It is the story of a tough drill sergeant and his raw recruits, and was photographed by Zhang Yimou.
Today, the film stands somewhat in the shadows to Chen Kaige's better-known works, including his directorial debut Yellow Earth and the Palme d'Or winning Farewell, My Concubine.
Originally, Chen had not shot an actual parade to conclude his film, only obscure silhouettes of soldiers against a sunset, an artistic decision that shocked "both army and censors.
The New York Times wrote upon the film's American screening in 1988 that it was "[Zhang's] photography that lifts The Big Parade out of the rudely fashioned trench of its story.
"[2] Zhang would go on to become a major film director himself, directing his debut, Red Sorghum, in 1987.