Movie Analysis Essay on The Yellow Earth, Timbuktu and The Red Sorghum

Introduction

Yellow Earth is one of the traditional Chinese films that attract the audience's perceptions of life challenges. It tends to tell stories through images of pictures rather than dialogue. Besides, it was equivocal of the communist beliefs and ideologies that promoted the livelihoods of peasants during the political revolution. It begins by depicting a soldier walking several miles. The difficulties he encountered depicts the hardships faced by the peasants in China. Yellow Earth describes dynamic situations faced by ancient Chinese communities. Similarly, other films such as Red Sorghum, and Timbuktu offers a large image of challenges faced by different societies across the world. However, they differ in the way they demonstrates different themes, thus raising other viewpoints from the audience. They reflect on societies that are continually growing through dynamic platforms and changes. Therefore, analysis of the ancient films will offer an opportunity to understand the nature of problems affecting society.

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The Yellow Earth

The Yellow Earth is calculated with the tone of socialist realism. Together with Red Sorghum, the films explore social aspects and meaningful within China's culture. Yellow Earth contributes with the social realist opinions which locate the story or encounters of people in China's countryside (Kaige 0.10). Through the Maoist tradition, the audience can read through the described social norms surrounding the peasant society. As a result, revolutionary ideas emerge as part of the primary factors that allow the audience to understand the film from different perspectives. Through the communist soldier, the readers even get a more extensive image of a society that is growing through different barriers. Besides, it introduces the modernizing potential that communism had on local communities in China.

Liberation was one of the common issues in ancient communities. Through the soldier's arrival in the Maoist village, the audience can read diverse practices that contribute to change in society. Cultural practices can be learned from the village folk songs, the involvement of the community in farming activities, and social norms surrounding the community. The soldier longs to transform the lives of the community, and this raises dynamic views regarding rural beliefs that imprints China's cultural practices. Additionally, the ability of the city to embrace western ideas and philosophies offers a wide-ranging knowledge on how the western cultures transform people's practices and facilitate Cultural Revolution.

It creates an understanding of how the communist ideologies could have relieved instances of rural poverty. On the contrary, the practice seemed to have been ineffective due to the peasantry's controversial views on the new initiatives noted through the project. Therefore, the film's ultimate meaning continues to offer fascinating ideas of the decades after the Yellow Earth. It shows different elements where the evocation of rural life contributes to revolution.

Timbuktu

Timbuktu explores the different lifestyles of the city of Timbuktu in West Africa. Extremist Islamist occupies the city. It shows a diverse context of challenges and lifestyles across the region. Timbuktu offers an insightful platform to learn from its themes. The West African story starts with an interesting scene that attracts the audience. Its director, Sissako, provides a couple of events worth learning from. The movie is set in the city of Timbuktu, located in Mali. The city's diverse traditions offer an opportunity to learn and engage in an in-depth thought on how societies across the world differ in terms of economic and religious practices. The region is an Islamist city that is dominated by Jihadists from outside the country. Therefore, the drama revolves around cultural practices. For example, the death of a cow is perceived as an appropriate symbol of a country losing its way (Sissako 0.25).

One of the outstanding lessons to learn from the Islamist culture is the fact that they adhere to their religious teachings across different platforms. It is a society that is inclined in beliefs of supernatural beings and uses animals and other natural aspects to characterize supernatural power. On the other hand, an unending issue of hate and violent practices reflects a society that is in constant conflict with its people. Firstly, the shootings at the animals and destruction of masks and statutes show how people can destroy the ability of man to destroy the environment. Moreover, suppression and control of women depict an instance of psychological displeasure and self-hate. For example, soldiers demanding a fish seller to wear gloves is seen as shocking insane and poor perceptions of women

A controversial practice is noted when new Puritans get to the mosque and appeal to the local Imam. From the common understanding, Muslims often respect religious laws and any other rules surrounding the sanity of the mosque. However, the cruelty and bullying shown through the jihad film reflect the negative impacts created by controversial perspectives within the society. People become enslaved, and violence increases. Thus, Timbuktu changes into a different place that places its legends into cruelty

Through interrelated stories created through the film, the audience can read the nature of a traumatized nation. The tragic tale of family and herdsmen, kidnap, his wife, and their daughter reflects shows the insecure nature of society. Mali was a new theocratic state. However, infringement of its religious laws tends to increase cases of violence and immaturity among its leaders. Some of the few points noted through the drama are the brilliant moments through which revolution occurs. While a social structure contributes to political organizations, Timbuktu depicts an instance where religious views significantly add to increasing cases of conflicts. Furthermore, it fails to unite people. Other instances demonstrate different religious practices a held beliefs regarding human behavior. While Jihadists are shown to infringe on the livelihoods of the people of Mali, religious traditions tend to govern every activity and perceptions presented by the director.

The Red Sorghum

Red Sorghum offers a story of a family with a distillery business. It unfolds the remote region of China's Northern Province. It depicts a young woman with an arranged am marriage. Through her life and that of other people, the audience gets to understand new issues surrounding cultural practices within society. The tales of love, bitterness, sacrifice, and sufferings create compelling images that influence an individual's opinions and change characters and attitudes among people (Yimou 0.2). Most often, people understand atrocities as common issues that reduce the prosperity and well-being of a community. One of the things to learn from the film is the path and nature in which cultural revolutions unfold and nurtures the lives of people. Embracing the complexity of people's behaviors tend to affect social practices.

Red Sorghum is one of the Chinese films that carry different lessons to our daily lives. It demonstrates social problems through the protagonist who is sent into an early marriage by her grandmother. The films thus demonstrate different instances that reflect on a society that is undergoing dynamic changes. Cases of violence, poverty, and hard work emerge as the primary facts that drive people taking different roles in the story. Social, economic, and political issues are common in the three films.

Revolution was one of the significant events in ancient societies. Through Imperial Japanese Army invades the area. Torture and killings are linked with cases of revolution. However, chaotic instances harm society. The situation is seen when the army employs to create a community that is well-structured in terms of leadership. Instances of conflicts have featured change and revolutions. Based on contemporary practices, westernization is one of the essential contexts that define people's life. Technology and the internet have changed everything. On the other hand, ancient communities viewed the modernization and an infringement of people's rights and cultures.

Conclusion

Yellow Earth, Red Sorghum, and Timbuktu raise different viewpoints from the audience. Culture and social norms are the most featured aspects throughout the movies. Furthermore, religious beliefs have dominated Timbuktu's drama. Such cases thus, raise a new perspective that deviates from the mainstream beliefs. For instance, people often regarded modernization from a negative perception. However, this is seen as a primary context to development in the contemporary world. Problems affecting society determine the growth of a community. Despite the influence of modernism, culture contributes to the nature of leadership and peaceful existence. Chinese culture is a critical aspect shown in the Red Sorghum and Yellow Earth. Some of the points learned from the film is the increasing role played by people's beliefs regarding changes and people's economic practices.

Works Cited

Kaige, C. Yellow Earth, China's 5th Generation 1984. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEqfyZGYVrMSissako, A. Timbuktu 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvfxY83Usbs

Yimou, Z. Red Sorghum, China's 5th Generation 1987. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKRovr35lz4