Watch The Cave of the Yellow Dog For Free

Wow! Such a good movie.

Very disappointing...

So much average

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

The director of The Story Of The Weeping Camel takes a different look at life in the Mongolian wilderness, having previously followed a family of nomadic shepherds and their camels to award-winning success.Whether or not you've seen Weeping Camel, this story stands proudly as a parable of life's possibilities and limitations, and how we must all come to terms with them – wherever we live. Yes, the plot is fictional but the family – and their environment – is real. Nansal's natural performance is particularly impressive at such a young age – her resourcefulness and charm bestow an irresistible screen presence. And, for their part, the parents contribute a nicely judged supporting role, revealing just what it takes to bring up a family in the wilderness. And the dog? Oh, yes, he's cute. You can see why Nansal wants to keep him.A delightful, fascinating and thoughtful docu-drama that will stay with you long after those dramatic mountain scenes have faded from view. CS

Byambasuren Davaa, a Mongolian ex-pat filmmaker living in Germany, here follows up his 2004 documentary masterpiece, "The Story of the Weeping Camel," with another tale about the daily lives of a real nomadic shepherd family – the Batchuluuns – that live on the isolated Mongolian veld."Weeping Camel" featured an intense drama, chock full of suspense, when a postpartum camel rejects its albino newborn, thereby threatening its life. "Yellow Dog" offers no comparable crisis or suspense. It is in fact more than anything a sweet children's story. The older daughter, Nansal, who's around 9, finds a stray pup to dote on as a pet. But her father, Urjindorj, wants the dog – Zocher - lost pronto, fearing that it was raised by wolves that might show up and slaughter the family's goats. Will Nansal get to keep her beloved pooch? There is a brief yet dangerous turning point in this story, one that modifies Urjindorj's attitude.The story, which, like "Camel," also provides allusions to the supernatural beliefs of these people, takes place over a summer, and, as autumn draws close, we have the opportunity to witness the step by step dismantling of the family's commodious yurt and its furnishings, as they prepare to migrate to more propitious winter grazing land. It's a far cry from car camping. (In Mongolian & German) My grades: 7/10 (high B). (Seen on 12/09/06)

I must confess that I was unfamiliar with director Byambasuren Davaa's work before I sat down and watched The Cave of the Yellow Dog-Director of The Weeping Camel- so I have no measuring stick to compare against't this film. Even though, Cave stands well enough on its own.The Cave of the Yellow Dog centers around Nansaa, A little girl in a family of five nomadic Mongolians. Her father is a sheep-herder, while mom helps with the care taking and feeding of her her family. One day Nasaa comes across a small dog hiding in a cave, which she quickly names Zachor (means Spot) and takes home (altough her father is most displeased about it) From then on the film centers mostly on the three children in the household, and Nasaa's relationship with the dog. This film is pure simplicity, in terms of plot, and is mostly about people living in a basic, if not normal, world. Far from the everyday rat-race of most people's lives.Those of you who are fans of gorgeous, lush cinematography, won't be able to find fault with this film. The landscapes portrayed in Cave are of the Mongolian Highlands and are amongst't the most beautiful ever captured on film. I was constantly blown away by each successive shot. I really can't go on enough about how awesome the cinematography and landscapes are in this film. It really has to be seen to be believed.The acting is especially well done, especially when you factor in the extremely Young age of the three children in the film (god knows how long it took for the director to capture many of the scenes). Mom and Dad (as the film never really lets you know their names) also did great jobs in portraying the lives of nomadic peoples.The score is almost as beautiful as the landscapes featured in the film. The music features traditional sounding oriental flute and violin music, which sounds very melancholy and heart-wrenching.My only reservation is that, I think a lot of people will find this movie boring, as it has a very slow pacing. And now there is no action or explosions in it. The film actually looks very low budget, as if it was shot on a digital camera. But why it may lack a huge budget, this movie has a big heart, as well as a very relevant political message.So if a good family story is your kind of thing, or your interested in seeing achingly beautifully filmed shots of the Mongolian Highlands, or if you just want to bring home a movie your significant other won't complain about, absolutely see this film.My rating 9 out of 10 (Worth Owning).

I loved this film. The story was slight and simply told but not, as so many people seem to suggest, cutesy, sentimental or manipulative. A little Mongolian girl makes friends with a puppy she finds in a cave; Her father wants her to leave dog where she found it - little girl struggles to keep dog. Dog turns out to be mans best friend after all. Everybody's happy. And Why not? This film is so beautiful - the rolling steppe, the vast and broody skies, storms, lost children, marauding wolves - lots of excitement - car chases and people screwing and exploding bombs with bits of bodies flying about are not the only excitement available to us thank God.It is exciting to see a mode of life so totally different to our own and portrayed so honestly and without any moral squint at all. I was enthralled from start to finish. The scene where they take down the yurt and pack up their belongings to move to new grazing - wonderful music by the way - was perfect. And although the film suggested (never preached) that this way of life might not endure for too long I, for one, felt that in spite of the hardships and unrelenting battle with nature involved in their lives, going to work in McDonalds could never be seen as a tempting alternative.Go and see it.