Fandor 100 Essential Chinese Movies

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Created by benitotambara.

Favorited 11 times, disliked 0 times, added to 10 watchlists.

Among the many recent additions to the Fandor catalog, I am most excited by several classic Chinese films that I consider to be among the very best to have ever been made in that language: The Big Road, Street Angel (a film I love so dearly that I modeled my wedding photos after some of its iconic shots), Crossroads, Spring in a Small Town, to name a few. The sight of these titles got me thinking: what are the essential movies that anyone curious about Chinese cinema needs to see? The following video of 50 essential Chinese language films – and expanded list of 100 essential films found further below – is my attempt at an answer.

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  1. 1 new

    Lao gong zhi ai qing

    1922, in 0 top lists Check
  2. 6 new

    Dalu

    1935 — a.k.a. The Big Road, in 4 top lists Check
  3. 7 new

    Ma lu tian shi

    1937 — a.k.a. Street Angel, in 6 top lists Check
  4. 11 new

    Taitai Wansui

    1947, in 1 top list Check
  5. 15 new

    San Mao liu lang ji

    1949 — a.k.a. The Winter of Three Hairs, in 0 top lists Check
  6. 22 new

    Hao men ye yan

    1959, in 1 top list Check
  7. 43 new

    Ban jin ba liang

    1976 — a.k.a. The Private Eyes, in 4 top lists Check
  8. 45 new

    Jui kuen

    1978 — a.k.a. Drunken Master, in 9 top lists Check
  9. 48 new

    Zhuang dao zheng

    1980 — a.k.a. The Spooky Bunch, in 3 top lists Check
  10. 63 new

    Sien lui yau wan

    1987 — a.k.a. A Chinese Ghost Story, in 6 top lists Check
  11. 71 new

    Qiu Ju da guan si

    1992 — a.k.a. The Story of Qiu Ju, in 8 top lists Check
  12. 75 new

    Xi yan

    1993 — a.k.a. The Wedding Banquet, in 9 top lists Check
  13. 79 new

    Sai yau gei: Yut gwong bou haap

    1995 — a.k.a. A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box, in 3 top lists Check
  14. 80 new

    Chung Hing sam lam

    1994 — a.k.a. Chungking Express, in 19 top lists Check
  15. 83 new

    Heung Gong jai jo

    1997 — a.k.a. Made in Hong Kong, in 6 top lists Check
  16. 90 new

    Siu Lam juk kau

    2001 — a.k.a. Shaolin Soccer, in 5 top lists Check
  17. 98 new

    Hái-kak chhit-ho

    2008 — a.k.a. Cape No. 7, in 1 top list Check
  18. 100 new

    Rang zi dan fei

    2010 — a.k.a. Let the Bullets Fly, in 1 top list Check
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Last updated on Dec 31, 2012; source