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Review #376 of 365
Movie Review of Curse of the Golden Flower (2006) [R] 117 minutes
Mandarin Title: Man cheng jin dai huang jin jia
WIP™ Scale: $13.50
Where Viewed: United Artists Colorado Center 9 & IMAX, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 23 January 2007
Time: 7:10 p.m.
Film's Official Website • Film's Trailer
DVD Release Date: unscheduled
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Directed by: Yimou Zhang (Riding Along for Thousands of Miles)
Written by: Yimou Zhang (Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles) with play by Yu Cao (Sunrise)
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Jin Chen (Roaring Across the Horizon) • Jay Chou (Initial D) • Yun-Fat Chow (Bulletproof Monk) • Li Gong (Miami Vice) • Man Li (debut) • Ye Liu (The Promise) • Dahong Ni (Loach Is Fish Too) • Junjie Qin (debut)
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ignited a passion for and comprehension of Chinese cinema in the United States going on to win Best Picture of the year. Since then, there has been a steady trickle of Chinese films to the USA, each more grandiose than the next to tempt the senses. Unfortunately, none has quite matched either the wondrous story line, incredible martial artistry, nor shear surprise and imagination of CT/HD. Not House of Flying Daggers, not The Promise, and not the latest from the master Chinese director himself, Yimou Zhang—whom you may be more used him being called Zhang Yimou, but recently, someone in the film industry or the press industry decided that USAers were finally ready to comprehend the fact that it is Chinese custom to place the honorable surname of a person first and their given name second, precisely the opposite of most Western cultures, therefore, technically, his name is Yimou Zhang—known as Curse of the Golden Flower or Man cheng jin dai huang jin jia in Mandarin. From the start of the film, however, there is one way in which CoTGF rivals almost all previous Chinese films to arrive in USA mainstream theaters and, perhaps, nearly any other film ever made, and that is the stunning beauty and colors of the sets and costumes throughout. The film takes place in 998 AD during the Tang Dynasty mostly set in the Forbidden Palace of the Emperor Ping (Yun-Fat Chow). He is the Emperor, but the story is really more about the Empress (Li Gong) and her three prince sons in order of ascension, Wan (Ye Liu), Jai (Jay Chou), and Yu (Junjie Qin). The story begins with a look at the daily routine of the Empress as she goes about her routine dividing her time between receiving visitors within the palace, arranging events, and embroidering a seemingly endless number of gold chrysanthemums.
"…rivals almost all previous Chinese films to arrive in USA mainstream theaters…in the stunning beauty and colors of the sets and costumes throughout."
The palace itself it one of the most stunning, beautiful, and colorful sets ever recreated for film both inside and out. The time of the year is just before the Chrysanthemum Festival held on the 9th Day of the 9th month and is an annual celebration where families reunite to celebrate their filial bonds and share a good meal and festivities. Every hour on the hour in the palace, there are a group of servants charged with banging out a set of tones and singing the time. Every other hour, the Empress must take some medicine prescribed by the Imperial Physician Jiang (Dahong Ni) and delivered especially to her by his daughter and servant Chan (Man Li). The concoction is brewed, and then filtered before her eyes. But something is not right. She suspects something, because, though she's been taking this medicine for ten years at the bequest of the Emperor to help with her anemia and her temperament, she, the daughter of the King of Liang who helped him rise up from foot soldier to Emperor of the entire nation, has suddenly found the medicine making her feel quite ill. She gets dizzy spells and sharp pains. Her hands shake when embroidering, and she glistens with cold sweat on her brow. Still, she drinks the medicine. The time is now to prepare the palace for the return of the emperor—an incredible affair of state with pageantry, costumes, and colors everywhere. Just as they are ready to receive him, however, foot soldiers appear through the central aisle running and bearing the message that the ceremony has been cancelled by the Emperor who has decided to stop at the Royal Inn on the way back causing great disappointment in all who spent so much time to prepare the lavish reception. In the meantime, we learn that the Empress has been having a non-clandestine relationship with Crown Prince Wan. She is not actually his biological mother, if that makes it any better. His mother was proclaimed dead by the Emperor shortly after his birth. Nonetheless, a scandal involving the Empress and the Crown Prince would send gossip waves throughout the palace. Wan's loyalties and attentions are torn between the relationship of three years with his step mother and the aforementioned royal servant Chan whose father has designs on her becoming the next Empress. Back at the Inn, so to speak, the Emperor in all his battle armor glory is revealed in a stunning sword play scene between him and his middle son, Jai. This is a miniature clash of the titans won readily by the Emperor proving his greatness once more. He wants Jai home for dinner and the start of the preparations of the festival. At the dinner, the Emperor asks each what they wish for. Wan asks if he might be permitted to go to Chong Quing to experience the life from which his brother, Jai has just returned. Yu asks if he might be allowed to command the royal guard during the festival. Alas, the Emperor has other plans. He asks Jai to command the guard, a slight to Wan, who, as the eldest should be commanding the guard. But, secretly, the Emperor has plans on selecting a new heir feeling that Wan is too weak, and perhaps, aware of the affair between him and the Empress. Palace intrigue ensues, and a secret spy hired by the Empress reveals that she is being poisoned slowly at 2 grams per day for 2 months with a black fungus from Persia that eventually makes a person go mad. And with this knowledge, she unleashes her rage and her plan to destroy the emperor and put her son, Jai, on the thrown.
"…a very good movie, it's just not quite in the same level of greatness as Crouching Tiger."
Part of the problem with the success of the story alone, perhaps, is that it is at times too convoluted, and the language translation obviously loses some of the subtlety necessary for complete comprehension. There are cultural cues and nuance that may be more revealing to those steeped in the customs and which simply are not brought out in the dialogue. Such can often be the case with international films. There is a complex web of deceit in the history of this family. There are also mysterious Ninja-like guards that suddenly appear out of nowhere to do the evil bidding of the Emperor. It's unclear where these come from or how they get around. Their aerial acrobatics and assaults are incredible to watch, for example, dozens and dozens ascend on the mountain home of the newly appointed governor via metal cables to slaughter all the inhabitants. Their orders, apparently are given in secret and commanded by the Emperor himself. While the Empress's plan is meticulously conceived and executed, somehow, the Emperor always seems one step ahead leading to a final clash of the titans as Jai's golden chrysanthemum army battles the silver army of the Emperor in the final square before the actual living quarters of the palace that had just been prepared for the festival by placing thousands and thousands of potted chrysanthemums over the entire surface. This yellow battlefield makes for a glorious backdrop to the onslaught which culminates in one of the most impressive live battle scenes between two armies of what appear to be thousands and thousands of men in battle armor with spears and bows ever filmed. Many parts of this film are incredibly beautiful. It appears that no expense was spared in bringing to life this story. Unfortunately, what the story lacks is a soul. We might care more about the Empress were she not fooling around with her step son regardless of her claims of loneliness when the Emperor is away. While Prince Jai may be the only noble one in the lot, his two brothers are mousey and ineffectual. The Emperor bears scars of bad decisions made a lifetime ago so that he could assume the thrown, meanwhile, of course, he's poisoning his wife. Truly, the story leaves one feeling a bit like it would have been a better solution to stage a peasant uprising and overthrow this family once and for all. Instead, well, no spoiler here, just a reminder that not all stories end in fairytale fashion, some end in utter tragedy.
"…one of the most impressive live battle scenes between two armies of …thousands and thousands of men in battle armor with spears and bows ever filmed."
The acting, especially that of Li Gong and Yun-Fat Chow is superb throughout the film. Yimou Zhang has done an outstanding job with this film in general rendering it with care and attention to detail that is truly overwhelming at times. Protocols and niceties to tradition and expectation are obvious. The historical intricacies are handled in a believable fashion. Just because the story is a downer and has some missing plot nuances in translation, doesn't mean it's not a very good movie. It is a very good movie, it's just not quite in the same level of greatness as Crouching Tiger.
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
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Other Projects Featuring Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)
Cast Members
Jin Chen
• Jay Chou • Yun-Fat ChowLi Gong
• Man Li • Ye LiuDahong Ni
• Junjie QinWriter / Director
Yimou Zhang
| CD | ||
Curse of the Golden Flower (2006) Review-lite [150-word cap]
Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ignited a passion for Chinese cinema in the USA. Since, there has been a steady trickle of Chinese films released. Curse of the Golden Flower, the latest entry from the master Chinese director himself, Yimou Zhang, rivals, perhaps, all previous Chinese, USA-arrival films with its stunning beauty and colorful sets and costumes. Taking place in 998 ACE, in the Palace of the Emperor Ping (Yun-Fat Chow), the story's true focus is the Empress (Li Gong) and her misery. When she discovers the Emperor is having a secret poison added to her daily medicine, she unleashes a plan of intrigue to remove him from power. No expense was spared in bringing to life this visually impressive story. Unfortunately, what the story lacks is a soul. Only one, Prince Jai (Jay Chou) offers hope in the nobility of the family's future, the rest are fatally flawed.
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