Curse of the Golden Flower
by Yimou Zhang
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DVD details
Actor: Dahong Ni, Jay Chou, Li Gong, Ye Liu, Yun-Fat ChowDirector: Yimou Zhang
Brand: Sony
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: Chinese (Original Language); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 114 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-03-27
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures
DVD Reviews of Curse of the Golden Flower
DVD Review: A little disappointing
Summary: 3 Stars
Chow Yun Fat is amazing. We usually see him as the outwardly tranquil, but troubled good guy. Here he plays a scheming, ruthless, sadistic emperor to perfection. I'm not sure why people would call this a martial arts movie. The focus is on the intrigue and the drama. The plot is convoluted. Seeing the movie multiple times would probably help. Zhang use of color and spectacle is impressive.
The problem with the movie is the battle scenes. They are too fantastic. All the palace intrigue works. It is a little over the top, but it is like Shakespeare: bigger-than-life people screw up their lives in bigger than life ways. The fight scenes just didn't do it for me. Too many fights are just too gravity defying. Another problem is that everybody knows martial arts in the movie. The final battle seem too grand. On the plus side, it is cool how they removed all traces of a very bloody battle for the festival the next day. One of the main themes of the movie is how the emperor holds the country together while his family is disintegrating. I have a another minor qualm: there is a lot of cleavage. At one point there were thousands of women dressed in low cut dresses in a court room. My friend from China told me that no Chinese woman would dress in such revealing clothing. The Chinese press took the director to task for the costumes.
The movie worked on several levels; however, it never really pulled me in. In some ways it was too over the top. It was too dramatic. I would probably watch it again. I checked it out from the libary. I'll probably watch it on TV sometime to see if it grows on me.
DVD Review: Visual Extravaganza
Summary: 4 Stars
A very good movie with lots of beautiful colored scenes. Honesty and betrayal, love and treachery are given center stage. The visual extravaganza of this production is along the lines of "Hero". It's eye candy.DVD Review: Definite Eye Candy Color
Summary: 4 Stars
While the story is interesting, the plot is somewhat confusing at times. However, it is eventually easy to figure out. While I find myself lost, in the end I rate it as a four - giving it more than a 'so-so' but less than what I would give "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
For a blu-ray/ HD experience, on the other hand. WOW! The color is just absoutely AMAZING! I mean, I wanted to run up and lick my television screen! It looked like everything was made out of candy! I do not know if it was like rock candy of sorts or fruit roll ups but man oh man, shockingly delicious on the eyes, and the blu ray was the ultimate experience!!! I have to rate it a five for this one-- perhaps one of the best blu rays I have seen, visually, to date (though I admit I still have a few to see... speedracer comes to mind...)
Anyhow, I usually do not like dubbed movies, and especially do not like Kung Fu movies or anything like that. But, I think this movie has a little something for both the 'guys' and the 'gals.' As there are outstanding fighting scenes and quirky love triangles(?) going on, as well.
A-
DVD Review: good color, so-so story
Summary: 3 Stars
the BD movie video and audio are fine, story so-so. if you know director Zhang Yimou, it is another same movie/story just like "House of Flying Daggers","Hero". i think he pays too much attention to coloring, not the story. 5* for color, 4.5* for video,4* for audio,3* for story. 3* for acting.DVD Review: Visually Stunning
Summary: 5 Stars
While the plot regarding a Chinese dynasty family and their struggle amongst themselves against a tyrant of a father may remind you of a soap opera, this film has some of the most stunning imagery I've seen in a long time.
I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys period films, great cinematography, and family drama.
Description of Curse of the Golden Flower
From the director of Hero and House of Flying Daggers comes the martial arts epic masterpiece whose savage beauty and exquisite elegance has mesmerized and captivated audiences around the world. Set in the lavish and breathtakingly colorful world hidden from the eyes of mere mortals behind the walls of the Forbidden City a tale of a royal family divided against itself builds to a mythic climax as lines are crossed trust is betrayed and family blood is spilled in the quest for redemption and revenge. Starring Chow Yun Fat of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon as the embattled Emperor and Gong Li of Memoirs of a Geisha as his poisoned Empress Curse of the Golden Flower grants you entry into a dazzling and spectacular world of betrayal vengeance and passion that will change the way you think of martial arts forever.System Requirements:Running Time: 114 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:?ACTION/ADVENTURE Rating:?R UPC:?043396167261 Manufacturer No:?16726Curse of the Golden Flower, a fictionalized historical glimpse into the brutally complicated politics of Emperor Ping's (Chow Yun Fat) reign during the Tang Dynasty, shows the viewer just how far a megalomaniac must go to gain and retain power in medieval China. Lavish sets, massive ceremonial displays, and perversely fascinating battle scenes impress similarly to the special effects Americans have come to love and expect from Chinese action films like Zhang Yimou's previous House of Flying Daggers and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. An intricate plot involving the Emperor's wife, Empress Phoenix (Gong Li) and their three sons, Crown Prince Xiang, Prince Jie, and Prince Cheng, most closely follows the Empress's secret plan to force abdication upon her corrupt husband as revenge for his slowly poisoning her with Black Fungus tea. Opening on the eve of the Chysanthemum Festival, 928 A.D., the Empress obsessively embroiders gold chysanthemums to adorn her army's uniforms while hatching plans with Jai to overthrow the Crown Prince for control of the throne. Meanwhile, a side plot develops as the Emperor's ex-wife and mother to Crown Prince Yu reemerges as Yu's lover. By the time the Festival occurs, family members are pitted against each other in a King Lear-ian web of lies that can only result in demise. The most sophisticated narrative aspect of Curse of the Golden Flower is that as the royal family crumbles, the Emperor's death grip on China remains unwavering. Gorgeous scenes set in the palace and costume design displaying China's upper class decadence cannot fail to entertain. The paradox between good and evil, here, is highlighted by how the Emperor successfully rules despite, and because of, his utter cruelty. --Trinie Dalton
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