Movielogr
Raining in the Mountain (1979)
Directed by King Hu
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In Ming Dynasty China, the abbot of the San Pao Buddhist monastery must choose a successor. Among the high dignitaries invited, there are some who are after the priceless parchment kept in the temple: the Mahayana Sutras.
Length 120 minutes
Actors
Hsu Feng | Sun Yueh | Tung Lam | Tien Feng | Hui Lou Chen | Paul Chun | Shih Chun | Wu Chia-Hsiang | Chun Lu | Chin Chang-Ken | Lee Man-Tai | Wang Kuang-Yu | To Wai-Wo | Suk Jeon | Ng Ming-Choi | Siu Tak-Foo | Hsiao Ho
Viewing History (seen 1 time)
| Date Viewed | Device | Format | Source | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/10/2020 | TV | Streaming | Video on Demand | 7.5 stars |
| (Average) 7.5 stars |
Viewing Notes
UW Cinematheque is currently providing a free screening for this on their vimeo channel so I jumped at the chance to see this while it’s still available. Another gorgeous King Hu film shot in South Korea with a few of his regulars in key roles including Hsu Feng as White Fox and Shih Chun as a jealous monk. This film pairs well with LEGEND OF THE MOUNTAIN given the similar cast and locations, both released in the same year. I’m guessing both movies were shot back to back in South Korea.
The first 30 minutes or so are the best portion of this movie so much so I that I ended up viewing this section twice (macbook then TV). Just stunning photography and the first attempt of the heist with White Fox and Gold Lock (Ng Ming-Choi). Then the film heads into the drama with the selection of the new abbot and the controversy it causes between all the monks. The final act is a thrilling chase sequence.
Another film that was restored and hopefully has a Blu release b/c it would also be a nice one to own along with LEGEND OF THE MOUNTAIN. Looks like Masters of Cinema did release this on Blu so one to add to the wishlist!
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