Legend of the Mountain


Legend of the Mountain is a 1979 Taiwanese film directed by King Hu.

Plot

Ho, a young scholar, is responsible for translating Buddhist sutras which are said to have power over the creatures of the afterlife. He goes to a monastery to fulfill the task. He meets strange people: Mr. Tsui and his friend Chang, a Chinese drum Melody player, an old washerwoman and a flutist.

Cast

Legend of the Mountain was released in 1979. The film was also shown at the 1979 Festival of Festivals in Toronto.

Reception

From contemporary English reviews, Richard Labonte of the Ottawa Citizen described the film as an "intellectual challenge" and as "three hours of films which never drags" and that it was "structured with a rigid formalism which allows for no spontaniety at all and is also a unique treat, for those who can adapt to a slow and mannered Eastern style rather than the fast-paced and action-packed style of most Western films."
Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes retrospectively gave the film an approval rating of 100% based on 7 reviews from western critics, and an average rating of 8.3/10.