Nostalgia in 'Yellow Earth'

Paper Summary:

This essay takes a critical look at Chen Kaige's classic 1984 film, 'Yellow Earth'. The main theme that the paper focuses on is that of nostalgia. But the point that the paper makes is that the nostalgia seen in the film not only causes feelings of homesickness, but feelings of homelessness and limbo, as well. It does this through deft use of cinematic tricks, song, and plot.

From the Paper:

"The term nostalgia comes from the Greek for "return home". Literally, it means a longing to return home, homesickness. In film, nostalgia has long been an important device or means, as well as an end in itself. From the use of nostalgic devices such as relics from the past, old music, or complete period pieces, to the outright longing for a different, if not always better, time that such period pieces or period episodes purvey, nostalgia often dominates film. In either case, the longing and bittersweet feel of nostalgia pervades a film enough that it is not always an innocent or bright return to the past, but often an open and honest examination of what the past was. Often homesickness makes the filmmaker and the viewer realize that home was not really what one thought it was in the first place."

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