NANKING! NANKING! (City of Life & Death)

[ec_nana]

The third film from award-winning Sixth Generation director Lu Chuan (Kekexili: Mountain Patrol), City of Life and Death is a devastating account of the massacre that occurred during the Sino-Japanese War when Japanese troops took the city of Nanjing in December 1937, a tragedy remembered as the Rape of Nanking. Shot completely in black and white, this powerful war drama unflinchingly captures the shocking violence and brutality of the Nanjing massacre, from the mass executions of POWs to the raping and slaughtering of civilians, while providing a deeply human portrait of both the victims and the perpetrators.

Rendered in many shades of gray, City of Life and Death touches on the different people whose lives are destroyed by the war: the Chinese soldiers who gave their lives, the foreign missionaries who sheltered refugees, the comfort women, the Chinese civilians, and the Japanese soldiers. In a surprising move for a Mainland Chinese film about the Rape of Nanking, City of Life and Death is told primarily from the perspective of a Japanese soldier, played by Nakaizumi Hideo (United Red Army), who witnesses, commits, and abhors the atrocities of his army. The film's large ensemble cast includes Liu Ye (Curse of the Golden Flower) as a fearless Chinese soldier; Gao Yuanyuan (Love in the City) as a selfless missionary teacher; John Paisley as John Rabe, a German businessman who helped establish the Nanjing Safety Zone and save thousands of civilians; and Fan Wei (Gimme Kudos) as Rabe's secretary, who collaborates with the Japanese to try to save his family. By choosing to humanize rather than demonize, Lu Chuan offers an all the more devastating memory of the Nanjing massacre, and the people who lived and died in the City of Life and Death.

YouTube - ?NanKing NanKing?Film Trailer 2009 /...

I have watched countless movies & documentaries depicting Japanese Occupation and its aftermath. Some are horrible beyond belief while there are those who are so good with the scenes depicted ingrained in your minds for time to come. This is one of them.

[Calgacus]

Thanks EC, that looks really, really good. Must keep an eye out for it!

[gristle]

I've been fascinated by the events which took place in Nanking - I've read alot about them but have yet to see a feature film about it which looks worthwhile. This looks like something I'd like to see.

[ec_nana]

I found this online. Quality's good but no subs, which is quite a downer. Good thing's tho', there's barely any dialogue so not missing out much.

http://www.watch-movies-links.net/mo...ife_and_death/

[Calgacus]

SCORE! Nice one, thank you

[GorehoundLarry]

Looks like it's trying to be too much like Schindler's List ...

But excellent cinematography. I'll keep an eye out for this one.

[phuchuebuddy]

those japs were FUCKED UP in nanking - throughout china actually, or anywhere they occupied. fucking half human apes. sometimes propaganda is right.

[dragon61]

I have watched this movie. In fact one japanese soldier was sympathetic with chinese people. In end he freed 2 chinese persons (originally supposed to be shot/killed) from nanking then shot himself suicide.

[ec_nana]

True. Movie was filmed from a Japanese soldier p.o.v.

And thank you for the comment but please hang up the

SPOILER ALERT

sign next time.