Top 10 Classic Chinese Movies
Let’s play a game. I’ll say “Chinese movie” and you will say what the first thing that pops into your head is. Let me guess – Bruce Lee… in a yellow jumpsuit… kicking a room which is full of people around and bashing their heads with a nunchacku will come into your mind, correct? However, we are not here to talk about fight scenes (alone), but delve into some other genres, as well. Here’s my top 10 Chinese classic movies.
#10. Spring Time in a Small Town 小城之春
Widely referred to as a masterpiece of Chinese cinematography, this 1948 gem was based on a short story and has essentially proven that films based on literature can be done well if the director has enough vision to make it happen. And Fei Mu has brought Li Tianji’s short story to life like very few directors can.
#9. Days of Being Wild 阿飞正传
A more recent movie, Days of Being Wild came out in 1990. Director Wong Kar-wai gathered some of the most famous actors in Hong Kong, like Leslie and Maggie Cheung in order to create this incredible drama.
#8. Yellow Earth 黄土地
This drama belongs to a previously unknown director Chen Kaige. Kaige’s debut movie in 1984 caught audiences and critics by surprise with its masterful execution and astounding acting.
#7. A City of Sadness 悲情城市
Hou Hsiao-hsien’s astonishing historical drama came out in 1989 and was the first Chinese-language film to ever get the prestigious Golden Lion Award.
#6. Farewell my Concubine 霸王别姬
Another Chen Kaige drama enters the list; this is the only Chinese movie winning the Golden Palm Award and one of the best Chinese dramas of all time.
#5. A Better Tomorrow 英雄本色
This 1986 Chinese blockbuster is widely regarded as one of the best Chinese movies of all time and has also had a profound influence on Chinese film-making. Starring Chow Yun-fat and Leslie Cheung, the movie directed by John Woo completely was a blockbuster in the Hong Kong ticket office.
#4. A Touch of Zen 侠女
This 1971 action film was widely acclaimed all across the board and considered to surpass everyone’s expectations. The movie had great special effects for its time and took a whole new approach to the whole “martial artist protagonist” theme. It also added a strong Buddhism motif which helped it differentiate from most of the Chinese movies we’re used to see.
#3. Street Angel 马路天使
Portraying the beautiful story of a group of friends dealing with everyday life in the Shanghai slums, the gritty atmosphere of this 1937 movie directed by Zhou Xuan is not a feast for the eyes by today’s standards but it’s definitely something a movie enthusiast would want to see.
#2. A Brighter Summer Day 牯岭街少年杀人事件
A Brighter Summer Day is one of the most ambitious projects in Chinese movie cinema history.
#1. Ashes of Time 东邪西毒
Wong Kar-wai sits on the director’s chair to create a movie pretty loosely based on Cha’s novel. In fact, the movie only uses the names and is almost exclusively Kar-wai’s vision.
Those are my top 10 Chinese classics old films. I do realize that some of you might not share my taste for drama or even think that some of the movies in the list deserve a spot, but like I said – it’s my list, my rules. I hope you’ve enjoyed it, though, because truth be told, all of these Chinese old movies are worth it.
AuthorBio: Jack Sheamus is working at TidyCleaning London. Even though he works very hard, he find time to write and travel.
