Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? poster & wallpaper
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Yi Pan-Yong, Sin Won-Sop, Hae-Jin Huang, Su-Myong Ko

The title refers to a Zen riddle for which there is no answer. Noted painter Bae Yong-kyun spent several years devoted to carefully and lovingly creating this challenging, meditative and exquisitely p... read more read more...hotographed film. A young man aspires to the priestly life and so travels to a remote mountain hermitage to study under an aged Zen Master whose corporeal days are numbered. The master lives alone there with a small orphan boy. As the days slowly pass, the master occasionally shares his wisdom with his followers. Much time is spent following the boy as he learns about the nature of life in the smallest of ways. Sometimes the older acolyte has brief memories of the past he recently left. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Flixster Users

75% liked it

762 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

6 critics

Unrated, 2 hr. 17 min.

Directed by: Bae Yong-kyun

Release Date: September 23, 1989

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DVD Release Date: October 16, 2007

Stats: 48 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (48)

  • egwong
    June 22, 2008
    egwong
    I dunno. I must be stupid because I could not get into this movie. I'd start it and watch like fifteen minutes, then turn it off, then start it again in a day or two. It's slow and kinda boring, and the scenes aren't shot in a particularly beautiful or moving way or anything.
    ... read more
    But so many people I love and whose opinions I respect love this movie, so, well, I just don't know.
  • igotthisblaster
    June 22, 2008
    igotthisblaster
    Too slow and contemplative for my tastes. Great visuals. Slow story. The Bodhi-Dharma left for the East because the Westerners got bored!

View All Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? Reviews

Critic Reviews

Jeffrey M. Anderson
January 10, 2008
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

I occasionally found myself lost in thought and found the film an overall worthwhile experience. Full Review

Norm Schrager
November 6, 2007
Norm Schrager, Filmcritic.com

a difficult movie of unorthodox pacing and presentation Full Review

Philip Martin
October 21, 2007
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

... amazingly beautiful, as every frame puts you in mind of a painting by Rousseau or Joseph Turner.

Dennis Schwartz
December 30, 2005
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Attempts to express what is inexpressible and does it better than any previous film of this type. Full Review

Stephen Holden
August 30, 2004
Stephen Holden, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
January 1, 2000
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

Click to read the article Full Review

Thomas Delapa
September 3, 2004
Thomas Delapa, Boulder Weekly

No review available.

Robert Faires
January 1, 2000
Robert Faires, Austin Chronicle

Click to read the article Full Review

November 1, 2007
Time Out

Click to read the article Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

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