Product Description

Zhang Yimou (Ju Dou) directed this fascinating visually formal 1991 film about an educated woman (Gong Li) who is sent off to become the newest wife of a feudal nobleman in 1920s China. Nearly isolated in his spooky palatial home she develops relationships with several of the other wives and slowly becomes aware of a hideous legacy of punishment toward more willful women. The film has a brittle and dry quality that is deliberate but also suggestive of Zhang working through various explorations of his own style (which he resolved in his next film The Story of Qiu Ju). Gong Li one of the world's great actresses is superbSystem Requirements:Running Time: 125 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: FOREIGN/LATIN Rating: PG UPC: 027616082626 Manufacturer No: M108262

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1884 in DVD
• Brand: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT
• Released on: 2007-07-24
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Color, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: Mandarin Chinese
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 125 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Zhang Yimou (Ju Dou) directed this fascinating, visually formal 1991 film about an educated woman (Gong Li) who is sent off to become the newest wife of a feudal nobleman in 1920s China. Nearly isolated in his spooky, palatial home, she develops relationships with several of the other wives and slowly becomes aware of a hideous legacy of punishment toward more willful women. The film has a brittle and dry quality that is deliberate, but also suggestive of Zhang working through various explorations of his own style (which he resolved in his next film, The Story of Qiu Ju). Gong Li, one of the world's great actresses, is superb. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

Too many cooks in that kitchen....
A look at male/female relationships in the old times and the options (or lack thereof) opened to women. Yet even in such a dreary setting with limited scenery the cinematography and the costumes were brilliant. The lanterns were truly beautiful. Gong Li played her part well.

Review, Raise the Red Lantern
I work in a public high school, where this was shown in a high school history class as part of a cultural literacy program of China in the early 1900's. This was a very compelling video, and led to excellent class discussions. Strongly recommended.

Well made movie of a situation that could have truly happened
I enjoyed this movie very much because the actors were very good. The Story is sad and you have to realize that in every culture in the world there has been a view that women are just property. It also shows how different personalities of people co-exist together and that one needs to be careful of their words and actions so as to be able to co-exist in situations in which we can not change.