Watch The Passion of the Mao For Free

ridiculous rating

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

I am no historian but this film is quite enjoyable. I think the story of Mao is a mixed bag. First, I just like to say that the people who think Mao killed millions of people and is on par with Hitler are seriously misinformed. I would for their sake advice not show off such a view to informed friends because they make fools out of themselves. Its like saying George W Bush is like Mussolini. Mao certainly had many personal flaws and made mistakes in leading a new nation. But on a personal level he was a charismatic leader and inspired a passionate following. In this aspect you can compare him to a Hitler but also to FDR or JFK or Jesus. I think the film points out that Mao is not some cunning evil mastermind slaughtering people for pure pleasure. Mao largely wanted to improve the country. I think personal attacks on Mao because of the political upheaval and the challenges of a new nation had to face is ridiculous. Though this movie have a bit of Pro-Mao bias I think it should be viewed as a counter weight to the overwhelming negative bias in the media today.

"The Passion of the Mao" starts out promisingly enough. Its cute cartoon scenes cause chuckles, and the overt comparison to Jesus is both a welcome mockery of Mel Gibson's film of a similar name and an indication that the subject matter will be treated lightheartedly. A little cheeky irreverence, especially with controversial topics, is always welcome. And yet the joking tone conceals some egregious conclusions. From Mao's victory in 1949 through to his death in 1976, this film would have you believe that everything is roses. Industrial output is up, agricultural output is up, life expectancy is up, education is up. Even famine and social unrest get a positive spin. That Mao was eccentric but harmless, and more importantly, blameless, is the byline. Numerous Chinese scholars at American universities are interviewed to that effect too, and viewers will have a fun time trying to spot a single negative word. "Westerners lapped up the idea that Chinese citizens in the 60s and 70s were victims," criticises one. Well, dear, that's because many of them were. And so it goes on. Finally, the filmmakers chose a narrator with abysmal Chinese pronunciation, and didn't include subtitles for some of their interviewees' whose English was a chore to follow. But as finishing touches on a flawed film, I suppose it's fitting.

History is a subject that I found boring as a youngster. Before watching this movie I felt decidedly ignorant of twentieth century Chinese history.I highly recommend Feigon's documentary to anyone who has a desire to learn world history, tempered by an instinctive distaste for its traditional presentation. He livens up a comprehensive account of Mao's political life with various sordid details of his personal life. For example, I enjoyed learning that Chairman Mao did not brush his teeth.In the first viewing, the amount of material covered made me feel somewhat overwhelmed, which is why I want to watch it a second time.

This was a great movie! Its style was unlike that of any documentary I have seen before. While most documentaries these days seem to feel that they can inform you by being deadly dull, maybe with an occasional joke thrown in, this one kept you in stitches almost throughout. Moreover, the laughs and the goofy style had a purpose. Director Lee Feigon was trying to restore Mao's reputation but also to attack the Chairman's deification. Feigon shows that Mao deserves credit for much of the growth for which his successors have taken credit. The goofy tone Feigon uses not only makes the movie go faster but does a great job in demolishing the myth that Mao was once a god. And so we find out some of the wackier even perverse elements of Mao's private life.