Curse of the Golden Flower

Categories: cinema

Date: 01 May 2007 12:57:04

I'm sure there must be some very bad Chinese movies out there somewhere (Hollywood and Australia certainly produce their fair share), but I've been rather lucky in not seeing any. And Curse of the Golden Flower continues the trend of great movies. It is apparently the most expensive Chinese movie ever made, coming in at $45 million US dollars, and it is clear to see the money was well spent: take a look at the Gallery on the film's website and be amazed.

The plot?: the Emperor returns with his second son from several years away at war, supposedly to celebrate the Chrysanthemum Festival with his family. But is he aware of his Empress consort's illicit relationship with his first son Wan, and if so, is this the reason he is trying to send her mad by insisting she take medicine that has had a Persian fungus added to it? But the Empress has plans of her own, particularly when she learns of the Emperor's plan to turn her into a cretin.

What is it I so like about Chinese movies such as this one, and others such as House of Flying Daggers and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon? The glorious use of colour, so vivid and so penetrating? The other-worldliness, a world so foreign to my own, and so exciting? A great emphasis on the personalities and drives of the characters (as well as some spectacular martial art and fighting scenes)? Fantastic acting and great stories? The fact that, unlike many 'Western' movies, each story doesn't necessarily have a happy ending -- in fact, the endings are quite depressing? Or that they are just so wondrous to sit back and watch? Probably all of these, and more. I do count myself lucky indeed to be able to see, and enjoy, such a broad range of cinema.