Man čcheng ťin taj chuang ťin ťia
Directed by:
Yimou ZhangScreenplay:
Yimou ZhangCinematography:
Xiaoding ZhaoComposer:
Shigeru UmebayashiCast:
Yun-fat Chow, Li Gong, Jay Chou, Ye Liu, Dahong Ni, Jin Chen, Changhui Guo, Man Li, Junjie QinVOD (1)
Plots(1)
Story about the folly of war and the disintegration of one family under the weight of unrequited love, unforgivable betrayals, and a never-ending thirst for power. On the eve of the Chong Yong Festival, golden flowers fill the Imperial Palace and when the Emperor (Chow Yun Fat) unexpectedly returns to his Empress (Gong Li) and two sons, the tension is clear in his lavish kingdom. His absence has given rise to illicit love affairs, dangerous alliances, and malicious conspiracies. All of which threaten to overthrow his power. However, it may well be the Emperors own dark secret that threatens him most of all. As the secrets of the Imperial family unravel against this backdrop of breathtaking opulence & grandeur, an attack on the Palace by myriad armoured warriors results in a spectacular climax wrought with thrilling action and epic tragedy. (Fabulous Films)
(more)Reviews (3)
An intimate theater play in a colorful setting, interspersed with mass combat scenes. The theater part doesn’t work because of the excessive distance from the characters and emotional emptiness, while the combat scenes too obviously look like they were shot in a studio. Despite the obvious ambition to be a grand dramatic epic in Kurosawa’s style, Curse of the Golden Flower is simply formulaic and dysfunctional.
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Yun-Fat Chow and Li Gong as iconic rulers of the Tang Dynasty. Yimou Zhang directs this monstrous film as a demonstration of the best of what is possible in Chinese film studios. Maximum sets, maximum interiors, maximum costumes, maximum extras, and maximum details as far as the eye can see. And yet the story simply demonstrates a classic deadly family drama where everyone is both guilty and victimized. Curse of the Golden Flower is one of the few fashionable Eastern imports I'm willing to turn a blind eye to and blend in with every piece of gold embroidery.
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This is a picture that is simply beautiful to look at. It's so nice to watch, and I do it all the time. The composition and attention to detail are sometimes absolutely incredible. And the use of yellow is unbelievable. And it even has a story! It lacks something, it's probably too aesthetic, without emotions, but it's still a beautiful sight.
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