There are eleven films about the Nanking massacre that I know about. Thus far I have only watched three of them but I have a forth waiting to be watched. 1. "City of Life and Death" (2009), original title "Nanjing, Nanjing!". This is a very good Chinese (Mandarin) film that I have watched, and English subtitles can be found on the web - highly recommended! 2. "Purple Mountain" (2008). This is a Hollywood feature movie that I haven't been able to find, but it is supposed to be a good film similar to that of Schindler’s List. 3. "John Rabe" (2009). This is a Chinese - German co-production based on John Rabe's life in Nanking at the time of the massacre. John Rabe was the master mine behind the creation of the International Safety Zone in Nanking that saved more than 200,000 Chinese from the Nanking Massacre in late 1937 and early 1938. This is also a very good film. 4. "The Children of Huang Shi" (2008) The Children of Huang Shi is a Chinese-Australian-German co-production. Set in the late 1930s` war – torn China, the movie tells about how a young British journalist, George Hogg, saves 60 orphaned children during the Japanese invasion of China in 1937. This is film I have but haven't watched yet. 5. "Tokyo Trial" (2006) The Tokyo Trial is a historical film recounting the trial of Japanese war criminals at the end of World War II in 1946. At that time, the International Military Tribunal for the Far East was composed of 11 judges from 11 countries, the majority actually did not agree with the death penalty. The movie depicts how the Chinese judge Mei Ruao, charged the Japanese for war crimes and ultimately sent Hideki Tojo and other war criminals to the fatal tree. I haven't been able to find this film. 6. "Qixia Temple 1937" (2004) The Chinese movie Qixia Temple 1937 is based on a true story. It tells how a group of patriotic monks at the temple in Nanjing fought against the Japanese invaders, saved over 24,000 refugees and protected the ancient temple during the Nanjing Massacre between December 1937 and January 1938, telling people never forget historical lessons and calling for world peace. I haven't been able to find this film. 7. "May and August" (2002), original title is "Ng yuet baat yuet". Another Chinese film I haven't been able to get hold of. 8. "Men Behind the Sun 4" aka "Black Sun: The Nanking Massacre" (1995), original title is "Hei tai yang Nan Jing da tu sha". This is a 1994 Hong Kong movie. The movie depicts Nanking Massacre committed by the Japanese army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Some fragments of the move are very similar with Lu Chuan’s Nanjing! Nanjing!. The film is somewhat crude, but the director treats the history very seriously. The film uses the technique of alternating the story with historical footages, making it seem more shocking than Lu Chuan’s black-and-white film. I have this film but haven't watched it yet. 9. "Don’t Cry Nanking" (1995), original title ' Nan Jin 1937'. Another Chinese film I haven't been able to get hold of. 10. "Massacre in Nanjing" (1987) Another Chinese film I haven't been able to get hold of. 11. "The Flowers of War" by Zhang Yimou (2011), original title is "Jin ling shi san chai". This Chinese film I have watched and it is a good one. English subtitles can be found on the web.
Thank you for your remark Takao. I do actually know about the Nanking from 2007, I have it and I have also watched it. It is, however, a documentary and not a feature film, and I do keep these categories apart. I should perhaps nevertheless have mentioned it as not everyone thinks the same like I do.
I film that is related to the Nanking massacre, and has some early scenes of the event, is the WWII Biography "The Children of Huang Shi" from 2008. This film is about the English journalist George A. Hogg's life in China from just before the massacre.
Started watching City of Life and Death. Black and white and shot in a way that's reminiscent of Schindlers List. Enjoying it so far. Well made.
It's one of the best. Another favorite of mine is the Chinese The Flowers of War. The main language spoken is Mandarin, but Japanese and English are also spoken. Subtitles are available on the internet.
