This film immediately drew me in and held me tightly until it's tragic ending. I often wonder whether the myriad people required to produce extraordinary films such as this recognize just what they have accomplished, regardless of what is said at the box office upon initial release.
Everything in this film comes together seamlessly. -From the diverse, haunting music, to the spectacular photography and visuals, to the tight, expert editing, to the flawless performances, to the gorgeous costumes, and finally to the all important lighting (who will get the red lantern tonight?), everything is executed in harmony and beauty. This is one gorgeous movie.
One example of the fine direction, photography, and editing is the way the film's focus is kept on the women and household. The husband is rarely seen and when he is his face is obscured in half light or by some other means. We hear his voice more than we ever actually see him.
Despite the story's setting of 1920s China, Warlord Era what happens mirrors the realities of life we all face only as seen within the microcosm of this Chinese household. It's true, consequences today for some of the actions taken differ, but nonetheless, the real-life aspects that come through are what made it such a grabber for me.
A young and naive, but willful girl raised on an isolated, rural farm is sold as 4th wife to a rich man. To survive, she must quickly learn about the politics of the household, including the pecking order between wives and even servants, arbitrary rules unknown until broken, the difference between someone seeming to be a friend and a real friend, etc.
The stakes are high. In the process of learning what it means to be 4th wife, she unwittingly starts a ripple effect of unintended consequences, hurting others when she acts out of anger and frustration. These indiscretions lead to the tragic death of a servant and the revelation of a confidence in the wrong ears that also results in a death.
Even for those who do not like to "read" their movies, this one is an exception. It's well worth the read.
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Raise the Red Lantern (MGM World Films) [DVD]
IMDb8.1/10.0
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Genre | Foreign |
Format | Subtitled, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC |
Contributor | Baotian Li, Cuifen Cao, Chu Xiao, Su Tong, Jingwu Ma, Zhengyin Cao, Weimin Ding, Li Gong, Lin Kong, Yimou Zhang, Saifei He, Shuyuan Jin, Qi Zhao, Zhihgang Cui, Ni Zhen See more |
Language | Mandarin Chinese |
Runtime | 2 hours and 5 minutes |
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Product Description
Songlian, an educated nineteen-year-old girl, is forced to leave college to become the fourth wife of a powerful, feudal nobleman and becomes involved in the intrigues and rivalries between his other wives.
Genre: Foreign Film - Chinese
Rating: PG
Release Date: 24-JUL-2007
Media Type: DVD
Product details
- Aspect Ratio : 2.35:1
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- MPAA rating : PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
- Product Dimensions : 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches; 2.88 ounces
- Director : Yimou Zhang
- Media Format : NTSC, Subtitled, Color, DVD, Widescreen
- Run time : 2 hours and 5 minutes
- Release date : July 24, 2007
- Actors : Li Gong, Jingwu Ma, Saifei He, Cuifen Cao, Qi Zhao
- Subtitles: : English, Spanish, French
- Studio : MGM (Video & DVD)
- ASIN : B000PMFS6O
- Writers : Ni Zhen, Su Tong
- Number of discs : 1
- Best Sellers Rank: #63,733 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
- #567 in Foreign Films (Movies & TV)
- #10,710 in Drama DVDs
- Customer Reviews:
Customer reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
113 global ratings
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2012
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2006
This is one of Gong Li's first films. Songlian (Gong Li) becomes the Fourth Wife of a much older wealthy man named Chen Zuoqian. Being the new youngest concubine in the harem, it seems that the four girls are constantly competing for the master husband's attention. The eldest wife really doesn't seem to care (she's rather old and unappealing anyway), but the competition of the other three is the foundation of this story. It's played out in a way that you as a viewer will start to determine who your favorite concubine is, but as the story plays out, everyone is not as innocent (or even as evil) as it first seemed. Even the master seems like a pleasant person and very attentive to happiness of the concubines.
This DVD was first released by Razor Digital with the most horrific video quality you could ever imagine. Even worse than anything from Madacy (from Canada). If you bought that eyesore, get rid of it and buy this newer release. This one from MGM World Films is from a much better source.
After I bought that horrid version from Razor Digital, I went on line and found an original master from Hong Kong released by ERA International. I ordered it from a distributor in San Francisco that get many original asian DVD's right from the original source countries.
If you bought the ERA International version (like I did), then GOOD FOR YOU! I say this because I just rented this MGM World Films version to compare to my ERA International version and I found that my ERA International version is an even better mastered version than this one from MGM World Films. ERA definitely has sharper imaging. But don't get me wrong, this MGM version is definately very good in quality.
Gong Li's "Ju Dou" is not available from ERA International or MGM World Films yet (as of Sept 2007), but if they ever do release that on DVD here in America, I'll definitely get rid this other horrid Razor Digital release.
If you love asian films, this one is a keeper.
This DVD was first released by Razor Digital with the most horrific video quality you could ever imagine. Even worse than anything from Madacy (from Canada). If you bought that eyesore, get rid of it and buy this newer release. This one from MGM World Films is from a much better source.
After I bought that horrid version from Razor Digital, I went on line and found an original master from Hong Kong released by ERA International. I ordered it from a distributor in San Francisco that get many original asian DVD's right from the original source countries.
If you bought the ERA International version (like I did), then GOOD FOR YOU! I say this because I just rented this MGM World Films version to compare to my ERA International version and I found that my ERA International version is an even better mastered version than this one from MGM World Films. ERA definitely has sharper imaging. But don't get me wrong, this MGM version is definately very good in quality.
Gong Li's "Ju Dou" is not available from ERA International or MGM World Films yet (as of Sept 2007), but if they ever do release that on DVD here in America, I'll definitely get rid this other horrid Razor Digital release.
If you love asian films, this one is a keeper.
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2010
Qi Gong and other cast members turn in excellent performances in this story about pre-revolutionary China in which one master shares four concubines. The title "Raise the Red Lantern" has nothing to do with a communist or propaganda theme. It was simply the method by which the master chose his concubine for the evening.
The intrigues between the four "wives" is interesting and well-portrayed. The master of the house was willing to put up with the petty one-up's man ship and arguing amongst his wives. One thing, however, that he would not tolerate was infidelity. This story details the decline of his youngest wife from the pretty and preferred status she enjoyed to madness when she learns the fate of #3 wife whose status she preempted when she joined the "family" and her diminished status when she was no longer the "favorite" and was also supplanted by a new wife.
In Chinese with English sub-titles. The dialog is simple and easily understood by a student of Chinese language, but the subtitles help particularly during run-on conversations and softly spoken dialog.
The intrigues between the four "wives" is interesting and well-portrayed. The master of the house was willing to put up with the petty one-up's man ship and arguing amongst his wives. One thing, however, that he would not tolerate was infidelity. This story details the decline of his youngest wife from the pretty and preferred status she enjoyed to madness when she learns the fate of #3 wife whose status she preempted when she joined the "family" and her diminished status when she was no longer the "favorite" and was also supplanted by a new wife.
In Chinese with English sub-titles. The dialog is simple and easily understood by a student of Chinese language, but the subtitles help particularly during run-on conversations and softly spoken dialog.
Top reviews from other countries
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great transaction !
Reviewed in Canada on October 9, 2020
A+
Doug
5.0 out of 5 stars
raise your eyes
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 30, 2010
This a great film, a real visual treat and a sensitive story beautifully told.
It is not a special effects film with flying arrows and leaping heroes - it's a close and intense, almost suffocating personal drama unfolding in a difficult time in Chinese history (was there ever anything else?)
It is not a special effects film with flying arrows and leaping heroes - it's a close and intense, almost suffocating personal drama unfolding in a difficult time in Chinese history (was there ever anything else?)
5 people found this helpful
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Mrs P A Howard
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 28, 2015
stunning and very moving
2 people found this helpful
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nobody
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent film-making
Reviewed in Canada on October 7, 2009
Zhang Yimou is a great Chinese film-director and all of his works are worth watching. Gorgeous cinematography and fascinating story.