The Chinese title is the name of a local style of ballad at a certain vicinity of the Yellow River. (Literally translated, the three characters are "letters", "sky", "swim" which are together meaningless except as the specific name of the singing style. It's a very expressive (even exaggerated) style, as the TV reporter from Beijing on his musical quest soon finds out.
It would be natural to think that this movie is similar to Yellow Earth, as both starts with someone going into hostile (climatically speaking) rugged country in a musical pursuit. In Xin Tien You, however, the search of music soon takes a back seat and serves only to link up several episodes which can be collectively called "chronicles of a good official".
The story occurs in the 80s when China is recovering from the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution. We never see the reporter as we take his POV and hear his voice over, both as the narrator and in his conversation with various characters in the movie. The central character is a government official who in a chance encounter gets to hitch a ride with him. On the rugged, treacherous but spectacular mountain road, they encounter a peasant singing Xin Tien You. When asked to be filmed, the peasant surprises the reporter by coming out with a ballad dedicated to the praise of the official. Justifiably sceptical, the reporter is sidetracked from his musical quest to a search of the stories behind the official.
The movie is unquestionably preachy but the message is positive: a good official should be one who is totally dedicated to serve the people, particularly the helpless peasants. The story telling technique is elementary and the acting is barely passable. But the spectacular scenery and its unfazed simplicity makes it a good alternate choice.
It would be natural to think that this movie is similar to Yellow Earth, as both starts with someone going into hostile (climatically speaking) rugged country in a musical pursuit. In Xin Tien You, however, the search of music soon takes a back seat and serves only to link up several episodes which can be collectively called "chronicles of a good official".
The story occurs in the 80s when China is recovering from the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution. We never see the reporter as we take his POV and hear his voice over, both as the narrator and in his conversation with various characters in the movie. The central character is a government official who in a chance encounter gets to hitch a ride with him. On the rugged, treacherous but spectacular mountain road, they encounter a peasant singing Xin Tien You. When asked to be filmed, the peasant surprises the reporter by coming out with a ballad dedicated to the praise of the official. Justifiably sceptical, the reporter is sidetracked from his musical quest to a search of the stories behind the official.
The movie is unquestionably preachy but the message is positive: a good official should be one who is totally dedicated to serve the people, particularly the helpless peasants. The story telling technique is elementary and the acting is barely passable. But the spectacular scenery and its unfazed simplicity makes it a good alternate choice.