MAKE-UP ASSIGNMENT #1: Film Review of "Mongol"

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

MAKE-UP ASSIGNMENT #1: Reflection on "MONGOL"

Showing at The Westside Pavillion

"Mongol" is the most recent cinematic portrayal of the life of Genghis Khan. From what I have heard, it is the first of a trilogy. If that is the case, I certainly can't wait to see the next two versions.

My first encounter with Genghis Khan was when I saw the movie "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure". Genghis is portrayed as a savage. In one scene, he takes a bite of a huge piece of chicken, and then proceeds to make out with a woman next to him. My, how my perception of him has changed.

The story begins with Temujin (his original name) as a young boy, who lives with his father in the open landscape of Mongolia. The film really captures the "wild" atmosphere of Temujin's environment: wide shots of endless land, whether it’s grassy, snowy, or dry desert; groups of tribes attacking villages; and plenty of shots of one person walking alone in the wilderness. I couldn’t help but get the feeling that Mongolians seemed to have alot in common with Native Americans: Gods that were related to nature / the environment, skilled archers on horseback, and again, the feeling of always moving - running, horseback riding, etc. Mongolian Tribes were in constant conflict with each other, as illustrated by the fact that Temujin's father stole his wife from a neighboring tribe, and then later is poisoned by another tribe. I felt that the environment of the times was, for lack of a better word, wild.

The film chronicles Temujin's childhood well, as we see him captured and enslaved, only to escape with the help of his god. (a weak point in the movie, in my opinion)

The film flashes forward to Temujin as a grown man, and is followed by lots of epic battles in the wilderness as he fights to save his wife, and fights to unite the Mongolian army.

The film is powerful in more ways than one. First, it’s great to finally see an epic motion picture of one of the most powerful men in history that is produced to be as authentic as possible (even though the lead is Japanese, its a lot better than having John Wayne as Genghis Khan (yes, he played him)). Second, the film humanizes Temujin, and allows us to see the world that he lived in – and a wild world it was. Third, this film allows students to see how the Mongols, a seemingly wild and reckless tribes people, were able to conquer one of the oldest and most powerful civilizations of the world – China. This is an excellent film to dispel the myth that Asians are all the same, or that Asians are a submissive people, because it becomes very clear who is Mongolian and how is Chinese in one scene of the film. Finally, students can also compare Genghis Khan to other conquerors of the ancient world, like Alexander the Great. Action “heroes” aren’t just from Europe (Gladiator, and 300), they are from Asia as well.

Can this be used in the classroom? Well, one potential problem that may alienate students is the fact that the film is all in a foreign language – which means the students actually have to read the subtitles. If they can get passed that issue, the film is an excellent way to make Genghis Khan come to life.

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