Friday, January 26, 2007

Film Review: Raise the Red Lantern (1991)


Lagi rajin

One sure thing about Zhang Yimou's films was color. Remember Hero? that particular scene of sword-fighting between Maggie Cheung and Zhang Zi Yi amidst the orange falling leaves, was so colorful that it was enough to pull an awe. Now, many film-geeks out there hailed this film as his magnum opus. And how am i glad to finally had my hands (and eyes) on this film. And for the record, of 4 films from Zhang Yimou that i had already seen, this was indeed, the most engaging drama from him.

The problem with Chinese film is, that i hardly able to remember who is who. So i'd go with their real names instead.

Gong Li was the fourth wife (or mistress) of a whealthy old cocker (the marriage was suggestly infavorable to Gong Li's char.). This old cocker had many customs, one of which, every afternoon, prior bed time, all the wives would be standing in front of their respective quarters. Moment later, the master's servant would came in and bring a huge red lantern and placed it in front of one of the wive to indicate that the said wive would be the one who slept with the master that night. Afterwards, the chosen quarter would be lit by red lantern. This custom was also applicable even if somehow the master had to move quarter during the night. The servants would blow-off the red lanterns from one quarter and lit the red lanterns in another quarter where the master spent the night.

A simple story, yet i love the power struggle between the wives to had the red lantern raised in their own quarters. As Gong Li came for the first time as the forth mistress, she was greeted with different enthusiasm from the other three. The first mistress was indifferent (she was too old to compete for the red lantern anyway), the second mistress was friendly (was it sincere?), and the third mistress was seemingly eager to start the competition with forth mistress for the love and luxurious live of a chosen concubine right at the day one.

The forth Mistress soon gradually learned about the red lantern customs and pitted at constant competition among the mistresses. This film was initially banned in China for fear that the story in the film was a veiled allegory against the Chinese communist authoritarianism. And as with other Yimou's films (at least ones that i had already seen) featuring many beautiful and sumptuously photographed drama.

However, i wasn't prepared for the ending. It's sad, tragic, and yet beautiful. The very last scene was sooo cold and sad that it made me want to weep (if i wasn't so sleepy, i knew i'm going to cry). And oh, it changed my entire perspective to Gong Li. Prior viewing this film, i've seen her only as a beautiful actress with small acting capability. This is her best performance that i've seen.

Digg this

No comments: