This is without a doubt my favorite film. But whenever I show it to friends, I always feel I have to excuse the opening scene, in which Gombo is practically raping Pagma (she is bleeding afterwards). Does that scene disturb anyone else? Or is it just me? Obviously their good relationship is made clear throughout the rest of the film. I just wish it didn't have that first scene, or that it wasn't so violent.
shareI also love this film. I think you have to see this opening scene as a play between them. She loves him, she feels like making love with him. It´s just a practical question what is preventing them to make love. For me it´s not violence, it´s passion, it´s just nature against brain.
If you have loved it that much you should watch "Burnt by the sun". Both are wontherful for me. But I´m afraid this one is much more violent. Anyway, they are two of my favourite films. (sorry for my English, probably ful of mistakes)
Hi Isaporti,
Thank you for your reply. I appreciate your interpretation of the opening scene in Urga.
I love Burnt By the Sun also :-)
I am not afraid of violence in a film. In fact, one of my favorite Russian Films is "Come and See" (Idi i Smotri). Look it up here on IMDB if you are not familiar with it. It is so powerful. Very realistic, but also very poetic.
Your English is very good :-)
I am a woman, and I interpreted her bleeding as being menstrual. To avoid getting pregnant, they make love while she has her period. That the reason for the blood, I think.
sharevoie007,
i totally agree with your assessment. the blood only serves to highlight the couples fear of reproduction which gets in the way of their passionate love for one another. remember, everyone, they live in China, not Mongolia. they have already violated Rule Number One: One Child per couple! That is the meaning of the final scenes of the movie. this film is a dance between the traditional, i.e. Mongolian, way of life, and the controlled and modern Chinese way. voie007 is spot on with the menstrual interpretation.
this is one of my absolutely favorite films, and i am begging the studio to release this on DVD. i mean, on my knees BEGGING!
I'm a bit staggered that some saw this as rape. I guess without context it might be interpreted as such but as the film progresses it seems evient it's not a rape.
The distance is nothing. The first step is the hardest.share