Having heard more than a few complaints about the Disney version (most specifically about the portrayal of culture and adherence to the actual legend), I researched the legend, and found it be to be extremely curt, so I was even more keen to find a Chinese version, wondering how a whole movie could be made from the scant bones in it. What I found was a pleasing spectacle that actually bears some responsibility for the Disney movie. There is no romance in the original story, but this movie puts one in, and Disney seems to have faithfully copied it, as well as the injunction against women joining the army at all. While this movie certainly doesn't have a talking dragon or semi-sentient cricket, it does have many comical (tho' not huge belly laugh-making) interactions between Mulan (which is treated as an asexual name here) and the other soldiers. It also invents a cousin who goes with her as sort of a shield against discovery, tho' this is done away with rather quickly. I am not so great an aficionado of Chinese opera to be able to tell if this is a representative example or not, but it certainly seemed to me to be an impressive spectacle - lots of action, elaborate costumes, and many gestures I do recognize from other operas. I also found a very Communist spirit (in the very nicest way!) to the movie: the idea of sacrificing all for the good of the state, whether you are a man or a woman.

This version of MuLan was produced at least 30 years before Disney's MuLan, and tells a more PG-13 story than Disney's. The story addresses many identity exploration issues, including proper soldier etiquette (possibly as a commentary for perceived fallacies in military conduct of ancient/old China).This excellent version is also presented like a Traditional Chinese Opera, complete with traditional kung fu-dancing and singing, however, it has multiple unique sets like a regular movie. Thank goodness for English Subtitles! The subtitle dialog is definitely Chinese in flavor, and it is not American English.But regardless it is a exquisite creation for its time. This version might be considered even cheesy by American tastes, for people expecting a transliteration like Mel Gibson's Hamlet or something similar. I definitely recommend this if you'd like to explore more traditional Chinese art. There's nothing wrong with the Disney version for its own sake, but this is a slightly grittier, absolutely more serious version of MuLan. This has none of the extrapolation and weirdness that is Disney's MuLan 2.If you have trouble finding this 1964 version of MuLan, it is available via Blockbuster Online also, which is how I saw it.