Simply put, THE CAVE OF THE YELLOW DOG is a beautifully made movie by Byamsuren Davaa. Unlike her previous film, THE STORY OF THE WEEPING CAMEL, which was also a very good movie, THE CAVE OF THE YELLOW DOG is polished and professional. And, most importantly, it tells a story in a compact and focused manner. It is a tale of a bucolic nomadic lifestyle in Mongolia during a time of change. This idyllic live is challenged by neighbors moving to cities, windmill power, plastic bowls, a motorcycle, photographs, and other trappings of the industrial world. They are confronted by the borders of modern nations which have little tolerance for nomads who cross borders where once there were none. They are even prompted to vote by an impersonal loudspeaker mounted on a speeding jeep. The irony is that nation building is a constant threat to nomads around the globe. The family is well aware of the benefits of civilization. Their oldest daughter goes to school, and their youngest daughter would like to live in the city because "People can pee inside their houses there." Byamsuren Davaa says that one purpose of the film is to present a way of life on film. She certainly does this, and in a rather objective manner, mostly because industrial film making does not fit the agrarian schedule of daily reincarnation. Best line from the film: "You're not supposed to play with Buddha." The Left Elbow Index considers seven variables in film--acting, production sets, artistry, plot, film continuity, dialogue, and character development--on a scale of 10 for very good, 5 for average, and 1 for needs help. The artistry, plot, and film continuity are above average, with good use of color, scenes balancing nature, and change over time, and the seamless use of animals. Dried dung, sheep, and survival skills are part and parcel of agrarian wealth--are are so presented. Lighting and camera angles are excellent. Acting is average (the family is a real family, not professionals), as are the production sets, most of which are exterior. The dialogue is functional, keeping in mind that the wind and the music are part of the dialogue. Character development is not a factor, except that the audience gets to know each character better as the film progresses. The characters, however, do not change. The LEI average rating for this film is 7.14, raised to 9.0 when equated with the IMDb scale. While watching THE STORY OF THE WEEPING CAMEL, one wonders how things would work out for the the little camel, one is not part of the action. However, with THE CAVE OF THE YELLOW DOG, Byambasuren Daava seduces one into wanting to be more than a dispassionate observer. Perhaps an old poem by Ogden Nash explains: "In Tibet there lives a llama/Has no papa, had no mama/ Has no wife and had not chillen'/ Has not use for penicillin/If you watch the Philco, mama/ I think I'll go and join that llama." I don't think I want to go to Tibet, but Mongolia would sure be a nice change. I highly recommend this film.
Review of The Cave of the Yellow Dog
