“Raise the red lantern” is directed by Zhang Yimou and stars Gong Li, He Saifei, Cao Cuifen, and Jin Shuyuan. The film is adapted from Su Tong‘s novel “wives and concubines“.
The film revolves around feudal ethics to spread out the topic. It tells the years of the Republic of China, a large family of several rooms of the concubine jealous, and caused a series of tragic. Zhang Yimou changed the misty Jiangnan setting of the original novel into a desolate and heroic Shaanxi courtyard. In order to conform to the image presentation, Zhang Yimou created a series of ceremonies about lighting and ceiling lights in the film, which is not found in the novel. The film makes a mockery of eastern authoritarianism. It was a bold attempt by Zhang Yimou.
“Raise the red lantern” is very particular about the use of color. In the film, the repeated appearance of different color tones makes the audience’s emotions fluctuate with the plot. Which lady does Mr. Joe want to spend the night in, and the lady has a red lantern in front of her door. The use of the classic three primary color printing method makes the red and yellow color of this film very bright. At the same time, all kinds of colorful costumes make the film more delicate.
The film was released in North America on March 13, 1992. It took in $2.6 million which is the highest box office for a Chinese film in North America at the time. Since then, the film won many awards, which shows the good quality of it.
From the film’s overall level and comprehensive strength, the film is Zhang Yimou’s literary and artistic works in a shocking one. It is definitely worth seeing.
