A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: The Curse of the Golden Flower

Date Viewed: 12/28/06

Details:

Yun-Fat Chow

Li Gong

Ye Liu

Qin Junjie

Jay Chou

Man Li

Written & directed by: Yimou Zhang

Score: 1/2

The Review: Imperial intrigue in Beijing's Forbidden City during the Tang dynasty. A foreshadowing, two hundred years in advance, of an Oriental version of The Lion in Winter, viz: infighting amongst the royal family at holiday time, slowly revealed layers of plot, shifting family alliances, secret (and not so secret) trysts. But (alas), without the wit of Lion, sub-captioned dialog that is stilted at best, and definitely a much less ambiguous ending.

But the visuals are wonderful! Amazing vibrant colors decorating almost every surface of the palace, in rainbow hues and well-lit interiors that bring to mind more The Wizard of Oz than Henry II. And excess -- everything is to excess: decorating the inner courtyard for the Chrysanthemum Festival, interior space, military response and counter-response -- everything! This was a culture that had never heard of, and would not be sympathetic to, the rule of Benedict.

The black-clad Ninja-style warriors are seriously cool, even if you cannot figure out on which side they've been enlisted.

(28-Dec-06)

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