, starring Ge You and Gong Li and produced by the Shanghai Film Studio and ERA International. It is based on the novel of the same name by Yu Hua. To Live was screened at the 1994 New York Film Festival before eventually receiving a limited release in the United States on November 18, 1994. The story begins some time in the 1940s. Xu Fugui (Ge You) is a local rich man's son and compulsive gambler, who loses his family property to a man named Long'er. His behaviour also causes his long-suffering wife Jiazhen (Gong Li) to leave him, along with their daughter, Fengxia and their unborn son, Youqing.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• To Live
• Gong Li

[openlydrown]

Truly great move. The Chinese know how to portray the experience of human existence (in a way that Americans do not). Yes, very painful to be a human being.

Also terrific in portraying the interaction between the political domain and everyday life--how one impacts upon the other; how people cannot escape the fantasies and ideologies of "great men" who impose their ideas and ideals on the common man (and woman).

[eirene1988]

It's interesting: In an earlier scene, when the same quotation about chicken turning into oxen was said, the oxen "turned into communism, and life will get better and better". But now, after all they're gone through, they realize that the system is no cure-all, and instead of communism, Little Bun will grow up, riding trains and planes, and life will go better and better.

[Flightlevel23]

Honestly one of the best movies ever.

[cyankw]

My parents who lived thru the 50s, 60s and 70s back in China said this is one of the most realistic depiction of what it was like back in the days.....creating the metals, cultural revolution, 3 years of famine....if you wondered what China was like back then, this is a great film to watch.

[imgoodthx1]

The novel is ten times sadder.. Erxi died from an accident followed by Jiazhen's death. Kugen also died from over eating beans. Fugui was the only one lived and he bought an old ox to make him company and he named the ox after himself "fugui". It's a real tearjerker. How much courage does a person need to carry on living without a shred of hope?

[FGsGFdG2]

@openlydrown I think that the American film industry does know how to portray tragedy. The US has not had as tragic a history in recent times, however, and is more prone to optimism (recent economic developments and political partisanship aside).

[fivefuad]

thanks for upload. one of best movie in the world

[TheSourskater]

This movie is very great cried a couple of time but great

[jespaz09]

this was a great movie! thank u for share it!

[jessi95605]

This film banned in Mainland, people should be able to choose what movie they want to watch. I used to admire the thought of "revolution" communism appealed to me. i read as much books on this ideology. Today, I don't and will not agree w/Communism. I believe in a revolution of love, the revolution of oneself, in our hearts. p.s. China has a rich culture and this is not intended to offend people, I just don't agree w/the political system. ~Peace~

[Pogosmistress]

I love this film so much. I want to buy it.