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 QinPlots(1)
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. (Via Vision Entertainment)
Reviews (3)
This is a film that is just beautiful to look at. It's really enjoyable to watch, every moment of it. The composition and the attention to detail are absolutely incredible in places. And the use of yellow is incredible. And it even has a story! It's missing something, perhaps it's too aesthetic but otherwise devoid of emotions, yet it's still a beautiful spectacle.
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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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