Synopsis

Set in the opulent world of the Later Tang dynasty this is the story of Emperor Ping, Empress Phoenix and the tragic disintegration of their royal family whose problems go far beyond the merely dysfunctional. For starters, the ailing Empress has been having an affair with her stepson, the Crown Prince Wan. Unbeknown to her, Wan has been dallying with the Imperial Doctor's daughter, and has plans to escape the palace with her. Meanwhile, the Emperor himself has just returned from a long trip, and while relations with his wife are obviously icy, it becomes clear that his plans for her are far more ominous than she could imagine. Everyone involved has a secret plan for either escape or domination, resulting in an explosive ending wherein the darkest family secrets are revealed and horrifically bloody battles are waged both inside and outside the walls of the sparkling, gold-encrusted palace.

What The Critics Say

"A period spectacle, steeped in awesome splendor and lethal palace intrigue, it climaxes in a stupendous battle scene and epic tragedy." Kevin Thomas LOS ANGELES TIMES "Zhang Yimou is back with the latest Chinese competitor in the Opulence Olympics, and not a moment too soon." Peter Canavese GROUCHO REVIEWS "The melodrama here is of a sort seldom taken seriously outside Shakespeare's tragedies, and the final body count rivals Hamlet in its royal bloodletting." Peter Debruge MIAMI HERALD "The year's most operatic and visually lavish film." Claudia Puig USA TODAY "A spectacle for the eyes and for the soul." Steven Rea PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER "Another glorious spectacle where Mr. Zhang finds new ways to leave you stunned and amazed with every passing frame." Edward Douglas COMINGSOON.NET

"Zhang does a marvelous job at contrasting the tactile sumptuousness of the sets with the venomous, venal brutality that occurs within their walls." Jason Ferguson ORLANDO WEEKLY "The ever-luminous Gong Li and the wickedly nonchalant Chow Yun-Fat are wonderful together." Jack Mathews NEW YORK DAILY NEWS "Yet another of Zhang's gorgeous, expensive, costumed periodepics." Harvey S Karten COMPUSERVE "Eye-popping. One of the year's most spectacularly visual treats. It has wide-screen images that are beyond astounding." Pete Hammond MAXIM "Director Zhang Yimou has an incredible eye for color, and this offering does not disappoint when it comes to the exquisite employment of a vibrant palette." Jeanne Kaplan KAPLAN V KAPLAN "Curse of the Golden Flower is dramatic and exotic, a feast for the eyes with themes that are as hypnotic as the film's physical look." Mike McGranaghan AISLE SEAT

The Inside Story The brief Later Tang Dynasty (923-936 AD) stands in sharp contrast to the Tang Dynasty of earlier centuries (618-907 AD). The Later Tang was a period of corruption, warfare, and political tumult, while the long Tang Dynasty was a golden age of relative stability, prosperity, and peace. But the latter days of the Tang Dynasty were marked by court intrigue and misrule, leading to the downfall of centralized Tang power and setting the stage for a half-century of fragmented and warring kingdoms, vulnerable to attack from Mongols to the north and Turks to the west. (When we first meet Prince Jai, he is returning from war with Mongol invaders on the northern border.) Regional governors and frontier military leaders seized parts of the empire, breaking up China into smaller fiefdoms. The thirteen-year period known as the Later Tang is considered part of the "Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms" period (907-960 AD), which aptly describes the division across China. While The Emperor and Empress in Curse of the Golden Flower are fictional characters, the Emperor can be seen as one of the military men who seizes power; he was a mere Captain when married to his first wife. The Empress was the daughter of another regional king, so by marrying her the Emperor made a powerful alliance. The Emperor’s rigid insistence on following ritual and ceremony can be seen as a mark of his hypocrisy; he aspires to the glory days of the Tang Dynasty, but he is really a latter-day usurper. The Chong Yang Festival has been celebrated in China since ancient times, and continues to be a happy holiday today. It is known as the Festival of Double Nines, because it falls on September 9th, the ninth day of the ninth month. In the tradition of yin and yang, these nines are doubly yang, which connotes positive energy and masculinity. Chong Yang is celebrated by feasting with the family, honoring ancestors and the elderly, and often by hiking to a mountaintop or ascending to a high place, such as the Chrysanthemum Terrace in "Curse Of The Golden Flower" to appreciate nature and to escape from evil spirits. The festival is also associated with chysanthemums, chrysanthemum wine, and chrysanthemum cakes. In Chinese herbal medicine, chrysanthemums were used to detoxify and to drive off evil. The Chong Yang symbolism of mountains and chrysanthemums derives from a legend about villagers escaping disaster by climbing a mountain on the ninth day of the ninth month and dispelling evil forces with chrysanthemum wine. Director and co-writer Zhang Yimou says, "Curse Of The Golden Flower" takes place in the Later Tang dynasty, more than 1,000 years ago. says The Tang was one of the most flamboyant dynasties in Chinese history. It was an ostentatious time. There’s an old Chinese saying, "Gold and jade on the outside, rot and decay on the inside", which means that beneath a beautiful exterior often lies a dark and appalling truth. The story focuses on a dysfunctional imperial family." "Like any big family in feudal times, beneath the glamour, within the Palace, deep secrets are hidden. Visual composition is of paramount importance to me. To heighten the sense of opulence, the color gold is used extensively in the sets, as well as the costumes. Lighting also plays an important role. Colorful Chinese art glass is used to intensify hues and translucence in the pillars, the walls, windows, and many decorative items in the Palace. The palettes and luminosity of the sets are truly unique and palatial. The costumes are distinctively Chinese. Again, gold is used extensively. Yee Chung Man (Costume Designer) really takes the idea of lavishness to the extreme. Most of the outfits have four to six layers. Each layer has been meticulously handcrafted with intricate details. The 'Dragon Robe' and the 'Phoenix Gown' worn by Chow Yun Fat (The Emperor) and Gong Li (The Empress) are particularly ornate. It took 40 artisans over the course of two months to construct each. The end result is elaborate and astonishing. "Curse Of The Golden Flower" is my third action film. I firmly believe that story is the most important element in any movie. Action is only a means to tell the story. It is a conduit though which relationships are revealed and conflicts are resolved. Action Director Ching Siu-Tong and I have collaborated on many projects. His action design excels in the battle sequence where thousands of golden armored warriors charge the Palace. This pivotal scene is also one of my favorites. In this sequence, amid festive activities, the ugly secrets of the imperial family are being unraveled. Outside the Palace, a coup d'état ensues. This scene encapsulates the past and present of the imperial household. The family confronts its biggest crisis while the regime is on the verge of total collapse. To me, this is the key moment of the film." Who's Who? The Major Elements. Director Zhang Yimou was born in China in 1950 and studied cinematography at the Beijing Film Academy. He became a leading member of China’s Fifth Generation Filmmakers, the first group to graduate following the turbulent Cultural Revolution. He is an accomplished actor, starring in "Red Sorghum" as well as earning the Best Actor Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival for his performance in "Old Well" (1986). Zhang Yimou is also a skilled cinematographer, with credits including "Yellow Earth" (1984), "Old Well" (1986), and "The Big Parade" (1986). Zhang Yimou has received multiple honors as a director. He is the first Chinese filmmaker to receive Motion Picture Academy recognition, being nominated for Academy Awards? in the Best Foreign Film category for Ju Dou in 1990, "Raise the Red Lantern" in 1991, and "Hero" in 2003. He has earned numerous top honors, including the Silver Lion at the 44th Venice International Film Festival for "Raise the Red Lantern" (1991), the Golden Lion Award at the 45th Venice International Film Festival for "The Story of Qiu Ju" (1992), the Grand Jury Prize at the 47th Cannes International Film Festival for "To Live" (1994), the Golden Lion Award at the 52nd Venice International Film Festival for "Not One Less" (1999), the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for "The Road Home" (1999) and the Alfred Bauer Prize for "Hero" (2003). Zhang Yimou’s box office hit "House of Flying Daggers" is the recipient of multiple international awards as well as BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for Best Foreign Film. He followed up with 2005’s "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles".
Chow Yun Fat grew up on Lamma Island, a small fishing village off of Hong Kong. His family moved to the city on the big island when he was ten. At the age of seventeen he quit school to pursue a career in acting, and at the suggestion of a friend, he applied and was accepted into a local Hong Kong television station’s actor trainee program. After the year long programme, he was quickly signed to the station as a contract player, which lasted fourteen years. Having done over one hundred and twenty eight episodes of the popular television series Hotel, Chow was considered a sex symbol and popular leading man in Hong Kong. His first big break in films came when new age director Ann Hui approached him to star in "The Story of Woo Viet", which gained him critical acclaim for a role in a serious and commercially successful film when Hong Kong was still mass producing Kung Fu action films. From there, his career skyrocketed. Hong Kong director Ringo Lam’s "City on Fire" was the inspiration for Quentin Tarantino’s "Reservoir Dogs", which won Chow another of the many Best Actor awards in his long career. In 1996 Chow took his first English-speaking role in "The Replacement Killers" directed by Antoine Fuqua. After its box office and Oscar successes"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" ensured Chow became a recognizable face in the US. Chow's other films include "Bulletproof Monk", and Disney’s soon to be released, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End." The man the Los Angeles Times declared 'The Coolest Actor in the World', and whom People magazine voted one of '50 Most Beautiful People', continues to live in Hong Kong where he is known to his fans as 'Big Brother'.
Gong Li has been called China’s Greta Garbo. Born in Shenyang in December 1965, she grew up in Jinan, the daughter of an economics professor. A music lover from early childhood, Gong dreamed of a singing career, but when she failed to gain entrance to China’s top music school in 1985, she opted for the Central Drama Academy in Beijing, from which she graduated in 1989. Gong’s presence was quickly noticed. While still a student, she was cast as the female lead in "Red Sorghum" (1987), the debut feature by Zhang Yimou. The film launched two careers. Along with the film itself, which won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, Gong’s performance, as the meek bride who becomes a powerful woman after her husband’s death, won international acclaim. Gong quickly went on to become one of China’s (and international cinema’s) leading young actresses of the 1980s and '90s. "Breaking the Silence" (2000), her first collaboration with director Sun Zhou, won her the Best Actress award at the Montreal Film Festival, the ninth China Golden Rooster Film Festival and China Hundred Flowers Film Award. It was chosen as the special screening film for the 2000 Berlin International Film Festival. In 2005, Gong Li debuted in her first American movie, captivated by Rob Marshall’s offer to play in the adaptation of the Arthur Golden novel, "Memoirs of a Geisha". She recently appeared in the American movie adaptation of Michael Mann’s famous television series "Miami Vice" and Peter Weber's "Hannibal Rising". The glamorous Gong Li is the face of L’Oreal cosmetics in Asia, and one of People magazine’s "Most Beautiful People".
Li Man was born in 1988 and studied Folk Dance at Shenyang Conservatory of Music for six years. At the age of seventeen, Li Man was discovered by director Zhang Yimou while she was a student at Beijing’s prestigious Central Academy of Drama. Li was hand-picked for her role as Chan. The Chinese press quickly dubbed Li Man the latest 'Mou Girl', short for Yimou, for her physical similarities to the director’s previous actress discoveries, Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi, who both went on to become huge successes after starring in Yimou films.
Chen Jin is a graduate of the Shandong College of Arts. Jin has been a leading actress since the late ‘80s in numerous Chinese films, stage productions, and television series, for which she has been honored with many awards from Chinese cultural institutions.
Ni Dahong is an eminent actor on the Chinese stage, film and television. He graduated from The Central Academy of Drama in 1986. A leading player with The National Theatre Company of China, he received two of the highest honors in Chinese theater: the Plum Blossom Award (2000) and the Wenhua Award (1999).
Jay Chou is a popstar phenomenon throughout Asia. Born Chou Chieh-Lun in Taiwan, 1979, Jay began playing the piano at age four. Alfa Music launched Jay’s career, first as a tunesmith and then as a singer. In 2000, his debut album "Jay" quickly propelled him to stardom with numerous hits. His second album, "Fantasy", and five subsequent albums, have continued to win legions of fans young and old throughout Asia. He has been the best-selling Mandarin artist in the world for the past five years. The Verdict "Yimou Zhang has created another sumptuous, colorful, intriguing and extremely entertaining film with his bigscreen version of the play by Yu Cao. If you were gobsmacked by "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers", hypnotized by the beauty of "Memoirs Of A Geisha" or a big fan of the classic, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", then "The Curse Of The Golden Flower" is a very much a must see. This is Chinese opera at it's best, simplified into an story of deceit, betrayal, incest, murder, a struggle for power, told in such a way and acted with great power and presence that you will be mezmerized. All the elements are here for a memorable experience. Stunning! A faultless cast! A feast for the eyes and mind!. Very recommended. 4 1/2 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "THE CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER" stars .......
1988 Hong Kong Film Best Actor Award and 1999 San Diego Film Critics Society Career Award winner Chow Yun Fat ["The Replacement Killers", "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "Bulletproof Monk" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"]; Jay Chou ["Hidden Track" and "Initial D"]; 2004 & 2002 China Golden Rooster Best Actor Award winner Liu Ye ["Purple Butterfly", "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress", "Beauty Grass" and "Lan Yu"]; Plum Blossom and Wenhua Award winner Ni Dahong ["Lifetimes", "Loach Is Fish Too", "To Live" and "Journey to the Western Xia Empire"]; Qin Junjie ["Curse of the Golden Flower"]; Li Man ["Curse of the Golden Flower"]; Chen Jin ["Roaring Across the Horizon" and "Luck of Love"] and Venice Film Festival Best Actress, 1993 and 2000 Golden Rooster Best Actress Award winner Gong Li ["Red Sorghum", "The Emperor and the Assassin", "Memoirs of A Geisha", "Miami Vice" and "Hannibal Rising"] as Empress Phoenix.
"THE CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER" was .......
directed by the winner of the 1993 & 1995 BAFTA, 1988 Golden Berlin Bear, 2000 Silver Berlin Bear and 1992 David di Donatello Best Foreign Film Award Zhang Yimou ["Red Sorghum", "Raise The Red Lantern", "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers"]; screenplay co-written by Zhang Yimou ["Soul of a Painter", "Hero", "House of Flying Daggers" and "Qian li zou dan qi"]; from the original play by Yu Cao ["Thunderstorm" and "Sunrise"]; cinematography by Xiaoding Zhao ["Divorce Wars" and "House of Flying Daggers"]; original music by winner of awards at the Mainichi Film Contest, Yokohama Film Festival and Osaka Film Festival Shigeru Umebayashi ["House of Flying Daggers", "Fearless", "The Dark Sea" and "Hannibal Rising"] production design by Huo Tingxiao ["Song Of Tibet", "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers"] and costume design by Golden Horse Award winner Yee Chung Man ["A Terracotta Warrior", "Tokyo Raiders" and "Perhaps Love"]. Who's Who?

Yun-Fat Chow Li Gong Jay Chou Ye Liu Dahong Ni Junjie Qin Man Li Jin Chen

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Emperor Ping Empress Phoenix Prince Jai Crown Prince Wan Imperial Physician Jiang Prince Yu Jiang Chan Mrs Jiang

Run Time 114 minutes Rated m [AUST] Copyright ©2007 - Paramount Pictures - All Rights Reserved ©2007 All Rights Reserved - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark Laws Apply.