ASK YOURSELF is an obscure North Korean family drama. I watched it years ago, before it was on IMDb and when few details about the film were available online; Google didn't even have anything. Nowadays we know it was made in 1988, and that it's a family drama with a western setting involving the care of cattle and the like. I admit to finding it a real chore to sit through, a slow-paced and long-winded effort that had me nodding off on occasion.
The main character is a young woman who works as a cattle herder - a progressive step somewhat ahead of Western values, it has to be said. As with many North Korean films, the thrust of the plot is a dilemma between duty and personal progress, as the woman must choose between her job and an offer of marriage that comes from the big city. The usual communist themes of duty to the state vs. independence are present and correct here, along with some musical numbers. Sadly, as a propaganda piece it's very dull, with uninteresting characters and family woes making for sleep-inducing cinema.
The main character is a young woman who works as a cattle herder - a progressive step somewhat ahead of Western values, it has to be said. As with many North Korean films, the thrust of the plot is a dilemma between duty and personal progress, as the woman must choose between her job and an offer of marriage that comes from the big city. The usual communist themes of duty to the state vs. independence are present and correct here, along with some musical numbers. Sadly, as a propaganda piece it's very dull, with uninteresting characters and family woes making for sleep-inducing cinema.
