tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21165575.post4018118470830481566..comments2024-03-10T20:46:19.274-04:00Comments on In the Middle: THE HORDE (2012): before before Orientalism, the new (?) medievalismCord J. Whitakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06224143153295429986noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21165575.post-61375267051242521992015-01-01T15:29:38.043-05:002015-01-01T15:29:38.043-05:00Well, if the film were Mongolian rather than Russi...Well, if the film were Mongolian rather than Russian Christian propaganda, that might be okay.medievalkarlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12440542200843836794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21165575.post-90404493592924216342014-12-27T01:02:22.269-05:002014-12-27T01:02:22.269-05:00FWIW- I've been to Mongolia nine times in ten ...FWIW- I've been to Mongolia nine times in ten years and have spent most of it in the countryside with many visits to herder's gers besides traveling with Mongol drivers and generally being around them and learning some of the language and how to function in their culture. The depiction of the Mongols in the film is more or less accurate to the people I enjoy being around (although they have a parliamentary democracy these days). The sense of humor is the same, physical and rowdy, so the scene referred to in the post of one Mongol pretending to "eat" another rings true. <br /><br />They are not sentimenal people. They can be extremely generous, but are not particularly compassionate. Back in the time of the movie, they lived hard lives and could and did tolerate a lot of hardship, so not much sympathy for anyone else who was weaker.<br /><br />The scene with the wheel is based on the practice, when a tribe had been conquered, of lining up the men against a wheel. Anyone who was taller than the top (read: adult) would be killed. I believe this was described in the account of what Chinggis did when he defeated the "real" Tatar tribe, members of which had assassinated his father through poison.<br /><br />They have great pride, know they once had the world's largest lamd empire and that they have been a nation-state for over 800 years. Combined with that great sense of humor. It's a very winning and seductive combination.<br /><br />They are still largely meat eaters and the mutton and goat is delicious, as is the airag, arkhi and the tsagaan khol (white food) that is made in the summer. <br /><br />So I found their depiction to be not only accurate but quite enjoyable.sfoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14641207520270872175noreply@blogger.com