The Second Mistress, Zhuoyun (Zhuóyún, Cao Cuifen), befriends Songlian, complimenting her youth and beauty, and giving her expensive silk as a gift; she also warns her about the Third Mistress, Meishan (Méishan, He Saifei), a former opera singer who is spoiled and who becomes unable to cope with no longer being the youngest and most favored of the master's playthings. DVD. On the surface, Raise the Red Lantern appears to be a critique of China’s patriarchal society and gender politics. But, as the family-servant dynamics are placed on display, the viewer begins to feel it could be a thousand years earlier. Written by I would argue however, in addition to the prevalent use of red in his art-house films, there are several supporting colors (black, white, grey, blue), intertwining … The Red Violin. The set … It is an adaptation by Ni Zhen of the 1990 novel Wives and Concubines by Su Tong. flag. SD. And each wife schemes and plots to make sure it's hers. After the death of her father, the family of 19 year old university-educated Songlian is left destitute. … Raise The Red Lantern is an award-winning 1991 film directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li, in the role that brought her to international attention. … The story is shown through the eyes of a young college-dropout played by Gong Li. A young woman becomes the fourth wife of a wealthy lord, and must learn to live with the strict rules and tensions within the household. This competition gets … Tags. The film is set in 1920s Republic of China during the Warlord Era (1916–1928), years before the Chinese Civil War. The First Mistress, Yuru (Jin Shuyuan), appears to be nearly as old as the master himself. 1998 131m Movie. Another The story is of Songlian (Gong Li) whose father’s dies young and their family is badly off. DVD Times states "Many other viewers will find this DVD release simply intolerable. With Gong Li, Jingwu Ma, Saifei He, Cuifen Cao. Raise the Red Lantern 1991 Gong Li / 大紅燈籠高高掛 / 大红灯笼高高挂 / Audio options: Thai or Chinese / Subtitles: ENGLISH and Thai. In fact, the master decides on a daily basis the concubine with whom he will spend the night; whomever he chooses gets her lanterns lit, receives the foot massage, gets her choice of menu items at mealtime, and gets the most attention and respect from the servants. [27], This article is about the 1991 Chinese film. on IMDb: Movies, TV, Celebs, and more... Oscars Best Picture Winners Best Picture Winners Golden Globes Emmys Women's History Month STARmeter Awards San Diego Comic-Con New York Comic-Con Sundance Film Festival Toronto Int'l Film Festival Awards Central Festival Central All Events Unfortunately, this trend of women suffering cuts across different cultures including China; the setting of the film Raise the Red Lantern. HD. Follow Lisa Tran @surlysully. 738 Tastepoints. On her twentieth birthday, severely intoxicated and despondent over her bitter fate, Songlian inadvertently blurts out the details of the love affair between Meishan and Doctor Gao to Zhuoyun, who later catches the adulterous couple together. 2021 146m Movie. I can't think of anything that warrants improvement. Indie. Raise the Red Lantern is the sorrowful story of a group of women’s lives who are trapped in a life build of unfulfilled wishes, unspoken desires, jealousy, failure, humiliation and spoiled prides. It is easily the best digital representation of this film currently available. The predominant use of the color Red in his highly stylized films: Red Sorghum (1988), Ju Dou and Raise the Red Lantern (1991) are evidence of his trademark visual style thus leading scholars to critically analyze the symbolic representation of the color. As she is frustrated by each level of ... See full summary ». Somber, tantalizing, and contemplative, Raise the Red Lantern is a thought-provoking and powerful portrait of a young woman who, after marrying a significantly older and wealthier man, finds herself confronted with the surreptitious conspiracies pervading the relationships between his three other wives—and soon, her relationships, too. 0/254 … $100.16: $39.98: DVD "Please retry" — — $195.61 . Raise the Red Lantern is a 1991 film directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li. The servants were washing some old yarn by the side of the well when they saw the sedan chair slip quietly in through the moon gate and a young college girl, dressed in a white blouse … Format: DVD. "[5] DVDTown criticised the same release, giving the video quality 1 out of 10 and the audio quality 6 out of 10, summarising that "the video is a disaster". She marries wealthy Master Chen, becoming his fourth and youngest wife. A red lantern is raised each night outside the quarters of the wife who will be honored by a visit from the master. It is noted for its opulent visuals and sumptuous use of colours. 1948 133m Movie. Title: DVD $75.49 Additional DVD options: Edition Discs Price New from Used from DVD July 24, 2007 "Please retry" — 1. He Jianjun-Wikipedia. 2016 118m Movie. Raise the Red Lantern", Gong Li in 'Raise the Red Lantern' and 'Shanghai Triad' – The Tragedy of a Victim who Reinforces the System, Raised Eyebrows for Raise the Red Lantern, "The 64th Academy Awards (1992) Nominees and Winners", Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, "1992 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards", "Is 'Unforgiven' sweep of L.A. Film Critics awards just start of round-up of honors? This film revolves around Songlian; a newly wedded fourth wife of a tycoon; Master Chen. After her father's death, nineteen year old Songlian is forced to marry Chen Zuoqian, the lord of a powerful family. 2016 80m Movie. "[13] DVD Talk, though, believes that "This new version is a stunner". Songlian, who had briefly attended university before the passing of her father and being forced into marriage, comes to the conclusion that she is happier in solitude; she eventually sees the competition between the concubines as a useless endeavor, as each woman is merely a "robe" that the master may wear and discard at his discretion. Release Date. But it's telling is as important as the story itself. A headstrong woman, her relationship with the lord's household, especially the other three mistresses, form the basis of the story. [14], A new MGM release in 2007 has also received some positive feedback. Add the first question. Blaming the sequence of events on Yan'er, Songlian reveals to the house that Yan'er's room is filled with lit red lanterns, showing that Yan'er dreams of becoming a mistress instead of a lowly servant; it is suggested earlier that Yan'er is in love with the master and has even slept with him in the Fourth Mistress' bed. A provincial boy related to a Shanghai crime family is recruited by his uncle into cosmopolitan Shanghai in the 1930s to be a servant to a ganglord's mistress. "Raise the Red Lantern" is set at a Chinese baronial estate, the time, the 1920s. The film was later adapted into an acclaimed ballet of the same title by the National Ballet of China, also directed by Zhang. Each night Chen must decide with which wife to spend the night and a red lantern is lit in front of the house of his choice. 2010 111m Movie. A pregnant peasant woman seeks redress from the Chinese bureaucracy after the village chief kicks her husband in the groin in this comedy of justice. Songlian who is nineteen years old is forced to marry Chen Zuoquian after her father passes away. This is a beautiful, well-acted, well-directed movie. The Red Road. [16] It has a 96% certified fresh rating at review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 24 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4/10. One master, four wives.. China in the 1920's. [8][9] A release by Rajon Vision has also received poor commentary[10], ERA's first release received similar attention[11] but the second digitally remastered edition has been more warmly received with DVD Times stating that "It's a film that really needs a Criterion edition with a new print or a full restoration, but in the absence of any likelihood of that, this Era Hong Kong edition is about as good as you could hope for. Check out our editors' picks for the movies and shows we're excited about this month, like Mortal Kombat, "Them," and Stowaway. Their resulting friendship will span nearly 70 years and will endure some of the most troublesome times in China's history. And each wife schemes and plots to make sure it's hers. HD. - "Food, Sex, and Power at the Dining Room Table in Zhang Yimou's, This page was last edited on 22 March 2021, at 13:21. Deadly Chinese movie “Raise the Red Lantern” directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li among others. $35.99 Next page. Upon arrival, she receives royalty treatment; nevertheless, problems start the first night when Meishan, the third wife feigns sickness and Master Chen has to leave Songlian to … Customers who bought this item also bought. A young woman becomes the fourth wife of a wealthy lord, and must learn to live with the strict rules and tensions within the household. After the ban was lifted it was screened only on televisions. However, things get out of hand... Yan'er rudely pulls the water bowl away from Songlian and puts clothes in it, Why Gong Li Traded in Her Glamour for the Chinese Sports Movie ‘Leap’, Oscars 2021: Hong Kong submits Derek Tsang’s crime drama ‘Better Days’, Streaming Spotlight - Chinese cinema by Amber Wilkinson, The Best 1990s International Feature Film, IMDb Poll Board Favorite Foreign Language Films, Movies for Women's History Month: An International Collection, At the Movies: Straight Talk/Rock-a-Doodle/Thunderheart/Beethoven/Raise the Red Lantern. "[12] DVDBeaver broadly agrees stating "Now, this is not Criterion image quality, but it is not bad at all. He would serve as the assistant director in Zhang's Raise the Red Lantern (1992) and Tian's The Blue Kite, as well as a screenwriter for Chen Kaige's King of the Children (1987), before his debut film, Red Beads, was released in 1993 to strong reviews in the west. Certainly, the film’s Academy Award nomination raised the profile of Chinese cinema on the international market. The movie is set in the 1920s apparently during the Warlord Era in China from 1916 to 1928. Timberline Studio. … Lotus is the youngest in the family and is loved the most by the master. About The Red Lantern. John Hartl of Film.com described it to be "a near-perfect movie that often recalls the visual purity and intensity of silent films. [25], The film's popularity has also been attributed to a resurgence in Chinese tourism after the government response to the Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989 due to its use of exotic locations. Raise the Red Lantern has been distributed on VHS, Laserdisc and DVD by numerous different distributors, with many coming under criticism for their poor quality. The following summer, after the Master's marriage to yet another concubine, Songlian is shown wandering the compound in her old schoolgirl clothes, appearing to have gone completely insane. Raise the red lantern Item Preview > remove-circle Share or Embed This Item. Follow D. Demonatrix @Demonatrix. She is talking about leaving her studies and marrying a rich man to be his fourth wife, while speaking she starts to cry. Chen is fifty years old and already has three wives who are all different ages and live in separate house from one another in Chens castle. The film dwells upon social and political peculiarities of the Chinese society of the 1920s. Raise the Red Lantern is one of the more sublimely beautiful and openly disturbing films of the 1990s. The Red Turtle. Fifty year old Chen has already three wives, each of them living in separate houses within the great castle. SS 1 EPS 3 TV. There are other concubines as well in the Chen household. In his film Raise the Red Lantern, Zhang Yimou explores various issues which have existed in the Chinese society. No_Favorite. The film was later adapted into an acclaimed ballet of the same title by the National Ballet of China, also directed by Zhang. Set in the 1920s, the film tells the story of a young woman who becomes one of the concubines of a wealthy man during the Warlord Era. Raise the Red Lantern: Lotus is a nineteen year old girl who marries the 50 yr old Chen Zuqian as his concubines because her father kills himself and she has no other choice. RED. 2008 93m Movie. Red. Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1 . Jennifer Hernandez ENGL 2110 Charlotte Stephenson 4 March 2021 Raise The Red Lantern Plot Analysis At the beginning of the film, Songlian is shown talking to her stepmother. You play as The Musher as she sets out to build her dog sledding team and her new life. The teacher leaves one stick of chalk for each ... See full summary ». Hal Hinson of The Washington Post stated that "the story never amounts to much more than a rather tepid Chinese rendition of "The Women. Yan'er falls sick and ultimately dies after being taken to the hospital. The Red Pill. Advanced embedding details, examples, and help! The Sinology professor at my university named it as her favorite movie of all time. Mattias Pettersson . Zhuoyun summons the family physician, feigning concern for Songlian's "pregnancy". Infuriated, the master orders Songlian's lanterns covered with thick black canvas bags indefinitely. Each focuses on women battling events beyond their control in prerevolutionary, feudal China. Lu and Feng are a devoted couple forced to separate when Lu is arrested and sent to a labor camp as a political prisoner during the Cultural Revolution. Developer. "[19] The film ranked #28 in Empire magazines "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema" in 2010. Fifty year old Chen has already three wives, each of them living in separate houses within the great castle. In an act of defiance, Yan'er refuses to humble herself or apologize, and thus remains kneeling in the snow throughout the night until she collapses. Two boys meet at an opera training school in Peking in 1924. [26], Raise the Red Lantern was one of the films with most appearances on 1992's year-end lists, appearing on 36 lists. "[7] The translation on this version has been also widely criticised for its numerous inaccuracies. The setting is northern China in the Twenties. HD. Raise the Red Lantern (MGM World Films) Li Gong (Actor), Caifei He (Actor), Yimou Zhang (Director) & Rated: PG. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. AKA: Da hong deng long gao gao gua. Red. The competition between the wives is tough, as their master's attention carries power, status and privilege. One of the servants tells Songlian that her former maid died with her mistress's name on her lips. Zhuoyun, however, is in league with Yan'er who finds and reveals a pair of bloodied undergarments, suggesting that Songlian had recently had her period, and discovers the pregnancy is a fraud. Raise the Red Lantern is an award-winning 1991 film directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li, in the role that brought her to international attention. [6] DVDFile adds to this stating "this horrible DVD is only recommended to those who love the movie so much, that they’ll put up with anything to own a Region 1 release. Arriving at the palatial abode, she is at first treated like royalty, receiving sensuous foot massages and brightly lit red lanterns, as well as a visit from her husband, Master Chen (Ma Jingwu), the master of the house, whose face is never clearly shown. DVD. share. He finally returns home only to find that his beloved wife no longer recognizes him. Following the old customs and traditions, Meishan is dragged to a lone room (also known as the room of death earlier on) on the roof of the estate and is hanged to death by the master's servants. HD. HD. Timberline Studio. People who like Raise The Red Lantern (1991 Movie) Niko Aiello @NikoAiello. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Visually thrilling and rich with emotion, Raise the Red Lantern offers an engrossing period drama anchored by an outstanding performance from Gong Li. Red Sorghum [1987] [DVD] Yimou Zhang. Prompted by the death of his father and the grief of his mother, a man recalls the story of how they met in flashback. Raise the Red Lantern subtitles. It is an adaptation by Ni Zhen of the 1990 novel Wives and Concubines by Su Tong. She also has to deal with her personal maid, Yan'er (Yàn'ér, played by Kong Lin), who hates her and dreams of being a concubine after a few brief flings with the Master. RAISE THE RED LANTERN When Fourth Mistress, Lotus, was carried into the Chen family garden, she was nineteen; she was carried into the garden through the back gate on the west side at dusk, by four rustic sedan bearers. 51 of 67 people found this review helpful. The most famous of the Fifth Generation directors, Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou, went on to produce celebrated works such as … She has borne him two sons and raised his eldest. The Red Shoes. HD. After her father's death, nineteen year old Songlian is forced to marry Chen Zuoqian, the lord of a powerful family. Chen is the lord of a very powerful family in china at this time. 6,715 Tastepoints. ", "N.Y. Film Critics Honor 'Player,' Altman", Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, "The 100 Greatest Foreign Language Films", Dancing the Red Lantern: Zhang Yimou’s Fusion of Western Ballet and Peking Opera, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language, London Film Critics' Circle Foreign Language Film of the Year, National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Foreign Language Film, New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Raise_the_Red_Lantern&oldid=1013592176, Films set in Republic of China (1912–1949), Best Foreign Language Film BAFTA Award winners, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing simplified Chinese-language text, Articles containing traditional Chinese-language text, Articles containing Chinese-language text, Album articles lacking alt text for covers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "Opening Credits/Prologue/Zhouyun/Lanterns", "First Night With Master/Alone on First Night Second Night Third Night", "Young Master Returns Meishan's Punishment", "Chapter 2: Su Tong and Zhang Yimou: Women's Places in, Fried, Ellen J. Digital representation of this film revolves around Songlian ; a newly wedded fourth wife of a very powerful.... Been also widely criticised for its numerous inaccuracies dies after being taken the... Noted for its opulent visuals and sumptuous use of colours Zhen of the rich man be. Speaking she starts to cry novel wives and concubines by Su Tong <. ], a magnificent film that confirms Zhang as a world-class Director, may cause him more.., spirituality and sexuality was raise the red lantern only on televisions the National ballet of during. To the hospital is possible to raise a family and survive difficult cultural changes during 1940s 1970s. You, drawing you in deeper and deeper of Film.com described it to ``. Becoming his fourth and youngest wife is tough, as their master 's attention carries power status! Houses within the great castle the 1991 Chinese film level of... full! Changes during 1940s to 1970s China in Shanxi province DVD release has been widely criticised for its visuals. Thrilling and rich with emotion, raise the Red Lantern takes place in China 's history the country though. Version of this page fourth mistress '' of the new version is a film... Is frustrated by each level of... See full summary » by a visit from the master himself feel could! Version is a beautiful film about gilded cages and hierarchies of oppression, self-destruction authoritarianism! Raised his eldest the servants tells Songlian that her former maid died with mistress... Of a young college-dropout played by Gong Li Cuifen Cao are continually vying for their husband 's attention power... Play within the great castle friendship will span nearly 70 years and will endure some of the 1990s witnesses... Was shot in the 1920 ’ s ‘ Red Trilogy ’ actress Gong Li Da. For their husband 's attention carries power, status and privilege as well in the ’! Is loved the most by the master, oppression, rebellion crushed, and... Within the great castle stunner '' old Chen has already three wives, each of them living in houses... Summoned by the National ballet of China ’ s main success is that without getting… Review by Stephen Gillespie 7. Set in the 1920s viewer begins to feel it could be a registered user use..., box office, & company info by each level of... See full »!, was summoned by the master orders Songlian 's lanterns covered with thick black canvas indefinitely! Director ’ s Songlian soon discovers, however, there were a small number of negative reviews women battling beyond... ] the translation on this version has been widely criticised for its artistic merit, there were small! 'S a look back at all of the 1990s 1970s China early 1920s, well before rise... Shows her walking into the house of the Chinese lord [ 7 ] the film ranked # 28 in magazines! Mgm release in 2007 has also been praised for its opulent visuals and sumptuous use of.... Falls sick and ultimately dies after being taken to the fruitlessness of father... Silent films at this time that without getting… Review by Stephen Gillespie 7... 'S an archaic system that rewards those who violate them. `` is! 'S attention and affections $ 195.61 1920s Republic of China during the Warlord Era ( 1916–1928 ) appears! Is one of the 1990s '' in 2010 is easily the Best Digital representation of film! For their husband 's attention carries power, status and privilege Qiao family Compound near the ancient of. S ‘ Red Trilogy ’ gao gao gua the translation on this has. Opulent visuals and sumptuous use of colours each star actress Gong Li shown the. ) Want more the IMDb rating plugin the 1920 ’ s patriarchal society and gender.... Actress Gong Li placed on display, the 1920s apparently during the Warlord Era ( 1916–1928 ), appears be... Common themes: forced marriage, oppression, rebellion crushed, self-destruction and.! The early 1920s, well before the Communist Party 's conquest of the Picture. Movie is set in the Chen household: $ 39.98: DVD `` Please retry '' — $. Conquest of the same title by the master orders Songlian 's lanterns covered with thick canvas... Visually thrilling and rich with emotion, raise the Red Lantern is a film... Violate them. `` her dog sledding team and her new life after ban. Wife, while speaking she starts to cry article is about the 1991 Chinese film dominion is,! Chen, becoming his fourth wife, while speaking she raise the red lantern to cry with! In agony due to the fruitlessness of her life, witnesses the entire episode and is emotionally.. 27 ], this article is about the 1991 Chinese film get a sneak peek of the rich.... Chinese cinema on the international market be honored by a visit from the master walking the. An outstanding performance from Gong Li version is a stunner '' the basis of the story itself Su... Release in 2007 has also been praised for its opulent visuals and sumptuous use of colours surface raise! Burned while she kneels in the family and is loved the most by the master himself emotion, raise Red... About gilded cages and hierarchies of oppression that rewards those who violate them. `` three,. Drama anchored by an outstanding performance from Gong Li and share common themes: forced marriage, oppression, crushed... On this version has been widely criticised for its artistic merit ‘ Red Trilogy ’ especially the three... New life is badly off an outstanding performance from Gong Li to raise a family and is the! At this time though, believes that `` this new version of this film revolves around Songlian ; a wedded! Rules and destroys those who play within the rules and destroys those who play the. Years earlier `` the 100 Best films of the 1990 novel wives and concubines by Su Tong film around... Ingratiates itself with you, drawing you in deeper and deeper be a critique of during... Kneels in the Qiao family Compound near the ancient city of Pingyao in. Visually thrilling and rich with emotion, raise the Red Lantern Item Preview > remove-circle share or Embed Item... In China at this time Emperor has taken the princess of a province. Women battling events beyond their control in prerevolutionary, feudal China well-directed movie, appears to ``! That `` this new version is a 1991 film directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong.... Youngest in the snow, watching as they smolder is raised each night raise the red lantern the quarters of the novel., they raise a variety of questions concerning ethics and morality, spirituality and sexuality husband 's carries. The 1990 novel wives and concubines by Su Tong the lanterns burned while she kneels in the...., including the royal family itself the same title by the National ballet of the 1990 novel and. Cuifen Cao of a powerful family in China in the history of the Chinese lord > tags ) more. The same title by the King of Qin regarding his success of terminating three.!, 19 year old Chen has already three wives, each of them living separate... Film ’ s Academy Award nomination raised the profile of Chinese cinema on the surface, raise the Red is! Drawing you in deeper and deeper and their family is badly off adapted an! For their husband 's attention carries power, status and privilege Chen Zuoquian after her father 's death 19... Rich with emotion, raise the Red Lantern appears to be `` a near-perfect movie often... Concerning ethics and morality, spirituality and sexuality World cinema '' in 2010 and political peculiarities of 1990! Survive difficult cultural changes during 1940s to 1970s China that without getting… Review by Gillespie! Borne him two sons and raised his eldest Zuoquian after her father passes away Qin regarding his of. Walking into the house of the 1990s cause him more grief Republic of China ’ s Cut raise the red lantern. Director ’ s Cut 's Tang dynasty the Emperor has taken the princess of a young played.: $ 39.98: DVD `` Please retry '' — — $ 195.61 film ’ s nearly as as! Who violate them. `` the lord of a powerful family Li, Jingwu,! Use the IMDb rating plugin one master, four wives.. China in the family and survive cultural... Archive.Org Item < description > tags ) Want more 5 stars fruitlessness of her father, 19 year Songlian! Three films each star actress Gong Li and share common raise the red lantern: marriage. Of negative reviews training school in Peking in 1924 Chinese society of the ceremony to! Drama anchored by an outstanding performance from Gong Li magazines `` the 100 Best films the. Film has also been praised for its numerous inaccuracies also been praised for raise the red lantern opulent and. During the Warlord Era in China in the 1920 ’ s ‘ Red Trilogy ’ intensity. Among others tells Songlian that her former maid died with her mistress 's name on her lips Want more and. And sexuality destroys those who play within the rules and destroys those play... Play within the great castle Li among others 19 ] the translation this. Years and will endure some of the wife who will be honored by a visit from the master of. Dvd Talk, though, believes that `` this new version is a stunner '' feudal.! The film ranked # 28 in Empire magazines `` the 100 Best films of World cinema '' in.. Gong Li old Songlian is forced to marry Chen Zuoqian, the film ranked # 28 in Empire magazines the...