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 PICTURES HOME ENT
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Chinese (Original Language); English (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen, 2.35:1
Running Time: 114 minutes
Published: 2007-03-01
DVD Release Date: 2007-03-27
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Reviews of Curse of the Golden Flower
DVD Review: Lies, Deception, Revolt: One Big Bloody Mess (literally)
Summary: 3 Stars
Any film by Zhang Yimou is sure to leave the viewer with enormous expectations for a meaningful plot, sensational scenes, a sense of wonder at the creativity and artistic expression of this media and satisfaction and fulfillment at the end. This film met some of the criteria mentioned but for me it fell short in the most important aspect which is "satisfaction and fulfillment." I was appalled at the bloody scenes and carnage which was the aftermath of an unsuccessful revolt. Having viewed the film twice, my overall impression remains it was not worth the great cost and amount of research it took to try to create authenticity and special effects to impress the viewer. The film is an epic tragedy about an Imperial family from the Tang Dynasty whose hidden lives behind the walls of the Forbidden City were filled with secrets, deception and tragedy. The plot is complex, filled with subterfuge and subplots making this a highly suspenseful interesting film despite its drawbacks. The Emperor lived during an era when male domination was total. For reasons which were later made clear, he was slowly poisoning his wife. His word was law, he seemed formidable and unapproachable. The Empress and his sons were expected to be obedient to his will and intentions. This naturally created tension in his marriage and jealousy among his sons. Gradually, the film reveals the multilayered subplots within the story. It seems every important member of the Imperial family has a hidden agenda: the Emperor, the Empress, and each of the Princes. There are secret love affairs, one of which is very shocking in scope, although the parties involved engage innocently in the relationship, not knowing the eventual consequences. It leads to a tragic ending.
The Emperor had been a general in the Imperial Army before he staged a coup many years ago in order to achieve the highest position of authority and power in the realm: to become Emperor. He committed some murders to quiet any opposition. Therefore, he had great reason for paranoia and distrust. One of the most unique aspects of this film is how it depicts the gradual unraveling of secrets which destroys the family bonds beyond repair. This DVD provides a great special feature: an outstanding interview with the Zhang Yimou, the director. He provides unique insights about the film's contents and his intentions. He and his staff did painstaking research for several months to provide the lavish designs and colorful décor to recreate the Imperial palace as it would have been decorated during the Tang Dynasty. This is the first Chinese film which staged such a large battle scene, using so many soldiers on screen. I give 5 stars for the story and the complex interrelationships of the characters. Zhang Yimou deserves high accolades for selecting outstanding actors to play the major roles. The director's explanation of the Chinese virtue called "xiao" which means filial duty to one's parents, clarifies why the eldest son of the Empress chose to lead the revolt against his father regardless of the limited chance for success. The Prince chose to act only after learning the Emperor was poisoning his mother ...
For me, there is an overpowering sense of suffocation due to the large scope of this epic. Even the dazzling mega stars who play the leading roles to perfection, Chow Yun Fat (Emperor) and Gong Li (Empress) can not eliminate this feeling. The film begins with highly dramatic orchestral music accompanying the anticipation of the arrival of the Emperor. There are literally thousands of female servants, male workers and soldiers many of whom are dressed alike, presumably those in the same class, who serve the needs of the Imperial family, all of them are dressed in the finest silk costumes of the Tang Dynasty era, awaiting his arrival, ready to serve his every need or desire. It is so very overwhelmng and this sense of "too much" continues throughout the film which is why I give an overall rating of 3 stars. Even when the Empress, her entourage, the Princes or the Emperor walk down the corridors, everything is too bright and too colorful. The décor is way over the top. The displays of so much wealth and riches, detracts from the plot. For me, the final insult to the senses occurs during the revolt in the Imperial courtyard, where a wall to wall field of yellow chrysanthemums are trampled and destroyed. When it is all over, the clean up crew wash the courtyard of all the blood and replace the dead chrysanthemums with live ones, as if nothing out of the ordinairy happened. The servants wash the bloody corridors, roll up the soiled carpet and replace it with a new, all in a day's work at the palace. In the end, the film is one bloody mess and I heave sigh of relief when it is over! Amazingly, it is exactly the creative efforts which Zhang Yimou describes that he adds to this film which I find annoying: too many servants and too much opulence. He explained the film is based on a famous Chinese play, which I totally understand because on stage it would be impossible to create the special effects which are overpowering on film. This is one Shakespearean tragedy that went totally awry. In my opinion, it is NOT Yimou's best work. Erika Borsos (pepper flower)
Description of Curse of the Golden Flower
THE ILL-FATED ROMANCE BETWEEN AN IMPERIAL BODYGUARD & A PRINCETAKES THE LOVERS ON A DANGEROUS JOURNEY WHERE ROYAL FAMILYSECRETS ARE REVEALED.Bestsellers in DVD
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