Undescribable Perfection

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Here is another Chinese animated film I loved after watching it online - Uproar in Heaven. Made in 1965 and based on the classic mythological novel Journey to the West, the film covers the mischievous Monkey King's early misadventures from the novel, like rebelling against the Jade Emperor of Heaven. Journey to the West is another classic story that intrigues me, and also got me into literature from other countries. I remember seeing an animated English dubbed TV series of Journey to the West that was made in 1999. In 2002, the series' episodes were edited and made into a OAV (Original Animated Video) movie, called "The Legends of the Monkey King." So after watching Uproar in Heaven, I'd concluded that I love it better then any film adaptation of Journey to the West.Overall I really love this film and I love the character designs in the film especially for the monkeys, they'll so cute!

The very best one, in which a monkey is kicking everybody's butt in a crazy kung fu style. It is not serious, it is not thought-provoking. But it is mindless and funny throughout. Remember watching this for the first time on Soviet TV back in 1980s. This entertainment was, is, and will be strictly for the boys. Cannot imagine any girl or woman who will enjoy it. And cannot name any other animation film that sets itself onto the topic of martial arts so tight.Some mighty monkey king is jumping, spinning, and laughing, while training hordes of his little "citizens" - monkey babies. They all live in a wonderful land of flowers, rainbows, and waterfalls. Then our hero suddenly decides to get a weapon that can match his perfection in combat. So, the journey begins. What follows is a wild succession of kung fu extravaganza, wine consuming, dreamy happenings, blurred visions, etc. It is simply outright funny that no creature (either from the deep waters or from the heavenly castles) can make Monkey King any harm, though they try so hard... A reasonable person can get sick and tired of watching one fight after another in this cartoon. Not my case. Even a black-and-white version of this animated epic was extremely entertaining to me and inspired me to draw this character on paper just for fun.By the way, most likely, you will not dig out any moral lessons from this cartoon. So, it's pure style and beauty with loads of kung fu. It is Mozart of animation dedicated to kung fu.Animated bliss for those who enjoy crazy cinema with deep national roots. It is crazy to give it a 10 out of 10 but it is my mark for this one. Thank you for attention.

The 40th Anniversay Edition box contains 2 DVDs, one with the film (parts I and II) and the other with some interesting special features, such as a much earlier black & white film made on another episode of the adventures of the Monkey King (the "Flaming Mountain" episode). The "Flaming Mountain" is really funny because it is halfway between Disney's (Micky Mouse) animation and the "true" Chinese animation achieved in Uproar in Heaven-- a really strange mix! The sound and image on the DVD is very well-remastered despite many minor specks and scratches, but part II of the main film was badly preserved with nasty marks and jumpy cuts. I really liked the commemorative documentary which has interviews of a few original animators and voice actors when they were still alive-- the Jade/Heavenly Emperor is actually modelled after the chubby face of its voice actor! Unfortunately, ONLY Chinese (traditional & simplified) subtitles are provided.P.S. A REALLY well-remastered DVD is the 25th Anniversary DVD of "Nezha Nao Hai" (Nezha Conquers the Dragon King) which comes with (Chinese &) English subtitles! It totally wipes the floor with Disney's Mulan (just my personal fanatical opinion) in terms of Chinese fantasy art and, of course, kung-fu animation.

Saw it twice as a kid and I remember it still. This movie is a wonderful animation from China about the Monkey king and his adventures.The movie consists of several earthly and heavenly adventures as the monkey king tries to (save the world?) or just get along in life (It has been over 20 years...)It just became available for purchasing in Sweden and I am gonna get it...9/10 as I remember it, it may even get 10/10 as a children's movie, but also risk being downgraded (as I said, 20 years) to about 8, but not lower, never...