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Not rated. () |
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(399) |
127 |
1195 |
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(204) |
65 |
612 |
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583 |
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Plot:
Wang Bianlian is an aging street performer known as the King of Mask for his mastery of Sichuan Change Art in a true story. His wife left him with and infant son over 30 years ago. The son died from i...( read more 
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Recent Reviews
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MCT:January 14, 2008Tear-jerking. One of the most recommanded film by me. Many foreign elements unknown to the Occidental world such as tradition to pass down family's secret skill unto sons, the working force of the society, and one's own sons only. Nonetheless, the emotion and the art is much appreciated and louder than color. A must watch!
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MCT:November 4, 2007
I admit to being somewhat jaded about the movie genre of a young child softening the heart of his/her reluctant guardian. I've seen enough of them ? Baby Boom, Kolya, About a Boy, Mostly Martha, and to some extent, Whale Rider ? to expect to be bored by the formula. What held my attention in The King of Masks was the grimness of the setting: small-town China in the 1930's. Extreme poverty was the norm, and girl children were considered so worthless to poor parents that they killed them at birth or gave them to whomever would take them on the black market. When Wang discovers his purchased grandson, whom he's nicknamed "Doggie," is a granddaughter, he initially casts her out, even though she's showed great promise as street-performing heir. Even after he reluctantly takes her back, he's not too upset when she's kidnapped. The film is gritty then, showing the lengths to which a young, street-smart girl had to go to survive in that society.
The two lead performances are believable and beguiling in their societal context. In a Western society, one would expect at least a hint of resentment from Wang at not having achieved more material success. Wang so thoroughly accepts his station as a celebrated artist with low societal status, though, that I did, too. While Doggie exhibits a level of precociousness and cunning that would be suspect in a modern, suburban child, it's completely believable in the context of a kid constantly in survival mode in a society that treats poor girls like garbage. And after learning that her previous seven owners have physically and mentally abused her, her fierce attachment to Wang makes perfect sense.
The peek at small-town life in a foreign country, the naturalness of the two lead actors, the surprising plot twists, and of course, the heartwarming resolution all contribute to a very watchable film. -
MCT:October 26, 2007
really great foreign film, it was all in chinese, but that did not stop it from being a spectacular movie, get it off of netflix and see for your self
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MCT:June 10, 2007
a powerful movie depicting at a deep level of emotion regarding the chinese culture and society of the earlier generation. The excellent performance of Zhu Xu leads viewers' sentiment throughout the whole story.
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MCT:April 25, 2007Not a bad story, but not what I'd hoped to see. If they'd spent more time exploring the artistry of the mask quick-change and the King teaching that to "Doggie," I think the film would be stronger for it. The art form is fascinating and pure magic.
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MCT:February 7, 2007
astonishing film that peeks into the world of a culture soon to be dominated by maoists and struggle.. beautiful craftsmanship, amazing illusion, great story about class, gender, and art.
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MCT:February 3, 2007
HOW COULD ANYONE NOT BE TOTALLY MOVED BY THIS TALE OF AN OLD MASTER TRYING TO PASS HIS ART ONTO A CHILD WORTHY ENOUGH TO BE HIS OWN? IT MAY START SLOW, BUT IT IS WELL WORTH IT.
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MCT:February 2, 2007
This movie has so much to say - and says it so very well. Wonderful film from China about a street performer and his newly acquired apprentice.
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Comments
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apoorva594posted 341 days ago
