The Monkey Goes West (1966)
THE MONKEY GOES WEST is the first entry in the studio’s epic, four-part screen adaptation of “Journey to the West,” a 16th-century novel recounting the efforts of a Buddhist monk and his magical companions to travel to India and bring back Buddhist sutras.
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To me, this movie is perfection.
This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.
This film version tells an early segment of the lengthy Chinese folk tale Journey to the West. The newly released (in Hong Kong, anyway) DVD version has been digitally restored, and so the visual and audio presentation is at least as good as it was at its 1966 release, with full, rich color and sound (I kept thinking of the restored version of The Wizard of Oz, with the almost-too-bright colors).The film clearly was made for Chinese audiences who would have been familiar with the story. Consequently, much of the history of Monkey, Pigsy and Sandy is brief to nonexistant, which is a shame, as it's central to understanding how they came to be together. Nonetheless, it's thoroughly enjoyable; even the musical numbers.Celestial Pictures has also released another story from Journey to the West, Princess Iron Fan, with many of the same characters.