THE HORSE THIEF Movie Review

Daoma Zei

Tian Zhuangzhuang's The Horse Thief is an epic Chinese film of startling visual and emotional richness, set against the fantastic landscape of Tibet. It's the story of a horse thief named Norbu, who is banished from his tribe in order to keep it cleansed of evil. Refusing to renounce his Buddhist faith, Norbu and his wife attend temples as often as possible. But the odd jobs Norbu has to take and the nomadic existence the family is forced to adopt takes its toll on their young son, and eventually these believers reach a powerfully moving breaking point. The Horse Thief has the simple, elegant plot structure of a folk tale (large portions are without dialogue) but ultimately becomes such a remarkably rich portrait of a culture and its way of life that it bursts the boundaries of its storyline. It's like a glimpse into a world we've always suspected existed, but never had the means to look at until now.

NEXT STOP … Red Sorghum, The Wooden Man's Bride, Close to Eden

1987 88m/C CH Daiba, Jiji Dan, Drashi, Gaoba, Jamco Jayang, Rigzin Tseshang; D: Tian Zhuangzhuang; W: Rui Zhang; C: Fei Zhao, Hou Yong; M: Xiao-Song Qu. VHS KIV, FCT