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With: Chen Xiaoman, Zhang Wenyao, Yi Tian, Lu Liping, Pu Quanxin, Li Xeujian, Guo Baochang
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Written by: Xiao Mao
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Directed by: Tian Zhuangzhuang
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
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Language: Mandarin with English subtitles
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Running Time: 140
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Date: 09/12/1993
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When the Mao Breaks
By Jeffrey M. Anderson Coming from China's Fifth Generation of filmmakers, Tian Zhuangzhuang just may outlast his better-known colleagues Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige. Tian's The Horse Thief (1986) is one of the greatest films ever made, a beautiful and lyrical poem with a minimal plot about a guy who (surprise) steals horses. This movie, his second to find U.S. distribution, is far more grounded by politics but still contains hints of his free spirit. That the film was banned in China probably caused American reviewers to overpraise it a bit, but it's still a lovely and powerful film about a family stuck in turbulent times. Kino's DVD ($29.95) unfortunately does not rank with their best work -- it has some flutter and the subtitles are not optional. The only extra is a few text pages about the film's history.
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