The East Is Red

The East Is Red (1965)

东方红

Pre-Cultural Revolution propaganda at its most lavish, this model opera depicts the history and evolution of the Communist Party of China under Mao Zedong from its founding in July 1921 to the establishment of "New China" in 1949. Detailed in the musical are several key events in CPC history such as the Northern Expedition, the KMT-led Shanghai massacre of 1927, the Nanchang Uprising and formation of the People's Liberation Army, the Long March and the founding of the PRC on October 1, 1949.

Data di uscita
1965-01-30
TMDB
6.1 / 10 (12)
Durata
1 h 57 min
Generi
Musica, Dramma
Regista
Wang Ping, Enjie Li

Cast

Curiosità

The East Is Red, also known as The East Is Red: A Song and Dance Epic, is a 1965 Chinese film and musical directed by Wang Ping. It is based on an opera assembled by Zhou Enlai and presents an abridged history of the Chinese Communist Revolution and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) under Mao Zedong's leadership. The film traces the revolution from the May Fourth Movement to the Civil War against the Nationalist Party, culminating in the CCP victory and the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The East Is Red remains commercially available on CD, videos, and online platforms, usually with English subtitles.

Background

The East Is Red was originally a folk song called "Sesame Oil" or 麻油歌 from the Northwestern Shanxi Province of China. It was a love song with unknown authorship or exact date. In 1938, after the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the song was rewritten as "White Horse Tune" to inspire people in the fight against occupation by the Empire of Japan.

After Zhou Enlai saw "Revolutionary History Songs Singing" and "Singing Forward under the Banner of Mao Zedong", on July 30, 1964, Zhou convened the relevant officials at a meeting in Xi Hua Hall, Zhong Nan Hai, and made the final decision about launching the musical concert project, and this concert was named as "The East Is Red" during the meeting.

While the massive 1964 stage performance successfully localized the production for political elites in Beijing, the immediate transition to a feature-length film directed by Wang Ping was a deliberate effort toward mass distribution. To function as an effective tool for national enlightenment, the production required a medium that could bypass geographical limitations.

According to the published articles by the main producers of The East Is Red, including Chen Yading, An Bo, etc., the individuals who took responsibility for drafting the basic format of the epic were required to learn about Mao's works first and use Maoism as a red line of the project. Performers of the epic hung up quotations from Mao at rehearsal venues.

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