The Blue Kite
Seen it?1994 | 141 min | Drama
Saturday Specialearly ratingWhy it’s a Saturday Special
Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), despite almost no lasting buzz. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. If you loved Empire of the Sun or Papillon, start here.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 21 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in Chinese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
A young man recalls his childhood growing up in a poor alley in Beijing during the 1950s and 1960s.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
100% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsWeak
Nominated for 1 Independent Spirit Award.
- Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 14K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang
- Tian YiInfant Tietou
- Wenyao ZhangYoung Tietou
- Xiaoman ChenTeenage Tietou
- Lü LipingChen Shujuan
- Pu CunxinLin Shaolong
- Li XuejianUncle Li
- Ping ZongChen Shusheng
- Hong ZhangZhu Ying
- Chu ShuanzhongChen Shuyan
- Song XiaoyingSis