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A State of Mind [DVD]

Daniel Gordon (Actor, Director, Writer), Jong-il Kim (Actor) Rated:
Unrated
Format: DVD
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 39 ratings
IMDb7.7/10.0
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February 7, 2006 		—
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Format Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Letterboxed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen
Contributor Song Yun Kim, Hyon Sun Pak, Jong-il Kim, Daniel Gordon
Language English, Korean
Runtime 1 hour and 33 minutes
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Product Description

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Billed as "a complex exploration of one of the world's most closed nations," A State of Mind purports to offer unprecedented insight into life in North Korea, a country infamously cited by George W. Bush as a member of "the axis of evil." British filmmaker Daniel Gordon's beautifully photographed 2003 documentary certainly takes us deeper into the culture of this isolated land that any Westerner has been in the past half century. In focusing on two female gymnasts, aged 11 and 13, and their preparations for the "socialist realism extravaganza" known as the Mass Games, Gordon shines a light on their daily existence; although the people are hardly prosperous, life in Pyongyang, the capital city, seems reasonably normal (except perhaps for the state radio broadcasts that are pumped into every resident's home and can be turned down, but not off). What's more, the discipline and dedication of young Kim Song Yun and Pak Hyon Sun, as well as the thousands of others who participate in the Mass Games, results in a performance of astonishing skill and splendor (captured in A State of Mind's final and most impressive sequence). Still, it's safe to say that a government as secretive as North Korea's wouldn't have granted "unrestricted access" to a foreign film crew if they anticipated that anything controversial might be revealed. Indeed, what Gordon refers to as "an all-encompassing belief structure imposed on the people"--based on an unquestioning devotion to dictator Kim Jong Il (known as "the General") and the sublimation of the individual for the good of the state--comes through loud and clear in every interview. Even the few problems mentioned, like food shortages or nightly power blackouts in Pyongyang, are attributed to various national disasters or, most often, the wickedness of American "imperialist aggressors." Of course, with Bush's foreign policy having aroused the enmity of most of the rest of the world, it's getting harder for Americans to be scornful of those whom we have alienated. If anything, especially considering their nascent nuclear capability, A State of Mind shows us that North Korea is not a country to be taken lightly. --Sam Graham

Product details

  • Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.85:1
  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ Unrated (Not Rated)
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches; 2.56 ounces
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Daniel Gordon
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Letterboxed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 33 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ February 7, 2006
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Daniel Gordon, Jong-il Kim, Song Yun Kim, Hyon Sun Pak
  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Kino Video
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000C8STLM
  • Writers ‏ : ‎ Daniel Gordon
  • Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 39 ratings

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
39 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Mrs. Mary E. Connor
5.0 out of 5 stars "State of Mind"
Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2006
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I highly recommend A State of Mind, a newly released documentary on North Korea. Why do I recommend it? It is particularly worth seeing because British filmmaker, Daniel Gordon, was actually given permission to film by North Korea, one of the least known or understood nations in the world. The film dramatically conveys how an authoritarian regime has shaped the minds of its people. North Koreans are totally indoctrinated in believing in their Dear Leader, communism and the idea that their country is the best place in the world. The film provides images of Pyongyang and the way of life of the people who reside there. Interviews reveal that North Koreans are very interested in our war in Iraq and convinced that the United States is an imperialist threat to their way of life and that our economic sanctions are the source of their hardships. American audiences will be surprised to see healthy and cheerful North Koreans and to hear them stoically admit that food and energy shortages are part of city life.

The film focuses on two delightful North Korean schoolgirls (ages 11 and 14) who are selected to train for the Mass Games and whose lives revolve around a rigorous daily routine to prepare for the Games in hopes that Kim Jong Il (often known as the Dear Leader) will be there to see them perform and know that they are good communists. The shots of the actual Mass Games where 100,000 people participate in an elaborately choreographed exhibition of dazzlingly colorful, perfectly synchronized routines will stay in your mind forever. Needless to say, the Dear Leader never showed up for any of the Games.

Koreans understandably will see this as a sad film and it is. I personally find it tragic, fascinating, thought provoking and invaluable for many reasons. It is my hope that A State of Mind will make Americans more attentive to the existing crisis on the Korean peninsula and the ongoing threat of nuclear war.

Mary Connor, educator and author of "The Koreas: A Global Studies Handbook.
11 people found this helpful
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M. Feldman
5.0 out of 5 stars 1984 has come and gone---or has it?
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2007
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Do you teach Orwell's 1984? Do you feel that the novel might be a bit dated because its "date" has passed and so has the Soviet Union, the totalitarian state on which it was partly based? Well, this film ought to freshen things right up for you and your students. In many ways, the North Korean state is the embodiment of all the techniques of the totalitarian state that are described in the novel: the manipulation of history, the deification of the leader, mass propaganda, media control, the concept of endless war. Believe me, students gape, and for them, the novel comes right off the "boring assignment" queue and into history as it is happening in front of their eyes. (It's never hard to find North Korea news in the newspapers, either.)

However, it is also interesting to consider the North Korean instruments of control that Orwell did not anticipate: the beauty of the mass games, the obvious delight of parents in their talented children, the intensity of purpose that comes with idealism, however misdirected. High school students who are reading Orwell are riveted by this film, but you don't have to be in high school to appreciate this nuanced,compelling, and, in places, gorgeous film.
6 people found this helpful
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Chasity
4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and Disturbing
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2011
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It was a real treat for someone such as myself who loves to learn about life in other countries, the nuances of daily living for people in other parts of the world to watch a film with insight into one of the most isolated and secretive countries in the world. The film is informative, fascinating, and the narrator abstains from passing judgement on the subjects of the film.

I found parts of the film extremely disturbing. The everyday intense hatred of my country was definitely difficult to watch and I found this a distrubing aspect of the film. It made me very sad that the relations between my country and other parts of the world are so strained.

But on another level I found the film heartening in that it confirmed what I have always believed; people are people. No matter where they live. I watch two girls hanging out together, one wishing she had siblings, too instead of being an only child. I watch girls running around after class. I watch a family eating and laughing together. And it's all very human. And I think many people in my country and others need to see that. Need to see eadch other's human nature.

One complaint I have is that we only see Pyongyang which the narrator tells us is the wealthiest part of the country and it's an 'honor to live there.' I understand that a movie about a country has to have a scope but considering the limited amount of material concerning the country, I was disappointed to have such a limited view of the country to one city that is anything but typical.

Still, great film. Loved it!
3 people found this helpful
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M. Higgins
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended for Middle School Kids
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2007
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Please read the other reviews for more details about the film. I am writing, as a history teacher, to recommend State of Mind as an outstanding film for middle school aged kids. The film makers follow two North Korean gymnasts who are devoted to their country and leader, Kim Jong. One of the segments, showing a lesson given at a North Korean school was subtle and yet chilling. In another, the Korean family curses Americans when Pyongyang undergoes a power outage. A lot of great discussion was generated by this show in my classroom about propoganda, freedom vs. order, seeking the truth from media, etc.. And the filming is incredible -- the last scenes showing the performance of the Mass Games will blow your socks off. Teachers, pick up this film -- your students will be engaged and you'll have many rich topics to think about and discuss.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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サイファ
3.0 out of 5 stars 北朝鮮の女子学生の実態
Reviewed in Japan on November 20, 2021
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国内DVDプレイヤーで見れないのが残念なことだけ。
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citario
5.0 out of 5 stars Besser als jede Doku
Reviewed in Germany on September 26, 2010
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Der Film "State of Mind" entführt in eine Welt wo der "Führerkult" zum Täglichen Leben gehört, und man bekommt einen Eindruck, wie ein Personenkult auf junge Menschen wirkt, wie sie sich selbst unter Druck setzten, um von ihrem "großen General" beachtet zu werden.
Einfach ein sehr interessanter Film den ich leider nur an PC schauen kann da er nicht für alle Ländercode's freigeschaltet ist.
One person found this helpful
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P. Conlon
5.0 out of 5 stars By far the best and deepest insight into the mindset of North Korea
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 8, 2009
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North Korea fascinates due to it being the most isolated (by its own choice) and most severely repressive nation on Earth. There are, to my knowledge, three insightful DVDs on the subject: `A State of Mind', `National Geographic - Inside North Korea' and `North Korea: A Day in the Life'. I have purchased all three. An important point to note is that any footage allowed out of North Korea is almost exclusively of the capital, Pyongyang, which is far from being representative of life in the country as a whole. Only a fraction of the population are specially selected to live there; even for these `privilaged' souls life is bleak and dominated by political propaganda.
`A State of Mind' concentrates on the preparations of two young gymnasts for the showpiece Mass Games performance. Of the three, this DVD gives by far the best and deepest insight into the brainwashed mindset of the North Koreans, with its excellent documentary narration and carefully selected material. It is also important to bear in mind however that this film only shows what is approved by the regime - all the despicable aspects of the North Korean experience are not covered. There also has remarkable footage of the Mass Games of course and the grand military parades (both visually stunning) that seem to be the focus of life there.
`National Geographic - Inside North Korea', being told from our outsider's perspective, is the only complete and balanced overview of North Korea here. It puts North Korea on the map with its historical context, draws widely on footage from many sources and - free of regime censorship - shows as best it can the true horror story that the regime tries to hide at all costs. Information presented on health standards, nutrition and the extensive concentration camp system are quite staggering.
`North Korea: A Day in the Life' is what the title says it is; it follows a day in the life of a `typical' (regime selected) family in Pyongyang. This is not narrated and concentrates solely on the daily routine, so really brings across the bleakness of these people's life. Again this officially-approved film only shows what is approved by the regime. The carefully selected images shown (for example the table overloaded with food in a city known to be tightly rationed) and the often unreal scripted dialogue only really serve to show how out-of-touch the regime is which choreographed it. This film does show well the grinding inefficiencies of North Korean life, but all-in-all compares poorly with `A State of Mind'.
For a good understanding of North Korea, I recommend viewing `National Geographic - Inside North Korea' and `A State of Mind', in that order.
3 people found this helpful
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philip 1
3.0 out of 5 stars doesnt show or tell you enough about what is in north korea
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2013
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this is ok but it mainley shows gymnastics and not enough of rest of north korea. This film is great if you are fasinated in gymnasium training. Good film but other films about north korea like " crossing the line" is far much interesting.
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Boo Radley
1.0 out of 5 stars One Star
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 26, 2015
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Didn't realise this was for US DVD player- gutted, especially as it was being sold on Amazon UK.
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